Plotting spatial data in a global map

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Hello,
I have a dataset of 555x3 Lat, Lon, and Biomass
The latitude and longitude are not evenly spaced and random
I would like to know how I can visualize on a map where the data falls on a global map with continents outlined. I don't want to see the value of the biomass, rather I would like to just see where on a global map I have data at in order to visualize the spatial expanse of my dataset.
I'm having trouble finding a matlab command that can easily accomplish this. Does anyone know what command meets my needs?
Thank you

Accepted Answer

Chad Greene
Chad Greene on 28 Jan 2015
We'll call your data matrix data. Then
lat = data(:,1);
lon = data(:,2);
plot(lon,lat,'bp')
xlabel('longitude')
ylabel('latitude')
will put a blue star at every data point.
  2 Comments
Melissa
Melissa on 28 Jan 2015
Thank you Chad,
Is there a way that I could see it spread out across a global map with continents?
Chad Greene
Chad Greene on 28 Jan 2015
Do you have the Mapping Toolbox? If yes, use worldmap to initialize a map, choose your method of plotting a coast, then use plotm(lat,lon,'bp') to plot blue stars at all your data points. If you do not have the mapping toolbox, M_Map works just as well.

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