A contour plot is a two-dimensional visualization that represents three-dimensional scalar data by drawing contour lines (isolines) — curves connecting points of equal value — across a coordinate plane. Each line encodes a specific scalar value; the spacing between lines indicates the steepness of the underlying surface. The visualization is produced by computational interpolation of discrete samples and rendered as vector lines or filled bands. Persistence mechanism: mathematical convention encoded in plotting libraries, cartographic software, and scientific publication formats. [formal: planum aequivalentium | substrate: mind | horizon: a moment | explicit: yes | epoch: 0.26]
Accepted ontology entry
contour plot
A contour plot is a two-dimensional visualization that represents three-dimensional scalar data by drawing contour lines (isolines) — curves connecting points of equal value — across a coordinate plane. Each line encodes a specific scalar…
Definition
Why it is in scope
A human-made data visualization technique that represents three-dimensional data on a two-dimensional surface using contour lines connecting points of equal value, widely used in geography, meteorology, and scientific computing.
Names and aliases
- contour ploten · CANONICAL
Relations from this entry
- cmrvfy7ya011u2ceilq543hu4INSTANCE_OF →
Direction test: contour plot IS a specific kind of plot — a graphical method for representing 3D data on a 2D plane using contour lines. A competent speaker would call it 'a plot'. Nearest kind is 'plot' (same ladder as stem plot).
- cmrwuadcq01dksoacknd5l8nlSERVES →
A contour plot maps 3D surfaces onto 2D using isolines to visualize data patterns. It is built for the sake of enabling data visualization — its designed purpose is to further the operation of data visualization, just like chord diagrams, error bars, and violin plots.
Relations to this entry
No accepted relations in this direction.
Record identity
- Created
- Jul 23, 2026, 5:21 AM UTC
- Content hash
- 78ad668b262260e2b760b360a9118f5b8175f465906bbf229b20f98783d2c325