African Exploration Topics
- Regional DEM topographic map of Africa
The above map is a DEM of Africa and the Middle East. Today we have the power to color this topographic data in an infinite variety of ways. However some ways are more informative than others. After a bit of work I have settled on the above map to help me as an explorer. The highest areas are in red. Decreasing elevation goes through green, to white. Mixing of the red and green gives an intermediate brown. The white is at about 450 meters so the red brown to green sequence denotes highlands of the African continent. Generally below 450 meters in white we have the basins which hydrocarbon explorers are interested in, these I have colored with yellow at the lowest elevations grading upward through blue which gives an intermediate green. Look carefully and some of the larger rivers valleys can be seen as yellow tails that change to green up stream.
Here is another way to look at Africa.
Click here to see a map of AFRICA constructed using Shuttle Radar data by calculating the slope of that land surface and using a light color for low slopes and a dark color for high slopes.
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Central Basin of Zaire or Congo
(See links below.)DEM topography of the Central Basin of Zaire
Surface Geology of the Central Basin of Zaire or Congo
Topographic profiles across the Central Basin of Zaire or Congo
Schematic Cross section of the Central Basin of Zaire or Congo
Liberia
Map 1 employing Jers-1 SAR, DEM, and Thematic mapper. Lineaments mapped from Thematic mapper and Jers-1 SAR data. Small red circles interpreted as diatremes of igneous centers.Map 2 as above with more Thematic Mapper emphasis.
Madagascar
Comparison of DEM and Geologic Maps. Note that high topography in Isalo Group is denoted with "dot" pattern on both maps. Lineaments interpreted from DEM and radar on both maps.
Experimental Map III of MadagascarExperimental Map IV of Madagascar
This is a big file so be patient,.... you will also have to scroll down to see the map..
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Morocco
In this map I have tried to meld DEM elevation and Imagery of Morocco. The lineaments are largely interpreted from DEM displays which I Have colored in many different ways. I call them lineaments but believe that they could be faults. I have used MapInfo to underlay beneath a translucent imagery a simple DEM coloring the are yellow at lower elevations, red at mid range elevations, and blues at higher elevations. I left a little white at the highest elevations to allow the snow seen in the imagery to shine through. For my own curiousity as an exporation geologist, I have posted the position as best I can of a recent remote hydrocarbon discovery well (SBK#1) in eastern Morocco. If anyone know more about this discovery, I will gladly post their additional information.
Shuttle Radar and the Countries of Africa
Click here to see a list of countries for which we have created a map using shuttle radar interpretation.
