Rainbow color map distorts and misleads research in hydrology – guidance for better visualizations and science communication

• DOI: 10.5194/hess-25-4549-2021
• Publication Date: 2021-08-24T12:06:12Z
• Authors: Michael Stoelzle; Lina Stein
• Keywords: Rainbow; Hue

Abstract. Nowadays color in scientific visualizations is standard and extensively used to group, highlight or delineate different parts of data visualizations. The rainbow map (also known as jet map) famous for its appealing use the full visual spectrum with impressive changes chroma luminance. Besides attracting attention, science has decades criticized non-linear erratic change hue luminance along variation. missed uniformity causes a misrepresentation values flaws communication. scientifically incorrect hardly decodable considerable number people due vision deficiency (CVD) other impairments. Here we aim raise awareness how widely still hydrology. To this end, perform paper survey scanning issues around 1000 publications three journals including papers published between 2005 2020. In survey, depending on journal, 16 %–24 % have same ratio (18 %–29 %) uses red–green elements often way that only possibility decode visualized groups data. Given these shares, there 99.6 chance pick at least one problematic publication 10 randomly chosen from our survey. overcome maps science, propose some tools techniques focusing improvement typical visualization types hydrological science. We give guidance avoid, improve trust proper way. Finally, outline an approach should be communicated across status