162 Planetary Geologic Mapping Across the Solar System

We invite abstracts that showcase planetary geologic maps, discuss mapping strategies, and leverage map-based investigations of planetary surfaces at multiple scales.

Tuesday, 21 October 2025
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
HBGCC, 214B

USGS Planetary Geologic Mapping Program Status Update

Paper number: 162-1
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 8:05 AM – 8:20 AM

Authors

Abstract

The NASA-funded USGS Planetary Geologic Mapping Program (PGMP) facilitates the publication of extraterrestrial geologic maps from bodies throughout the Solar System. The USGS provides technologic and methodologic support during the mapping, facilitates the panel style peer-review process, and acts as a liaison between the map author and the USGS Publishing Servicing Center’s editors and cartographers during revisions, proof and bureau approval. In addition to these support tasks, the PGMP publishes documents featuring planetary specific mapping guidelines, and researched and tested approaches to different map components. The goal of these documents is to increase the consistency of the maps and map components to facilitate comparisons between maps. For example, comparing several discrete areas on the same body, nested scale maps on a single body, or enabling comparative planetology with maps from different bodies.

Additionally, we are researching methods to generate more consistent and comparable mapped features. This past year, we started a pilot study to determine a mapping methodology to represent craters consistently across bodies and at different scales based on diameter ranges and geologic unit detail. This initial study includes maps of Mars at 1:5,000,000, 1:500,000, and 1:50,000, and Mercury and The Moon at 1:5,000,000, 1:1,000,000 and 1:100,000. Future studies will extend our findings here to the satellites of the outer solar system and dwarf planets.

To increase the reach of our maps to more users, we continue to explore implementing Color Vision Deficiency compliant palettes into our existing catalog of digital maps. We are researching both a GIS and a PDF solution. This approach should satisfy a broader swath of the community of map users.

This talk will present updates on the health of the Planetary Geologic Mapping Program, mapping queue progress made this year, and plans for the next 2 years as we plan for changes to staffing and funding.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 57, No. 6

doi: 10.1130/abs/2025AM-414435

© Copyright 2025 The Geological Society of America (GSA), all rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to the author(s) of this abstract to reproduce and distribute it freely, for noncommercial purposes. Permission is hereby granted to any individual scientist to download a single copy of this electronic file and reproduce up to 20 paper copies for noncommercial purposes advancing science and education, including classroom use, providing all reproductions include the complete content shown here, including the author information. All other forms of reproduction and/or transmittal are prohibited without written permission from GSA Copyright Permissions.