Ocean-bottom seismometer, capable of recording seismic waves down to depths of 10,000 metres.
Ocean-bottom seismometer, capable of recording seismic waves down to depths of 10,000 metres. © ORSTROM

OCEAN MAPPING AND IOC

IOC activities in international ocean mapping began in 1969. This programme, which aims to provide the cartographic basis for all the Commission's programmes, consists primarily of the production of six regional international bathymetric charts, notably the International Bathymetric Chart of the Mediterranean and its geological and geophysical series (IBCM), the International Bathymetric Charts of the Central Eastern Atlantic (IBCEA, 1990), of the Western Pacific (IBCWP) and others. These are incorporated into the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO) which covers all the world oceans.

At present IOC contributions to the ocean mapping activities fall within three categories:

    1. GEBCO;

    2. GAPA (International Geological-Geophysical Atlases of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans)

    3. Regional ocean mapping projects (as above).

The overall strategy of the international ocean mapping effort for the next decade or so is to cover the world ocean with bathymetric and geological/geophysical charts at a 1:1M scale. In these activities, IOC plays a co-ordinating role as well as that of a co-sponsor.

The World Bathymetric Data Centre is located in the National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC) of the USA, whose website is: http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/mgg/aboutmgg/aboutmgg.html.

As well, browsers may consult IOC's ocean mapping web subsite: http://www.ioc.unesco.org/iocweb/activities/ocean_sciences/ocemap.htm.

Information on how to obtain the ocean mapping products can be found in these websites.

Among the activities planned for the next year or two is the organization of an editorial board for an international bathymetric chart of the Eastern South Pacific. An initial meeting will probably be held in Valparaiso, Chile.
 

Below are a few examples of the different types of maps produced by IOC:
CHANGE Bathymetric Chart of the Indian Ocean, taken from the GEBCO Digital Atlas. 
Larger version
International Bathymetric Chart of the Mediterranean
Larger version
Mediterranean Bouguer Gravity Anomalies (IBCM-G)
Larger version
Seismicity Map of the Mediterranean Region (IBCM-S)
Larger version

The GEBCO Digital Atlas

The GEBCO Digital Atlas is published by the British Oceanographic Data Centre on behalf of the IOC and the International Hydrographic Organisation and is available on CD-ROM. Further details and an order form can be obtained from the BODC Website at www.bodc.ac.uk