Ocean Floor Maps

Marie Tharp has been called “the mother of cartography” and the “contrary map maker.”

Marie Tharp, the preeminent oceanographic cartographer was among the first recipients of the WINGS WorldQuest Women of Discovery Award. Working in conjunction with Bruce Heezen and Columbia University, Marie was able to compile a complete and accurate map of the ocean floor.

Before Marie’s map, it was generally assumed that the ocean floor was flat, with a few mountainous outcroppings. Her map changed everything. Marie discovered a rift down the center of the mid-Atlantic ridge. This rift was indicative of volcanic activity, and provided evidence of seafloor spreading, or continental drift. Bruce originally rejected this idea, but when presented with the completed map, the proof was undeniable.

Collaborating with Austrian landscape painter Heinrich Berann, Marie and the Office of Naval Research published the World Ocean Floor map in 1977. This map is still in wide use today.

For a limited time, WINGS is offering a limited number of official prints of her world ocean floor panorama for sale. 100% of the proceeds go directly to WINGS.