Shadow Maps of Data Density & Quality for the Seafloor Habitat and Lithology Maps of Oregon & Washington

It is often difficult to examine a map and visually assess the density and quality of the underlying data used to produce the map. Maps produced with Geographic Information System (GIS) often contain metadata or documentation that details the origin, extent, accuracy, scale, resolution, and creation date. Metadata provides a means to assess the utility of the spatial information for a specific purpose. However, this type of information can be difficult to translate in terms of a visual and spatial description of data density and quality. Additionally, it is not in a form that readily applies to spatial models, which require quantitative spatial inputs.