Visualizing Paleoclimate Data: A Guide to Plotting Multiple Timeseries with MATLAB’s Common X Axis and Stacked Y Axes

Getting Started

In the field of paleoclimate and earth science, the analysis and visualization of multiple time-series data is critical to understanding long-term climate patterns and changes. MATLAB, a popular programming language and scientific computing environment, provides powerful tools for plotting and analyzing such data. In this article, we will explore how to use MATLAB to plot multiple time series with a common x-axis and multiple stacked y-axes. This technique allows us to visualize and compare different climate variables, such as temperature, precipitation, and atmospheric CO2 levels, on a single plot.

Preparing the data

The first step in plotting multiple time series in MATLAB is to prepare the data. Typically, the data for each time series are stored in separate variables or files. Make sure that the data sets have a common x-axis, such as time, which will serve as the independent variable for all of the time series. It’s also important to ensure that the data is properly formatted, with each variable containing the same number of data points corresponding to the x-axis values.
When the data are ready, load them into MATLAB using the appropriate functions or import methods. Be sure to assign the data to separate variables, such as data1, data2, and so on, based on the number of time series you want to plot. It’s also a good practice to label and annotate the data appropriately, especially when dealing with paleoclimate data where units and sources are important for scientific integrity.

Creating the plot

Now that the data are prepared and loaded into MATLAB, we can proceed to create the plot for multiple time series. The key concept here is to use the plotyy function, which allows us to plot multiple y-axes on the same plot. The syntax for using plotyy is as follows:

ax, h1, h2 = plotyy(x, y1, x, y2, ‘plot_type1’, ‘plot_type2’);

In the above syntax, x represents the common x-axis data, y1 and y2 represent the y-axis data for each time series, and plot_type1 and plot_type2 represent the plot types for each time series. For example, you can choose to plot the first time series as a line plot and the second time series as a scatter plot.
You can also customize the plot by changing the axis properties, such as labels, titles, colors, and line styles. MATLAB provides a wide range of options to enhance the visual appearance of the plot and effectively convey important information. Experimenting with these options can lead to visually appealing and informative plots for paleoclimate and earth science research.

Data visualization and analysis

Once the plot is created, you can further enhance the visualization by adding additional elements such as legends, gridlines, and annotations. Legends are especially useful when working with multiple time series because they help you identify and distinguish between different variables. You can use the legend feature in MATLAB to add a legend to your plot.

In addition, MATLAB provides a wide range of built-in functions for analyzing and manipulating time series data, such as calculating statistics, performing spectral analysis, and applying filters. You can use these functions to gain deeper insight into your paleoclimate data and extract valuable information about climate patterns and trends.
In summary, MATLAB offers powerful capabilities for plotting and analyzing multiple time-series data in paleoclimate and earth science. By using the Plotyy function and customizing the plot properties, researchers can create visually appealing and informative plots that facilitate understanding of long-term climate patterns and changes. The ability to compare and visualize multiple climate variables on a single plot increases the efficiency and effectiveness of scientific analysis in this field.

FAQs

MATLAB – How to plot multiple timeseries (paleoclimate) with a common x axis and multiple stacked y axes?

To plot multiple timeseries with a common x axis and multiple stacked y axes in MATLAB, you can follow the steps below:

1. Prepare the data

Make sure you have your paleoclimate data in a format suitable for plotting. Organize your data into separate variables or columns, where each column represents a different timeseries.

2. Create a figure and axes

Start by creating a new figure and axes to hold your plot using the figure and axes functions. This will provide you with a blank canvas to work with.

3. Plot the timeseries

Use the plot function to plot each timeseries on the axes. Specify the x-values as the common x axis and the y-values as the corresponding data for each timeseries.

4. Adjust the axes

Customize the axes as needed. You can set the labels for the x and y axes, adjust the limits, and add any necessary titles or legends to enhance the clarity of the plot.

5. Stack the y axes

To stack the y axes, you can make use of the yyaxis function. This allows you to create multiple y axes on the left and/or right side of the plot. Use yyaxis left and yyaxis right to switch between the different y axes as you plot each timeseries.

6. Customize the stacked y axes

You can customize each y axis independently by using the ylabel function to set the labels and the ylim function to adjust the limits. This will ensure that each timeseries is represented properly on its respective y axis.

7. Display the plot

Finally, use the title function to add a title to the plot and the grid function to enable grid lines if desired. Then, display the plot using the gcf function to get the current figure and the gca function to get the current axes. Apply any additional formatting or adjustments to the plot before displaying it.