With the annual 'OMG there are earthquakes in Yellowstone and we are all going to die' news cycle in progress, I looked at the
USGS web page for the earthquake swarm. The page was singularly uninformative because the swarm is very localized and you can't really tell what was going on from the picture.
But they also have the
raw data that the map is generated from available. And I thought "Hey, I'll bet I could generate a 3D scattergram of that data."
And thanks to Perl and
gnuplot, I could. More, I could even animate it. :)
This will only work on *nix style systems with gnuplot installed.
#!/usr/bin/perl
use strict;
use warnings;
use IO::Handle;
my @data = <DATA>;
my $GNUPLOT_IOH = IO::Handle->new;
$GNUPLOT_IOH->autoflush(1);
open($GNUPLOT_IOH, '|- ', 'gnuplot') || die( "Could not open a pipe to
+ gnuplot: $!\n");
my $x_rot = 70;
print $GNUPLOT_IOH "set title 'Yellowstone Earthquake Swarm'\n";
print $GNUPLOT_IOH "set xlabel 'Longitude'\n";
print $GNUPLOT_IOH "set ylabel 'Latitude'\n";
print $GNUPLOT_IOH "set zlabel 'Depth (km)\n";
for (my $y_rot = 0; $y_rot <= 360; $y_rot += 0.2) {
print $GNUPLOT_IOH "set view $x_rot,$y_rot\n";
print $GNUPLOT_IOH "splot '-' using 4:3:5\n";
print $GNUPLOT_IOH join('',@data);
print $GNUPLOT_IOH "\ne\n";
select(undef,undef,undef, 0.05); # sleep for 0.05 second
}
print $GNUPLOT_IOH "\nexit\n";
close($GNUPLOT_IOH);
exit;
################################################################
# Magnitude Date Latitude Longitude Depth
__DATA__
2.7 2009/01/01:12:51:24 44.548 -110.361 -0.2
2.4 2009/01/01:10:13:52 44.541 -110.389 -0.2
#2.4 2009/01/01:10:12:57 44.325 -110.388 -37.0
2.3 2009/01/01:10:06:51 44.529 -110.370 -0.5
2.3 2009/01/01:10:02:57 44.528 -110.346 -0.2
1.6 2009/01/01:06:59:39 44.504 -110.340 -0.9
2.1 2009/01/01:05:29:09 44.507 -110.309 -1.5
2.2 2009/01/01:05:19:51 44.509 -110.350 -1.7
1.5 2008/12/31:15:05:00 44.514 -110.360 -1.1
3.3 2008/12/31:15:02:11 44.523 -110.361 -4.9
1.5 2008/12/31:12:50:01 44.518 -110.368 -2.0
1.1 2008/12/31:12:46:53 44.520 -110.362 -2.0
1.9 2008/12/31:12:42:06 44.519 -110.367 -0.1
1.6 2008/12/31:12:26:56 44.501 -110.385 -2.2
1.4 2008/12/31:12:23:52 44.520 -110.371 -1.0
1.7 2008/12/31:11:52:19 44.503 -110.371 -0.4
1.3 2008/12/31:11:40:04 44.526 -110.368 -2.2
1.6 2008/12/31:11:25:24 44.516 -110.376 -1.8
1.4 2008/12/31:11:25:11 44.523 -110.364 -2.2
1.4 2008/12/31:11:22:16 44.520 -110.382 -2.2
2.7 2008/12/31:11:15:44 44.522 -110.372 -1.2
1.5 2008/12/31:11:12:40 44.516 -110.373 -0.6
1.8 2008/12/31:11:08:59 44.532 -110.381 -0.4
