NASA/USGS Planetary Geologic Mapping Program

Indices

• 1992 Map Index

• Maps Since 1992 Index

Status

• Venus
  • Table
  • Chart
• Mars
  • Table
  • Chart
• Outer Planet Satellites
  • Table

Digital Geologic Maps

• Planetary Geologic Maps

Nomenclature

• Gazetteer of Planetary nomenclature
• Labeled image maps
• Venus
• Mars
• Jupiter's Galilean satellites

Mapping Guidelines

• Venus Geologic Mappers Handbook
• Additional Guidelines
• Venus SOMUs (PDF)
• Reno Guidelines
• Use and Presentation of Magellan Quantative Data in Venus Mapping
• Planetary Geologic Map Symbols 1 (PDF)
• Planetary Geologic Map Symbols 2 (PDF)
• Digital Map Preparation

The Astrogeology Team at USGS provides coordination of NASA's planetary geologic mapping program. Geologic mapping investigations of any imaged planetary body (except Earth) are proposed to NASA's Planetary Geology and Geophysics Program on an annual basis (generally due sometime between late April and early June) and then reviewed by the Lunar and Planetary Geoscience Review Panel. USGS map coordination is provided under the auspices of NASA's Planetary Cartography and Geologic Mapping Working Group and its Geologic Mapping Subcommittee. USGS provides (1) participation in working groups charged with developing planetary geologic mapping program plans, (2) management and coordination of individual mapping projects, (3) oversight and expertise in meeting the requirements of USGS map standards, (4) editorial support in map reviews and revisions, (5) generation of geologic base maps and databases for map investigators, and (6) prepress preparation and printing of maps in the USGS Miscellaneous Investigations Series (aka "I-maps").

Two primary programs underway now are the systematic mapping of Venus at 1:5,000,000 scale using Magellan SAR data and local (1:500,000) to regional (1:5,000,000) scale mapping of Mars based on medium- to high-resolution Viking images. Work also progresses toward completion of the Galilean satellites using Voyager images. In addition, we anticipate more geologic maps will continue to be proposed for and funded based on both existing data and that obtained by Clementine, Galileo, and Mars Global Surveyor. Geologic maps can be produced from existing map bases that are part of established map series (see the Index of Planetary Maps, 1992 or additions since 1992) or ones specifically generated for the geologic map.

Active mappers meet once a year during the early summer to present progress on planetary geologic mapping projects. Usually these meetings are held alternately at the USGS Flagstaff and other locations where a geologic field trip can be conducted. Starting in 2000, abstracts began to be accepted for meeting presentations. In 2004, the Planetary Geologic Mappers meeting will be held in Flagstaff Arizona on June 17-18. The following table provides access to abstracts published for given years

Year	USGS Open-File Report	Description
2000	01-018	Abstracts of the Annual Planetary Geologic Mappers Meeting - June 22-24, 2000 Flagstaff, Arizona
2001	02-78	Abstracts of the Annual Planetary Geologic Mappers Meeting - June 18-19, 2001 Albuquerque, New Mexico
2002	02-412	Abstracts of the Annual Planetary Geologic Mappers Meeting - June 21-22, 2002 Tempe, Arizona
2003	2004-1100	Abstracts of the Annual Planetary Geologic Mappers Meeting - June 19-20, 2003 Providence, Rhode Island
2004	2004-1289	Abstracts of the Annual Planetary Geologic Mappers Meeting - June 17-19, 2004 Flagstaff, Arizona

If you would like to propose for a mapping investigation, check the appropriate planetary body in the index to see what geologic maps may have already been published for the area of interest. In addition, look into the current programs for the bodies listed above to examine what maps are in progress. You may wish to download the Venus Geologic Mapper's Handbook (USGS Open-File Report 94-438) and the Use and Presentation of Magellan Quantitative Data in Venus Mapping (USGS Open-File Report 95-519) as well as Additional Guidelines, and Reno Guidelines for general instruction on planetary geologic mapping procedures as well as specific guidelines beneficial for the Venus 1:5,000,000 geologic map series. Also, you may obtain a list of planetary geology map symbols. The symbols are also available as two Acrobat PDF files, geosymbols1.pdf and geosymbols2.pdf. Instructions for digital map preparation are provided.