How To Use the Web Map

About the map

This map contains data points for the location where each geological sample in our archive was collected. You may wish to click to open the map in a new tab link in order to utilize a larger work area and the live position widget as you drag across the map.

On either display, click on a point to view the interactive popup window and then the > button to display basic information about a sample, including its location within the archive facility. Note that for dredges, they are contained in a series of five-gallon plastic buckets and there can be numerous buckets per dredge. The buckets for a single dredge and others from its cruise will in most cases be located in close proximity within the facility. Click on the < and > buttons to advance through the buckets for that one dredge.

Click “more info” to be directed to the NOAA Index to Marine and Lacustrine Geological Samples (IMLGS) page for the sample, where brief descriptions, representative photographs, links to cruise data/tracklines, and analyses can be found.

If you want to come back to that sample later, you can add a marker to the map by clicking the “hamburger” icon (three dots) at the bottom left or right of the basic info page and choose “add a marker”. In this same menu, choose “View in Attribute Table” to see metadata that is not included in the popup, such as latitude and longitude.

The metadata for all samples are listed in the “Attribute Table”. To view the Attribute Table, click on the round table symbol on either the bottom left or right of the map.

Tools and Features

Legend

The data points are color coded by the year collected. Click the “Legend” symbol on the far left to view the legend.

Filter

Use the filter tool (second symbol from the left) to leave only samples that meet your search criteria on the map for viewing. There are two search modes: General Search and Specific Search.

General Search allows you to filter samples by a range of years collected (Year is between), ocean depth in meters collected (Ocean depth is between), ocean feature and region (Location), and the research vessel it was collected by (Ship). Toggle, upper right-hand corner of General Search Filter menu, this layer on (slider becomes green) to see your search results.

Specific Search allows you to quickly locate samples if you know the Cruise ID or Sample number you are looking for. Pull down or start typing in the form box and your possible selections will appear in the dropdown menu. Toggle, upper right-hand corner of General Search Filter menu, this layer on (slider becomes green) to quickly zoom to your search results.

Query

Query creates a new layer in the map displaying the features that meet your search criteria (spyglass icon). The same as the Filter tool, there are two search modes: General Search and Specific Search.

General Search allows you to filter samples by a range of years collected (Year is between), ocean depth in meters collected (Ocean depth is between), ocean feature and region (Location), and the research vessel it was collected by (Ship). [Note: Make sure you toggle off any Filter results first, or this feature may not function properly.]

Specific Search allows you to quickly locate samples if you know the Cruise ID or Sample number you are looking for. Start typing in the form box and your possible selections will appear in the dropdown menu.

To View Results, the results of your query will display in the “Results” tab within the Query menu. Here you can click on a sample to view the information in the popup menu without having to find the symbol on the map. In the hamburger menu (three dots on right side) you can choose “Pan to”, “Zoom to”, or “flash” to bring selected points into view.

To Export Results, Query results can be exported in different formats:

Export to CSV, select this option to automatically download a CSV to your computer.

Export to feature collection, a JSON file automatically downloads to your computer. Use this file to bring features into your mapping software.

Export to GeoJSON, a GeoJSON file is automatically downloaded to your computer. GeoJSON is an open standard geospatial data interchange format that uses geographic coordinate reference system, World Geodetic System 1984, and units of decimal degrees to represent simple geographic features and their nonspatial attributes. Use this file to bring features into your mapping software.

Save to my Content, if you have a myESRI account, you can login and save your results as a feature in your content.

View in Attribute Table, brings you to the attribute table which where you can also export the data to a CSV file in the “Options” menu.

*Note: You can create multiple query results in one session and view the results separately by selecting the dropdown menu. If you close or refresh your browser, your session will be ended and any results lost. You can remove unwanted results from this menu by selecting “remove this result” from the hamburger menu. The name will be generic for all queries created, either: “General Query_Query result” or “Specific Sample Query_Query result” depending on which query option you use. So, be sure to double-check which result you are removing if you have multiple queries open. [This feature still has some bugs. If you are having trouble, try using a different internet browser, we recommend Google Chrome.]

Measurement

This helpful tool will allow you to measure any area or distance on the map. Select the “measurement” tool (the ruler).

Area Tool (ruler with green polygon): This tool allows you to create a polygon by clicking anywhere on the map, create as many points as you need for an accurate measurement and the tool will tell you the area within that polygon. Double click to close polygon. Use the drop-down menu to convert the area to the units you would like to see. To clear the result, deselect the area tool by clicking it again.

Distance Tool (ruler with two arrows): Click on the map as many times as needed to measure distances not in a straight line. Double click to end the line. Choose your units in the dropdown menu. Click on the distance tool again to clear the result.

Position Tool (map with crosshairs): Hover cursor over the map to find out the latitude and longitude of that position. Click to hold that position with a marker. Note, only one marker can be placed at a time. You can change the units from degrees minutes seconds to decimal degrees in the dropdown menu.

Select

The “Select” too will allow you to select a group of sample points (icon with arrow, far right). The selected points will then be highlighted in the “Attributes Table”. The highlighted points can then be exported to a CSV file under the “Options” menu.

We hope this helps you to find the samples you are looking for! For more assistance with the web map portal contact us here and we will do our best to answer the questions you may have.