The International Cartographic Association (ICA) Commission on Planetary Cartography was officially established as a continuation of the ICA Planetary Cartography Working Group (1995-1999) at the ICA Congress in Ottawa in August 1999. The working group was established during the 1995 ICA congress in Barcelona, initiated by Kira Shingareva (Russia), Manfred Buchroithner (Germany), and Jim Zimbelman (USA).
Our 2019-23 aims right now are
in general
- connect planetary scientists working at different national agencies, universities and research institutes;
- encourage cartographers, researchers, graphic artists, and students to join the planetary cartographic community even in those countries that have no space mission.
- provide access to feature databases and base maps to map publishers and encourage them to publish planetary themed maps in their atlases and portfolio
- help the development of international standards in planetary cartography
- document and promote planetary cartographic products and activities
- focus on interpreted map products, such as geomorphic maps, physical geographic maps, geologic maps, thematic surface feature maps.
in particular
- promote a digital spatial data infrastructure to grant access to (already published) digital planetary maps and make them usable. For this purpose existing catalogs and databanks (like the USGS planetary map catalog, the International catalogue of international planetary maps 1600-2018, and others) and, as much as possible, the experience of Earth-based developments shall be used.
- update, development and provision of resources (tutorials/documentations, cartographic symbols, data models) for the creation of digital maps in the planetary sciences (with a focus on geological and geomorphological maps).
- design and conduct a global web-based vector map of Mars and Moon that shall facilitate the exchange and visualization of planetary contents of laymen and professionals alike.
- focus on the collaboration with other ICA commissions and other associations (e.g. ISPRS) to promote the exchange of content and of experiences.
- continue of the ICA Commission Website
Contact / e-mail
Website info
Responsible for this site’s content:
ICA CPC – International Cartographic Association Commission on Planetary Cartography, Andrea Nass andrea.nass@dlr.de and Henrik Hargitai hhargitai@gmail.com
Website design: Mateusz Pitura
The ICA is officially registered as an idealistic non-profit organization in the Swedish National Organization Register since 20 January 2000 (number 885002-1018).
The former website of ICA CPC was maintained from 1997 to 2011 by Jim Zimbelman, and between 2011/1019 by Henrik Hargitai. Thank you!
ICA Commission on Planetary Cartography 