Three-dimensional and stereoscopic graphics for scientific data display and analysis

While the two-dimensional x-y plot is the most widely used form of graphical data representation, many data analysis applications require three or more dimensions. In chemistry, for instance, it is of interest to visualize the behavior of a variable as a function of both time and temperature, and in thermodynamics relations between pressure, temperature, and volume are important. Recent developments related to computer hardware and software have now brought the capability for three-dimensional (3-D) plotting to a much broader user base. Concepts of 3-D plotting are illustrated with the aid of an example from a materials aging study. Attention is given to three-dimensional scatterplots, drawing a plane in three dimensions, two multivariate applications, the utilization of the concept of flickering, a drawback of the contour plot, the importance of software graphics editing in data analysis, and stereo viewing.