Dips > Viewing and Display Options

# Distribution Overview

In the Contour Options dialog, there are two options available which control the way that Dips computes the pole density concentration values for the data:

FISHER distribution

SCHMIDT distribution

The Schmidt distribution method provides very quick computation time and, for large amounts of data, produces concentration values which are very similar to those obtained with the Fisher method. When the quantity of data is limited, however, the Schmidt distribution produces very crude contour diagrams and often misleading results, since each measurement is assumed to be 100 percent accurate and any existing errors are exaggerated due to lack of data. Therefore in this case, it is advisable to use the Fisher distribution, since it tends to suppress any undue influence that a single measurement might have on the data contained in a limited data set. When you have lots of data, there is little difference between the plots generated by the two methods, and the Schmidt distribution is faster.

Contour plot using Fisher distribution, 40 points in data set | Contour plot using Schmidt distribution, 40 points in data set