2.4 2008/12/31:11:06:14 44.520 -110.371 -1.2
1.9 2008/12/31:11:05:12 44.532 -110.380 -0.3
1.3 2008/12/31:10:53:29 44.520 -110.364 -2.2
1.5 2008/12/31:10:52:23 44.546 -110.394 -0.7
1.9 2008/12/31:10:43:37 44.524 -110.372 -1.5
1.1 2008/12/31:10:26:01 44.532 -110.381 -2.0
1.8 2008/12/31:10:23:43 44.530 -110.380 -1.0
1.2 2008/12/31:10:23:07 44.529 -110.380 -0.9
1.5 2008/12/31:10:21:49 44.521 -110.373 -2.1
1.4 2008/12/31:10:16:44 44.527 -110.367 -0.8
1.4 2008/12/31:10:14:42 44.568 -110.444 -7.2
1.9 2008/12/31:10:13:50 44.531 -110.381 -2.1
1.4 2008/12/31:10:11:14 44.518 -110.369 -2.2
1.3 2008/12/31:10:08:13 44.529 -110.377 -2.0
1.1 2008/12/31:10:02:32 44.525 -110.378 -0.7
1.3 2008/12/31:09:56:38 44.525 -110.371 -1.8
1.1 2008/12/31:09:56:09 44.508 -110.362 -2.1
1.1 2008/12/31:09:45:54 44.511 -110.361 -2.5
1.7 2008/12/31:09:45:34 44.507 -110.364 -2.2
1.1 2008/12/31:09:45:02 44.516 -110.370 -2.3
1.2 2008/12/31:09:37:18 44.512 -110.356 -1.5
1.4 2008/12/31:09:34:27 44.522 -110.365 -0.1
1.3 2008/12/31:09:33:05 44.500 -110.369 -3.6
1.3 2008/12/31:09:26:32 44.535 -110.365 -0.9
1.9 2008/12/31:09:21:28 44.533 -110.380 -0.7
1.4 2008/12/31:09:16:01 44.525 -110.373 -2.2
1.3 2008/12/31:09:13:59 44.514 -110.370 -1.6
2.6 2008/12/31:09:05:59 44.520 -110.368 -0.5
3.6 2008/12/31:09:02:28 44.525 -110.362 -4.3
1.2 2008/12/31:09:00:19 44.518 -110.366 -1.9
2.5 2008/12/31:08:59:21 44.522 -110.362 -0.5
3.0 2008/12/31:08:58:11 44.527 -110.369 -1.3
1.1 2008/12/31:07:27:46 44.535 -110.355 -0.4
1.0 2008/12/31:06:19:28 44.528 -110.378 -1.0
1.5 2008/12/31:06:02:54 44.529 -110.358 -2.0
1.6 2008/12/31:05:59:03 44.531 -110.355 -2.0
1.1 2008/12/31:05:58:39 44.528 -110.377 -2.0
1.1 2008/12/31:05:24:55 44.543 -110.344 -0.1
1.2 2008/12/31:05:22:43 44.526 -110.379 -1.1
2.5 2008/12/31:05:17:41 44.530 -110.375 -1.1
2.8 2008/12/31:05:06:40 44.529 -110.382 -1.6
#1.0 2008/12/31:04:49:57 44.726 -111.162 -7.4
1.9 2008/12/30:20:21:32 44.535 -110.353 -0.0
#1.3 2008/12/30:19:05:33 44.731 -111.165 -7.3
2.8 2008/12/30:19:05:13 44.540 -110.350 -0.1
1.1 2008/12/30:19:01:06 44.533 -110.359 -2.3
2.8 2008/12/30:11:59:07 44.533 -110.374 -0.9
1.5 2008/12/30:09:17:43 44.525 -110.379 -0.0
1.4 2008/12/30:09:10:20 44.527 -110.380 -0.6
1.0 2008/12/30:04:02:27 44.503 -110.390 -2.4
1.1 2008/12/30:03:16:31 44.524 -110.406 -1.6
1.5 2008/12/30:03:11:35 44.552 -110.359 -2.1
1.0 2008/12/30:03:08:25 44.499 -110.379 -2.2
#1.2 2008/12/30:03:02:08 44.595 -110.318 -13.0
#1.1 2008/12/30:02:50:02 44.787 -110.996 -7.2
