Map earthquake magnitude without implying linear energy

The direct answer

Use equal-size points for locations and explain magnitude separately. A magnitude 6 event does not release only twice the energy of a magnitude 3 event. Mapping raw magnitude directly to bubble area invites a physical comparison the number cannot support.

Prepare the observation table

Import the filtered event table, select Point map and assign the coordinate columns. Keep mag as a numeric table field and in the explanation. If using color for magnitude, show the scale and retain magType when comparing measurements.

Public dataset and a reproducible example

The download is a prepared extract, not a live data connection. The source links below include the original query, observation period and reuse policy. Keep an original copy when you update the data; revised source values can change the result.

USGS Earthquake Catalog, worldwide earthquake events with magnitude ≥ 5, from 2023-01-01T00:00:00Z up to but excluding 2024-01-01T00:00:00Z. Later catalog revisions can alter values. This is an educational extract, not a risk or warning service.

Snapshot retrieved: 2026-10-26. Prepared rows: 1780.

Download the prepared CSVDownload the reference SVG

Build it in Datamon

Sign in with Google to create an editable visualization. Public articles and examples can be read without an account. The prepared CSV already contains the joins, filters or aggregations described above; do those steps in a spreadsheet first when using your own data.

1. Open Data and choose a file, or paste the table with its header row. Check the detected numeric columns, decimal separator and dates. The current importer accepts files below 20 MB; these examples are smaller. Keep blanks distinct from recorded zeros.
2. In Visualize, select Point map. Connect the roles exactly as listed below. Review the preview against at least two rows in the example table rather than relying only on automatic mapping.
3. In Refine, add a title that states the question, the unit, observation period and source. Check labels and contrast at the size your reader will see. Keep a table when exact values matter.
4. Use the export controls for SVG, PNG, PDF or PowerPoint, then inspect the actual file. Save an editable project backup. Publish only after checking the underlying values: a public link makes the published data available to anyone possessing the URL.

Calculation and column mapping

The rule below is pseudocode. The downloadable CSV already contains the prepared values; spreadsheet functions and cell references depend on your sheet layout.

Latitude and Longitude use decimal degrees; points use constant size

Latitude

latitude

Longitude

longitude

Read the result

The preview maps 1,780 source records; unselected countries are not zero values.

Use the preview to check the structure and the CSV to check exact values. Its styling is a reference; your Datamon rendering can look different. Follow the mapping and preparation above to reproduce the analytical meaning.

Mistakes that change the meaning

Magnitude types can differ across the catalog. Do not sum magnitudes into a daily “total strength” or infer damage from magnitude alone. Exposure, depth, ground conditions and distance affect impacts; this dataset is a visualization example, not a hazard assessment.

Questions before sharing

What is free and what needs an account?

Reading this guide and downloading its CSV and chart images are free. Datamon currently has no paid checkout or subscription plans in this deployment. Creating and saving an editable visualization requires Google sign-in. Provider-backed AI, cloud analysis, publishing and video depend on configured services; this guide does not promise unlimited free connected services.

Sources and further reading

• USGS Earthquake Catalog
• USGS Earthquake Catalog · API / CSV
• USGS Earthquake Catalog · License / policy
• Data sources, queries and reuse notes
• Datamon · Blog
• Visualize point map: easy guide, free example