Dips > Viewing and Display Options

# Fisher Distribution

In the FISHER method each pole is assigned a normal influence or FISHER distribution over the surface of the sphere, rather than a point value, as in the SCHMIDT method. The integrated zone of influence is a bell shaped distribution with a maximum height of 1, and a basal radius twice that of the counting circle radius. The influence contribution to a grid point is represented by the height of the influence zone immediately above the grid point. In this method, the total influence of an individual pole is the same as in the SCHMIDT method but its distribution of influence reflects an assumed probability of measurement error. For large quantities of data, this option will produce similar results to the familiar SCHMIDT option. The real strength of the FISHER option is in "smoothing" density plots for sparse data sets.

Bell dome of influence: maximum height = 1 coincident with pole vector. Base radius = 2 x Schmidt cylinder radius. Total volume of influence function is equal to Schmidt cylinder.