Schmidt Distribution

The SCHMIDT distribution is the classical method, in which each pole is assigned a constant influence value of 1. The integrated zone of influence is a cylinder of constant height with a radius equal to the radius of the counting circle. A counting grid is superimposed on the stereonet plane, or in the case of Dips, on the surface of the reference sphere. Convention dictates the use of a counting circle with an area equivalent to 1% of the lower hemisphere surface. For each pole plotted, any grid point falling within a circle of arbitrary constant radius centered on this pole is incremented by the value of the pole. After the influence of all plotted poles is thus distributed, the density plotted at each grid point is calculated by dividing the pole count at that grid point by the total pole influence.