#1.2 2008/12/30:02:44:42 44.788 -110.995 -7.2
#1.2 2008/12/30:02:29:17 44.712 -111.147 -2.5
#1.6 2008/12/30:02:25:29 44.787 -111.001 -7.5
1.3 2008/12/30:02:13:36 44.516 -110.360 -2.5
1.0 2008/12/30:02:00:37 44.553 -110.341 -2.2
1.0 2008/12/30:01:51:00 44.517 -110.354 -1.8
1.3 2008/12/30:01:47:56 44.527 -110.381 -1.1
2.3 2008/12/30:01:47:26 44.532 -110.359 -2.0
1.7 2008/12/30:01:35:08 44.530 -110.361 -2.1
1.5 2008/12/30:01:15:37 44.522 -110.360 -2.1
2.1 2008/12/30:00:51:20 44.505 -110.373 -0.2
1.0 2008/12/30:00:41:35 44.522 -110.361 -1.8
2.8 2008/12/30:00:36:39 44.525 -110.362 -1.2
2.4 2008/12/29:21:25:15 44.525 -110.360 -2.0
1.6 2008/12/29:21:18:51 44.521 -110.362 -2.2
1.8 2008/12/29:21:18:36 44.522 -110.359 -2.1
2.9 2008/12/29:20:38:25 44.514 -110.381 -2.1
2.3 2008/12/29:20:38:04 44.511 -110.385 -2.3
1.0 2008/12/29:20:26:29 44.520 -110.355 -2.2
1.9 2008/12/29:20:14:26 44.498 -110.364 -2.3
1.4 2008/12/29:20:13:31 44.508 -110.359 -2.2
2.2 2008/12/29:19:56:46 44.522 -110.365 -1.2
1.2 2008/12/29:19:53:50 44.511 -110.377 -2.2
1.1 2008/12/29:19:46:13 44.515 -110.386 -2.4
1.7 2008/12/29:19:44:50 44.525 -110.373 -0.0
1.7 2008/12/29:19:40:27 44.511 -110.379 -2.5
2.4 2008/12/29:19:37:07 44.502 -110.366 -1.8
1.2 2008/12/29:19:36:08 44.521 -110.385 -2.0
1.7 2008/12/29:19:35:27 44.511 -110.385 -2.4
2.9 2008/12/29:19:29:38 44.513 -110.381 -0.5
2.5 2008/12/29:19:28:55 44.515 -110.381 -0.0
1.8 2008/12/29:19:26:21 44.519 -110.370 -2.0
1.5 2008/12/29:19:24:43 44.520 -110.342 -2.3
3.3 2008/12/29:19:14:49 44.521 -110.369 -1.8
1.2 2008/12/29:18:47:45 44.523 -110.371 -2.1
1.4 2008/12/29:18:40:00 44.533 -110.359 -4.8
1.1 2008/12/29:16:32:12 44.494 -110.360 -2.4
1.6 2008/12/29:16:31:55 44.491 -110.360 -2.3
1.2 2008/12/29:16:15:28 44.480 -110.363 -2.3
1.5 2008/12/29:14:58:37 44.486 -110.354 -1.3
1.7 2008/12/29:10:25:18 44.523 -110.371 -2.4
1.8 2008/12/29:09:14:04 44.527 -110.376 -0.3
2.4 2008/12/29:08:57:55 44.527 -110.378 -0.5
2.4 2008/12/29:08:28:24 44.527 -110.382 -0.4
2.0 2008/12/29:05:30:35 44.517 -110.372 -1.0
2.3 2008/12/29:05:30:04 44.477 -110.349 -6.5
1.7 2008/12/29:05:29:23 44.489 -110.354 -4.2
2.4 2008/12/29:05:23:36 44.516 -110.361 -6.4
1.9 2008/12/29:04:29:18 44.522 -110.385 -1.0
2.8 2008/12/29:04:25:53 44.514 -110.370 -0.1
2.6 2008/12/28:23:57:56 44.521 -110.371 -1.4
2.0 2008/12/28:23:08:25 44.506 -110.377 -1.4
1.8 2008/12/28:22:34:34 44.527 -110.381 -0.5
1.9 2008/12/28:22:32:54 44.534 -110.376 -2.0
2.2 2008/12/28:22:24:20 44.525 -110.375 -0.3
1.5 2008/12/28:21:02:58 44.515 -110.380 -2.1
