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Detailed Reference Information
John 2004
John, C.M. (2004). Plotting and analyzing data trends in ternary diagrams made easy. Eos, Transactions American Geophysical Union 85: doi: 10.1029/2004EO160004. issn: 0096-3941.

Ternary plots are used in many fields of science to characterize a system based on three components. Triangular plotting is thus useful to a broad audience in the Earth sciences and beyond. Unfortunately, it is typically the most expensive commercial software packages that offer the option to plot data in ternary diagrams, and they lack features that are paramount to the geosciences, such as the ability to plot data directly into a standardized diagram and the possibility to analyze temporal and stratigraphic trends within this diagram. To address these issues, δPlot was developed with a strong emphasis on ease of use, community orientation, and availability free of charges. This freeware supports a fully graphical user interface where data can be imported as text files, or by copying and pasting. A plot is automatically generated, and any standard diagram can be selected for plotting in the background using a simple pull-down menu. Standard diagrams are stored in an external database of PDF files that currently holds some 30 diagrams that deal with different fields of the Earth sciences. Using any drawing software supporting PDF, one can easily produce new standard diagrams to be used with δPlot by simply adding them to the library folder. An independent column of values, commonly stratigraphic depths or ages, can be used to sort the data sets.

BACKGROUND DATA FILES

Abstract

Keywords
General or Miscellaneous, Notices and announcements, General or Miscellaneous, Techniques applicable in three or more fields, General or Miscellaneous, Instruments useful in three or more fields
Journal
Eos, Transactions American Geophysical Union
Publisher
American Geophysical Union
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