Large Igneous Provinces

Dr. Mike Coffin, coordinator
Now at Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies,
University of Tasmania

Data format and description of digital LIPS database

[Digital files for the present-day plate boundaries are in the
directory plate_boundaries (source: PLATES Project).]

The LIPs data files are in three formats: GMT, shapefiles and PLATES.  For
information on GMT, check out the website:
http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/wessel/gmt.html
For information on PLATES, check out the website:
http://www-udc.ig.utexas.edu/research/projects/plates.html

LIPS.refs.txt = list of references for digital outlines of lips. Each
            reference has a unique 4-digit number assigned to it

LIPS_mdb.zip - zip of an MDB file
LIPS_shapfiles.zip - zip of shapefiles

LIPS.2011.gmt = outlines of LIPs. GMT format
LIPS.2001.points.gmt = LIPs whose location is noted by a single point. GMT format
DIPREF.2001.gmt = dipping reflector locations (points only). GMT format
hotspots.gmt = longitude, latitude of active hotspots

LIPS.2011.dat = outlines of LIPs. PLATES format
LIPS.points.2011.dat = LIPs whose location is noted by a single point. PLATES format
DIPREF.2011.dat = dipping reflector locations (points only). PLATES format

========================================================================
GMT Format
Data are stored as longitude/latitude points with a '>' 
indicating the end of a line segment. In the LIPs GMT files,
a geographic description is appended to the first longitude/
latitude pair.  A 4-digit reference number is at the end of
the description, encased in parantheses ().

PLATES Format
Data are in ascii format.  Each piece of data is stored as a 'string.'
A string consists of a two-line header followed by lines with
latitude, longitude, pen command (If pen command = 2, draw to that point.
If pen command = 3, skip to that point.) 
The string is ended by:  99.0000   99.0000 3. 

The header describes the data and is for use with PLATES software.  
The first line of the header consists of a 4-digit reference number 
a 4-digit string number, and  a geographic description of 
the data.  The second line consists of a 3-digit plate identification number, 
the time of appearance and disappearance (in millions of years), a 2-letter
code for the type of data, a 4-digit data type number, a 1-letter code for 
further description of the data type number, a 3-digit plate identification
number, a 3-digit color code, and a 5-digit code that states how many 
points are contained in the string (not including the last point, 
99.0000   99.0000).

Format (in FORTRAN code) for the header is:

format(i4,1x,1i4,1x,a)
format(x,i3,x,f6.1,x,f6.1,x,a2,i4,a1,i3,x,i3,x,i5)

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Format (in FORTRAN code) for the latitude-longitude line is:

format(f9.4,1x,f9.4,x,i1)


Example below shows part of the string for the Agulhas Ridge, South Atlantic

9388    1 4000 METERS AGULHAS RIDGE, SOUTH ATLANTIC                             
 701   70.0 -999.0 BA4000 701   3   819
 -36.1577   17.1281 3
 -36.2153   17.1167 2
 -36.2413   17.1281 2
 -36.2636   17.1556 2
 -36.2710   17.1785 2
 -36.2618   17.2015 2
 -36.2320   17.2221 2
 -36.2023   17.2427 2
 -36.1893   17.2267 2
....         .....
....         .....
  99.0000   99.0000 3

For the first line of the header: 
                9388 =  reference number
		   3 = string number
AGULHAS RIDGE, ...   = geographic description

For the second line of the header:
	       701 = African plate id number
	      70.0 = age of appearance of the province
	    -999.0 = default age of disappearance of province
	        BA = data type code for bathymetric contours
	      4000 = data type code number (4000 meters)
               701 = African plate id number
	         3 = color code number
	       819 = number of points in the string

Data Type Codes

BA	Bathymetry (meters)
SM	Seamount
VO	Volcano


Plate ID numbers:

101 = North America
102 = Greenland
107 = Baffin Island
110 = Alpha Ridge
112 = Chukchi Cap
113 = Northwind Ridge
201 = northern South America
202 = central South America
224 = Caribbean sea floor
229 = Eastern Panama
290 = Salado sub-plate on South America
291 = Colorado sub-plate on South America
301 = Europe
331 = United Kingdom Block
401 = Siberia
501 = India
503 = Arabia
692 = Eauripik Ridge
693 = Caroline Ridge
701 = southern Africa
702 = Madagascar
703 = Madagascar Ridge
704 = Seychelles
705 = Mascarene Plateau
714 = northwestern Africa
801 = Australia
802 = East Antarctica
807 = South New Zealand
831 = Kerguelen
845 = Ontong Java Plateau 
853 = Elan Bank, Kerguelen Plateau
854 = Southern Kerguelen Plateau
901 = Pacific plate
902 = Nazca plate
909 = Cocos plate
922 = Easter plate (South Pacific)