Sample code

This document contains sample code that shows pyGPlates solving common plate tectonic problems.

Note

The Getting started section has a Getting Started tutorial as well as an installation guide to help get started.

Import

This section covers how to get geometry data into a state where it can be reconstructed by pyGPlates.

• Import geometries and assign plate IDs
  • Import points from a text file and assign plate IDs
    • Sample code
    • Input
    • Details
  • Load points from a GMT file and assign plate IDs
    • Sample code
    • Input
    • Details
  • Import polylines from a text file and assign plate IDs
    • Sample code
    • Input
    • Details
  • Load polylines from a GMT file and assign plate IDs
    • Sample code
    • Input
    • Details

Load/Save

This section covers how to load and save collections of features from/to files.

• Load and save feature collections
  • Create a file containing a subset of features from another file
    • Sample code
    • Details
  • Create a file containing features from multiple files
    • Sample code
    • Details

Create/query features

This section covers how to create features from scratch and how to query their properties.

• Create common feature types
  • Create a coastline feature from present-day geometry
    • Sample code
    • Details
    • Alternate sample code
    • Details
  • Create an isochron feature from geometry at a past geological time
    • Sample code
    • Details
    • Alternate sample code
    • Details
  • Create a mid-ocean ridge feature from geometry at a past geological time
    • Sample code
    • Details
    • Alternate sample code
    • Details
  • Create a subduction zone feature from present-day geometry
    • Sample code
    • Details
    • Alternate sample code
    • Details
  • Create a virtual geomagnetic pole feature
    • Sample code
    • Details
    • Alternate sample code
    • Details
  • Create a motion path feature
    • Sample code
    • Details
    • Alternate sample code
    • Details
  • Create a flowline feature
    • Sample code
    • Details
    • Alternate sample code
    • Details
  • Create a total reconstruction sequence (rotation) feature
    • Sample code
    • Details
    • Alternate sample code
    • Details
• Query common feature types
  • Query a coastline feature
    • Sample code
    • Details
    • Output
  • Query an isochron feature
    • Sample code
    • Details
    • Output
  • Query a mid-ocean ridge feature
    • Sample code
    • Output
  • Query a subduction zone feature
    • Sample code
    • Output
  • Query a virtual geomagnetic pole feature
    • Sample code
    • Output
  • Query a motion path feature
    • Sample code
    • Output
  • Query a flowline feature
    • Sample code
    • Output
  • Query a total reconstruction sequence (rotation) feature
    • Sample code
    • Output

Reconstruct features

This section covers how to reconstruct regular features, motion path features and flowline features to past geological times.

• Reconstruct regular features
  • Exported reconstructed features to a file
    • Sample code
    • Details
    • Output
  • Calculate distance a feature is reconstructed
    • Sample code
    • Details
    • Output
• Reconstruct motion path features
  • Exported reconstructed motion paths to a file
    • Sample code
    • Details
    • Output
  • Query a reconstructed motion path
    • Sample code
    • Details
    • Output
• Reconstruct flowline features
  • Exported reconstructed flowlines to a file
    • Sample code
    • Details
    • Output
  • Query a reconstructed flowline
    • Sample code
    • Details
    • Output

Rotations

This section covers querying and modifying the rotations that are used to reconstruct features to past geological times.

• Hierarchy of plate rotations
  • Sample code
  • Details
  • Output
• Plate circuits to anchored plate
  • Sample code
  • Details
  • Output
• Modify a reconstruction pole
  • Sample code
  • Details
  • Output

Topologies

This section covers how to reconstruct (or resolve) dynamic geometries (such as topological plate boundaries) at past geological times, and how to query their topologies.

• Find average area and subducting boundary proportion of topologies
  • Sample code
  • Details
  • Output
• Find the total length of ridges and subduction zones
  • Sample code
  • Details
  • Output
• Find gaps and overlaps in global topological boundaries
  • Sample code
  • Details
  • Visualising gaps and overlaps in GPlates
• Reconstruct crustal thickness and tectonic subsidence
  • Sample code
  • Details
• Create topological features
  • Sample code
  • Details
    • Create a topological line feature
    • Create a topological polygon feature
    • Create a topological network feature
    • Find features referenced by a topology
    • Create a topological section for each referenced feature
    • Create a topological network interior for each referenced feature
  • Input
  • Output

Velocities

This section covers how to calculate velocities of features as they move through geological time and also how to calculate velocities of plates at non-moving point locations.

• Calculate velocities by plate ID
  • Sample code
  • Details
• Calculate velocities in dynamic plates
  • Calculate velocities by assigning plate IDs of dynamic plates to static points
    • Sample code
  • Calculate velocities by grouping static points into dynamic plates
    • Sample code
  • Calculate velocities by individually partitioning each static point into dynamic plates
    • Sample code

Spatial proximity

This section covers queries involving distances between geometries.

• Find nearest reconstructed feature to a point
  • Sample code
  • Details
  • Advanced
• Find reconstructed features overlapping a polygon
  • Sample code
  • Details
• Find overriding plate of closest subducting line
  • Sample code
  • Details
  • Output

See also

Calculate distance a feature is reconstructed

Isochrons

This section covers some use cases specific to the isochron feature type.

• Create conjugate isochrons from a ridge
  • Sample code
  • Details
  • Advanced
• Split an isochron into ridge and transform segments
  • Sample code
  • Details