This unique book is the key to computer contouring, exploring in detail the practice and principles using a personal computer. Contouring allows a three dimensional view in two dimensions and is a fundamental technique to represent spatial data. All aspects of this type of representation are covered including data preparation, selecting contour intervals, interpolation and griding, computing volumes and output and display.
Formulated for both the novice and the experienced user, this book initially conducts the reader through a step by step explanation of PC software and its application to personal data, and then presents the rationale and concepts for contouring using the computer.
Accompanying the book is a set of BASIC programs, in ASCII format, on an MS-DOS 360KB floppy disk. These programs implement eighteen interpolation methods, five gradient estimation techniques, and seven types of display, and are designed to be adapted or combined to suit a wide range of possible objectives concerning either the comparative study of contouring methodology or the practical production of contour displays.
The book is extremely well organized and is useful to both the novice and experience operator.
ESRISAT
John C Davis, Geoff Bohling
...is unique in its approach to contouring and related topics....the book is extremely valuable for those interested in contouring algorithms. No other compilation provides such a complete survey of the field, nor such a consistent evaluation of the alternatives.
Computers & Geosciences Vol 19 No 9
Christopher Gold
There are a few books in this world that are known universally by a single word. Within the domain of those interested in the subject, David Watson's "Contouring" may become one of these, by virtue of being cited, checked, and quoted by those struggling with the problem of representing supposedly continuous surfaces defined by a few arbitrarily distributed data...brings out into the open most of the decisions necessary for developing and choosing interpolation methods for "precise" data, and will be referenced extensively over the next few years. If you are in the business of making those decisions-make sure you can say "Watson says..."!
Computers and Geosciences
John McManus & Harun Mat Zin
...great practical value...to the analysis of change on sea floors for which bathymetric data are available.
ECSA Bulletin
D.H. Douglas
...valuable, well written and well illustrated, and covering a vast range of interpolation and contouring topics...will be useful to anyone wishing to understand the underpinnings of the whole contour processing system
Geomatica
John C. Davies
...extremely valuable for those interested in contouring algorithms. No other compilation provides such a complete survey of the field.
Computers & Geosciences
