TephraProb v.1.6

There has been a change in the access to the Google Map API used by the function plot_google_map by Zohar Bar-Yehuda that can cause problems when TephraProb attempts to retrieve the map background. Google now requires to get an API Key, which needs to be associated with a Google Project and, tadaaaa, a billing account. Although this is likely to remain free for a small number of requests, some might be reluctant to add a billing account to get a key. A new function offering to export maps to Google Earth was therefore implemented, which relies on the Google Earth Toolbox by Scott Lee Davis.

Changes in TephraProb v1.6

TephraProb preferences

The preference pannel has been reworked. Regarding Google Maps, the options are:

• Choose whether a basemap should be plotted. The option for Google Map remains, knowing that problems may occur if not used with an API Key;
• Enter an API Key for Google Map, which is likely to solve the problems.

Regarding Google Earth, the options are:

• Choose to export the set of plotted data to Google Earth. If selected, this option saves a .kmz file in RunName/RunNb/KML/;
• Choose to display the .kmz upon completion of the generation of the maps. Note that this process will attempt to open the .kmz file with the default software assigned in your system for this file extension. If your computer opens another software, you must manually change the default software used for .kmz files.

Google Earth output file

If the option described above is selected, TephraProb will generate a Google Earth file upon completion of the Display / Probability maps and Display / Isomass maps functions. The Google Earth file generated by TephraProb is a KMZ file, which is an archive containing all the associated files required for display that can easily be shared amongst people. Once opened, the file contains:

• Each map selected for plotting in TephraProb;
• A color bar;
• The extent of the original computation grid. Note that some re-interpolation is necessary to plot the maps in Google Earth and some data may appear outside the computation domain. This is an artefact and should be considered as such;
• The vent.

Additionaly, if i) hazard curves have been computed for the working project , ii) the option Plot hazard curve location is activated in the preferences and iii) probability maps are being plotted, TephraProb adds the location of the hazard curves in the .kmz file. These points are clickable and will display the hazard curves.

Added dependency

• Function Google Earth Toolbox by Scott Lee Davis.