1.6 2008/12/28:20:56:30 44.505 -110.372 -2.4
1.9 2008/12/28:20:52:56 44.509 -110.385 -2.0
1.5 2008/12/28:20:29:51 44.514 -110.381 -0.1
1.0 2008/12/28:20:29:42 44.523 -110.378 -2.0
1.7 2008/12/28:20:17:28 44.522 -110.377 -2.0
1.9 2008/12/28:20:02:51 44.520 -110.376 -2.1
3.1 2008/12/28:19:55:17 44.511 -110.353 -0.7
1.5 2008/12/28:19:49:31 44.521 -110.372 -2.5
3.0 2008/12/28:19:32:15 44.511 -110.356 -2.7
1.4 2008/12/28:16:32:05 44.514 -110.373 -2.1
1.5 2008/12/28:15:52:38 44.505 -110.374 -2.1
1.3 2008/12/28:15:45:24 44.509 -110.362 -2.4
1.9 2008/12/28:15:43:08 44.500 -110.359 -2.4
2.0 2008/12/28:15:41:24 44.499 -110.361 -2.1
2.8 2008/12/28:15:37:40 44.514 -110.359 -0.0
1.6 2008/12/28:14:39:16 44.498 -110.378 -2.6
1.5 2008/12/28:14:11:26 44.495 -110.359 -2.2
2.0 2008/12/28:14:09:49 44.513 -110.362 -0.1
1.9 2008/12/28:14:05:23 44.519 -110.381 -2.1
1.2 2008/12/28:13:56:46 44.514 -110.364 -0.1
1.1 2008/12/28:13:18:00 44.517 -110.366 -2.1
1.7 2008/12/28:13:08:36 44.496 -110.365 -2.2
1.6 2008/12/28:13:07:52 44.496 -110.365 -2.5
1.7 2008/12/28:12:46:31 44.509 -110.362 -2.1
1.1 2008/12/28:12:42:46 44.468 -110.359 -2.4
1.7 2008/12/28:12:42:06 44.471 -110.367 -7.2
2.0 2008/12/28:12:35:03 44.512 -110.362 -0.4
1.6 2008/12/28:12:19:59 44.515 -110.371 -2.3
2.3 2008/12/28:12:18:53 44.478 -110.365 -1.0
1.8 2008/12/28:12:16:49 44.476 -110.368 -6.3
1.3 2008/12/28:12:00:24 44.475 -110.372 -2.3
1.8 2008/12/28:11:59:50 44.504 -110.365 -2.2
2.1 2008/12/28:11:37:53 44.515 -110.365 -0.0
2.3 2008/12/28:11:02:25 44.484 -110.362 -0.5
2.2 2008/12/28:10:52:06 44.479 -110.361 -6.4
1.5 2008/12/28:10:49:46 44.482 -110.365 -2.4
1.7 2008/12/28:10:46:08 44.510 -110.363 -1.5
1.9 2008/12/28:09:51:10 44.515 -110.371 -0.4
1.9 2008/12/28:09:32:34 44.509 -110.364 -2.1
1.0 2008/12/28:09:30:24 44.514 -110.381 -2.1
1.7 2008/12/28:09:29:57 44.560 -110.475 -3.2
2.2 2008/12/28:09:25:14 44.508 -110.364 -1.9
3.2 2008/12/28:09:23:57 44.511 -110.361 -0.4
1.5 2008/12/28:09:19:26 44.509 -110.358 -2.1
2.7 2008/12/28:09:16:57 44.510 -110.358 -2.6
1.9 2008/12/28:09:14:12 44.489 -110.355 -2.2
1.1 2008/12/28:09:13:54 44.507 -110.371 -0.4
1.9 2008/12/28:09:09:18 44.492 -110.366 -2.4
2.0 2008/12/28:09:07:52 44.500 -110.361 -0.4
2.1 2008/12/28:09:03:18 44.486 -110.356 -2.2
1.3 2008/12/28:08:57:55 44.501 -110.359 -2.1
1.5 2008/12/28:08:41:33 44.509 -110.359 -2.5
2.2 2008/12/28:08:23:41 44.506 -110.369 -0.1
1.1 2008/12/28:08:22:46 44.499 -110.362 -2.5
1.3 2008/12/28:08:22:24 44.499 -110.361 -2.3
