Gplates sample data: open access datasets to accompany GPlates software

Brief description

GPlates sample data provides open access to GPlates-compatible data files that can be loaded seamlessly in GPlates. GPlates is a desktop software application for the interactive visualisation of plate-tectonics. GPlates is free software (open-source software), developed by EarthByte (part of AuScope) at the University of Sydney, The Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences at CalTech, and the Center for Geodynamics at the Norwegian Geological Survey. GPlates is licensed for distribution under the GNU General Public License (GPL), version 2.  GPlates sample data files include feature data, rasters and time-dependent raster images, and global plate polygon files (plate models).

Feature data are available in GPlates Markup Language (.gpml), .PLATES4 (.dat), ESRI Shapefile (.shp) and longditude and latitude with header record (.xy) formats. Files include:

• EarthByte Global Rotation Model
• EarthByte Global Plate ID Assignments
• EarthByte Global Coastline File  
• EarthByte Global Present Day Isochron File
• EarthByte Global Continent-Ocean Boundary File
• EarthByte Global Spreading Ridge File

GPlates-compatible present-day rasters and time-dependent raster images include:

• Global Present Day Agegrid for use in raster reconstructions
• Global Time-Dependent Oceanic Crustal Age Files (0-140 Ma)
• Global Time-Dependent Oceanic Seafloor Spreading Rate Files (0-140 Ma)
• Global Time-Dependent Dynamic Topography Files (0-70 Ma)
• Global Age-Coded Seismic Tomography Files (0-200 Ma)

Global Plate Polygon Files (plate models) include:

• EarthByte Plate Model 2009 Present Day Static Plate Polygon Files. This file uses static polygons to represent the boundaries of present day tectonic plates and palaeo-plate boundaries. This file is compatible with other GIS software (including ArcGIS, PaleoGIS, Quantum GIS, GRASS GIS, SAGA GIS) and technical computing programs such as Matlab. For further information, please refer to the associated documentation.
• Gurnis et. al. Dynamic Closed Plate Polygon Data Files. In this file, polygons are used to represent continuously closing plates from 140 Ma to the present. For further information, please refer to the associated publication.

For further information, please refer to the GPlates Sample Data page on the EarthByte website and the GPlates website.