Dips > Data Processing > Rotate Data

# Rotate Data

The Rotate Data option allows you to rotate data about any specified axis. This option can be used to adjust structural data in a folded domain, or to create "inclined" hemisphere projections.

To use Rotate Data:

1. Choose Rotate Data from the Analysis menu.

2. Enter the Trend and Plunge of the rotation axis.

3. Enter the CLOCKWISE angle of rotation about this axis.

4. To rotate ALL data in the current file, use the Rotate All Data option.

5. If you have defined Sets, then you may rotate data in one or more sets, by selecting the Rotate Sets option, and selecting the desired Sets using the checkboxes. Only data in the selected Sets will be rotated. All other data will be unaffected by the rotation.

6. If you have defined planes with the Add Plane option, you may also rotate these planes with the data, by selecting the Rotate Added Planes checkbox (see below).

7. Select OK, and a new file will be generated, with the desired rotation performed. This file will have the following properties:

Orientation Columns

All data in the Orientation Columns will be processed in the Format governed by the current Convention. Data will be rotated according to your input in the Rotate Data dialog.

Quantity Column

If the original file contained a Quantity Column, this column will be preserved in the rotated file.

Traverse Column

If the original file contained Traverse information, the Traverse Column will be preserved in the rotated file AS AN EXTRA COLUMN ONLY! This is because Rotate Data does NOT rotate Traverse orientations, therefore weighted Contour Plots (for example) are meaningless after rotating data. The rotated file therefore has NO traverses defined, although the original traverse information is preserved in the rotated file in comment form.

Set Column

If the original file had Sets defined, the Set Column can be preserved in the rotated file AS AN EXTRA COLUMN ONLY! Set information (i.e. windows, mean planes, etc) is NOT saved in the rotated file. Only the Set ID numbers in the Set Column are saved for identification purposes. Furthermore, the Set Column will ONLY be saved to the rotated data file, if the "Save Set Column as an Extra Column" checkbox is selected in the Preferences dialog. If this checkbox is NOT selected, then the Set ID column will NOT be saved in the rotated data file.

Extra Columns

If the original file contained Extra Columns, all of these columns will be preserved in the new file.

Rotated Planes

If you selected the Rotate Added Planes checkbox in the Rotate Data dialog, all ADDED planes from the original file (i.e. planes created with the Add Plane option), will be rotated along with the data, and added to the new file. This allows the user to create reference planes on the original file (e.g. to mark true North, a horizontal plane, or some other reference plane), which will serve as reference planes on the rotated data.

North / South / East / West

When ALL data is rotated in a file, the direction letters (NSEW) on the stereonet may no longer be applicable on the rotated file. The NSEW letters can be turned off in the Display Options dialog, if necessary, to avoid confusion or misinterpretation.

Stereonet Overlay

After rotating data, you may find it useful to overlay a corresponding stereonet grid on the rotated file. This can be done with the Stereonet Overlay option, which allows the user to superimpose a stereonet grid at any axis on the stereonet. Use the same Trend / Plunge for the grid axis as the rotation axis entered in the Rotate Data dialog.