1.7 2008/12/28:08:15:33 44.499 -110.364 -2.1
1.0 2008/12/28:08:14:58 44.501 -110.380 -5.3
1.9 2008/12/28:07:16:13 44.513 -110.374 -2.0
2.5 2008/12/28:07:15:18 44.495 -110.359 -0.0
2.5 2008/12/28:06:37:41 44.492 -110.356 -2.6
2.0 2008/12/28:06:37:20 44.497 -110.379 -2.1
1.0 2008/12/28:06:14:58 44.488 -110.357 -2.2
2.2 2008/12/28:06:11:00 44.488 -110.359 -0.4
1.3 2008/12/28:06:07:46 44.493 -110.367 -2.4
1.9 2008/12/28:06:06:27 44.482 -110.370 -2.1
2.4 2008/12/28:06:02:21 44.508 -110.364 -1.0
1.2 2008/12/28:06:01:38 44.497 -110.376 -2.3
2.1 2008/12/28:06:00:46 44.493 -110.377 -2.4
1.5 2008/12/28:05:59:31 44.510 -110.378 -1.8
1.0 2008/12/28:05:59:03 44.498 -110.371 -3.0
1.9 2008/12/28:05:52:01 44.499 -110.362 -2.1
1.8 2008/12/28:05:44:41 44.485 -110.379 -2.2
1.9 2008/12/28:05:28:49 44.498 -110.383 -2.3
1.9 2008/12/28:05:28:05 44.485 -110.371 -2.5
1.8 2008/12/28:05:26:14 44.484 -110.359 -2.0
1.2 2008/12/28:05:26:03 44.470 -110.355 -5.2
1.3 2008/12/28:05:24:39 44.489 -110.359 -4.1
2.8 2008/12/28:05:23:54 44.489 -110.354 -2.5
1.9 2008/12/28:05:21:16 44.480 -110.344 -4.0
1.7 2008/12/28:05:20:10 44.494 -110.379 -2.4
1.6 2008/12/28:05:19:11 44.492 -110.372 -2.2
3.9 2008/12/28:05:15:56 44.502 -110.366 -0.3
2.7 2008/12/28:04:51:03 44.501 -110.355 -2.3
1.8 2008/12/28:04:50:22 44.500 -110.363 -2.4
1.3 2008/12/28:04:40:16 44.497 -110.379 -2.2
1.4 2008/12/28:04:33:44 44.508 -110.369 -2.0
1.6 2008/12/28:03:21:59 44.496 -110.365 -2.5
1.9 2008/12/28:03:01:58 44.504 -110.367 -0.4
1.2 2008/12/28:03:01:33 44.500 -110.370 -2.5
1.2 2008/12/28:02:53:06 44.495 -110.368 -2.3
2.0 2008/12/28:02:52:04 44.497 -110.362 -2.3
2.2 2008/12/28:02:51:21 44.498 -110.362 -0.4
1.5 2008/12/28:02:50:11 44.494 -110.362 -2.5
1.3 2008/12/28:02:49:49 44.498 -110.359 -3.1
1.8 2008/12/28:02:42:06 44.495 -110.362 -2.2
1.9 2008/12/28:02:38:34 44.495 -110.360 -2.4
2.6 2008/12/28:00:08:50 44.493 -110.354 -0.4
3.3 2008/12/27:22:30:03 44.498 -110.358 -4.3
1.5 2008/12/27:22:28:53 44.500 -110.368 -2.1
1.8 2008/12/27:22:27:36 44.499 -110.367 -2.5
1.0 2008/12/27:21:28:06 44.500 -110.362 -3.5
1.6 2008/12/27:21:22:08 44.495 -110.372 -2.6
2.1 2008/12/27:21:08:49 44.496 -110.370 -2.0
3.2 2008/12/27:20:26:27 44.505 -110.364 -2.4
3.5 2008/12/27:20:17:33 44.488 -110.357 -4.1
2.3 2008/12/27:18:56:35 44.484 -110.367 -0.5
3.0 2008/12/27:18:23:07 44.495 -110.364 -2.8
2.0 2008/12/27:18:21:36 44.493 -110.362 -7.2
1.2 2008/12/27:17:01:46 44.484 -110.373 -2.4
2.7 2008/12/27:17:01:07 44.490 -110.366 -1.2
2.6 2008/12/27:16:30:54 44.498 -110.362 -2.5