Transects and Surface III


A transect, or three-dimensional fishnet diagram, displays a grid matrix drawn in perspective, with each grid node offset vertically an amount proportional to the Z value. This is a more direct method of displaying a grid than contouring, as it does not require interpolation. However, it is difficult for the viewer to extract quantitative information from a block diagram.

The transect shown above has lines drawn along each row and column in the grid. Other options include drawing lines only along the rows or only along the columns. Colors based on the Z value in the grid can be added, as shown on the home page of this introduction.

The appearance of a block diagram is changed greatly by the vertical scaling applied to a grid. Usually the coordinates of the X and Y axes are not the same as those of the Z values. Surface III must be given a scaling value to turn Z values into vertical displacement on a transect.


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