DO IT YOURSELF: MAKING ANCIENT EARTH ACCESSIBLE THROUGH DATA-RICH PALEOGEOGRAPHIC IMAGES

Maps of ancient landscapes (paleogeographic or paleosatellite maps) are among the most wide-reaching examples of the intersection of geoscience and art. These maps condense a myriad of geologic research into a single, comprehensive, easily understood image. Viewing a paleosatellite map catalyzes curiosity in diverse public and professional audiences and often prompts questions or hypotheses about ancient Earth and changing modern-day conditions. However, despite the prevalence and impact of paleosatellite renderings, there is currently no formalized methodology for creating these maps. We introduce an easy-to-follow method to produce metadata-rich paleosatellite images, using a series of five maps we made of the Rocky Mountain region as an example. This process synthesizes decades of geologic research through a literature review, followed by data-visualization, paleoenvironmental interpretation, peer-review, iterative revisions, and the creation of a false contour map and color gradient to bring ancient landscapes to life. The resulting paleosatellite images are photorealistic versions of paleoenvironmental maps that communicate climatic and tectonic information in both a scientifically and aesthetically pleasing manner. Importantly, these maps are also able to be revised with relative ease because they do not rely on photomosaics or raster images, and can thus be considered working models. By outlining a procedure that produces referenced, data-rich, and artistically rendered maps, we hope to demystify the paleoenvironmental map-making process while improving accessibility to knowledge about Earth’s ancient landscapes.