CHRONOS AGE-DEPTH PLOT: A JAVA APPLICATION FOR STRATIGRAPHIC DATA ANALYSIS

One of the most important steps in analysis and correlation of stratigraphic data is establishing an age model or line of correlation for an individual core hole or stratigraphic section. CHRONOS Age-Depth Plot (ADP) is a Java re-implementation of an earlier Macintosh program for plotting the ages of stratigraphic events versus depth and interactively fitting a line of correlation to those data. ADP is delivered from the CHRONOS web site via Java WebStart and runs locally on the user’s machine, allowing access to local data files as well as data from the Neptune database via a GIS interface. ADP allows the user to develop a line of correlation (LOC) using a palette of tools for adding, moving, and deleting LOC control points. In addition, the user is able to zoom in to a more detailed view of different plot regions, toggle the display of different plot groups, and edit plot and axis titles and labeling. Output options include saving of the LOC control point data , event data projected to the LOC, and of the plot itself in PNG, JPEG, or SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) format. SVG is an XML specification for describing vector graphics and the output SVG file is designed for convenient editing of various plot characteristics, with font and line characteristics for various plot elements and the palette of plotting symbols defined at the top of the file. In addition to being a useful application in its own right, ADP serves as a prototype for other clients interfacing with the web services provided by the CHRONOS portal.