----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Ron;
 
We had Russian military 1:200,000 topos available for China 2-4 years ago,
with publication dates of most of the sheets in the 1980's.  Coverage is
complete.  There were Russian military 1:100,000 available for China 2-4
years ago with publication dates in the 1980's, but we were not able to get
the more current Russian military 1:50,000 for China until about 2 years ago.
 
Russell Guy
Omni Resources
At 09:48 AM 11/25/96 EST, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>The Nov. issue of National Geographic has an article beginning on pg 116
>entitled "China, Rapid Descent, First Run Down the Shuiluo River."  At the
>bottom of pg 125, the team leader on the river is quoted as saying "Man, I'm
>lost" as he looks at "a muddy photocopy of a 1948 Russian topographical map".
>The author tells us it is only one of their maps.
>On pg 10 of the same issue is a map showing all the areas photographed by
>astronauts from space.  The area of the Shuiluo River seems to have been
>covered although there are a few gaps in the area.
>It made me think about the depth of the expedition leaders' research on
>available cartographic products, and what might really have been available
>to them say 2 to 4 years ago.  I'm thinking of SPOT imagery which can
>seemingly be brought up to a scale of 1:50,000.  That would avoid getting
>lost.  It wouldn't solve the gradient problem, but hand held camera imagery
>from some of the cameras used by astronauts can, I think, stand enlargement
>to the point where white water would be visible.
>What topo maps are out there that are more recent than that 1948 Russian
>map?  Any of us still active in map libraries could be asked about something
>like this.  It would be interesting to know what people can find that's not
>in GEOCATALOG.
>
>Ron Whistance-Smith
>14520 84th Ave. NW
>Edmonton, AB
>Canada   T5R 3X2
>FAX: (403) 483-5858                   email: [log in to unmask]
>
 
OMNI Resources
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