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Database of the "North America Tapestry of Time and Terrain" Map

Data Series 1150
By: , , , and 
https://doi.org/10.3133/ds1150

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Abstract

In 2000, the U.S. Geological Survey published a distinctive map, entitled “A Tapestry of Time and Terrain,” which showed a generalized depiction of the geology in the conterminous United States, draped over shaded-relief topography. In 2003, that map concept was extended geographically, and the resulting new map was published at 1:8,000,000 scale as “The North America Tapestry of Time and Terrain” (NATTT).

The NATTT map showed the wide range of ages of the bedrock that underlies North America, as well as the distribution of the principal rock types— sedimentary, igneous (as two subtypes, volcanic and plutonic), and metamorphic. Regional processes active at the land surface, as well as continental-scale tectonic events, are exposed on the maps, in the three dimensions of space and in the fourth dimension, geologic time.

This new publication contains the geographic information system (GIS) data from the NATTT map, which, in turn, includes map data from the earlier Tapestry map. The GIS files contain over 20,000 polygons that represent geologic age and rock class. In addition, layer files are provided to facilitate a symbolized display of the map that is similar to that of the original NATTT map publication. The data are intended to be used at the scale of the published source map (1:8,000,000).

Suggested Citation

Cahan, S.M., Garrity, C.P., Soller, D.R., and Vigil, J.L., 2022, Database of the "North America Tapestry of Time and Terrain" map: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 1150, 2 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/ds1150.

ISSN: 2327-638X (online)

Table of Contents

  • Abstract
  • Introduction
  • Processing Steps
  • References Cited
Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Database of the "North America Tapestry of Time and Terrain" map
Series title Data Series
Series number 1150
DOI 10.3133/ds1150
Year Published 2022
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) Geology, Energy & Minerals Science Center
Description Report: 2 p.; GIS Database
Online Only (Y/N) Y
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details