Topographic map
Topographic maps, also called contour maps, topo maps or topo quads , are
maps that show
topography, or land contours, by means of
contour lines. Contour lines are curves that connect contiguous points of the same altitude . In other words, every point on the marked line of 100 m elevation is 100 m above mean sea level.
There are several rules to note when viewing topographic maps:
*The rule of Vs: sharp-pointed vees usually are in stream valleys, with the drainage channel passing through the point of the vee, with the vee pointing upstream. This is a consequence of
erosion.
Encyclopedia
Topographic maps, also called
contour maps, topo maps or topo quads , are
maps that show
topography, or land contours, by means of
contour lines. Contour lines are curves that connect contiguous points of the same altitude . In other words, every point on the marked line of 100 m elevation is 100 m above mean sea level.
There are several rules to note when viewing topographic maps:
- The rule of Vs: sharp-pointed vees usually are in stream valleys, with the drainage channel passing through the point of the vee, with the vee pointing upstream. This is a consequence of erosion.
- The rule of Os: closed loops are normally uphill on the inside and downhill on the outside, and the innermost loop is the highest area. If a loop instead represents a depression, some maps note this by short lines radiating from the inside of the loop, called "hachures".
- Spacing of contours: close contours indicate a steep slope; distant contours a shallow slope. Two or more contour lines merging indicates a cliff.
Of course, to determine differences in elevation between two points, the contour interval, or distance in altitude between two adjacent contour lines, must be known, and this is given at the bottom of the map. In most cases, contour intervals are consistent throughout a map. Sometimes dashed contour lines are present; these represent half the noted contour interval.
These maps usually show not only the contours, but also any significant
streams or other bodies of
water,
forest cover, built-up areas or individual buildings , and other features and points of interest.
Topographic maps are prepared using
aerial photography.
Sources of topographic maps
United States
The
United States Geological Survey produces several national series of topographic maps. The oldest series is the fifteen-minute series, meaning that each map portrays an area fifteen minutes of longitude wide by fifteen minutes of
latitude high; roughly . The newer standard series is the 7.5-minute series with a scale of 1:24000. Each 7.5-minute series map covers one quarter of the area of a fifteen-minute series map, and therefore each is called a quadrangle or "quad". USGS topographic quadrangle maps are marked to make it possible to identify locations according to the
Public Land Survey System in addition to latitude and longitude and
UTM grids. There are also other series, including some county maps and maps of special interest areas, such as the
Grand Canyon, and there are also smaller-scale maps showing much larger areas.
A number of Internet sites have made these maps available on the web for affordable commercial and professional use. Because works of the U.S. Government are in the
public domain, it is also possible to find many of these maps for free at various locations on the Internet, as well as
DEM datasets that digitally describe topography.
United Kingdom
The
Ordnance Survey produces topographic map series covering the
United Kingdom at 1:25,000 and 1:50,000. They have a mapping database from which they can print specialist maps at any scale.
France
The Institut géographique national produces topographic maps of
France at 1:25,000 and 1:50,000.
Switzerland
The Federal Office of Topography produces topographic maps of
Switzerland at seven different scales.
Denmark
The
National Survey and Cadastre of Denmark is responsible for producing topographic and nautical geodata of Denmark, Greenland and the Faroe Islands.
Global 1-kilometer map
This map is derived from GTOPO30 data that describes the elevation of
Earth's terrain at intervals of 30 arcseconds . It uses color and shading instead of contour lines to indicate elevation.
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| 1800x1800, 1MB. 60px=1min. 1px=1sec. |
See also
Sources of topographic maps
External links
