Book Image

Python Data Visualization Cookbook (Second Edition)

Book Image

Python Data Visualization Cookbook (Second Edition)

Overview of this book

Python Data Visualization Cookbook will progress the reader from the point of installing and setting up a Python environment for data manipulation and visualization all the way to 3D animations using Python libraries. Readers will benefit from over 60 precise and reproducible recipes that will guide the reader towards a better understanding of data concepts and the building blocks for subsequent and sometimes more advanced concepts. Python Data Visualization Cookbook starts by showing how to set up matplotlib and the related libraries that are required for most parts of the book, before moving on to discuss some of the lesser-used diagrams and charts such as Gantt Charts or Sankey diagrams. Initially it uses simple plots and charts to more advanced ones, to make it easy to understand for readers. As the readers will go through the book, they will get to know about the 3D diagrams and animations. Maps are irreplaceable for displaying geo-spatial data, so this book will also show how to build them. In the last chapter, it includes explanation on how to incorporate matplotlib into different environments, such as a writing system, LaTeX, or how to create Gantt charts using Python.
Table of Contents (16 chapters)
Python Data Visualization Cookbook Second Edition
Credits
About the Authors
About the Reviewer
www.PacktPub.com
Preface
Index

Drawing barbs


A barb is a representation of the speed and direction of wind, and is mainly deployed by meteorology scientists. In theory, they can be used to visualize any type of two-dimensional vector quantities. They are similar to arrows (quivers), but the difference is that arrows represent vector magnitude by the length of the arrow, while barbs give more information about the vector's magnitude by employing lines or triangles as increments of magnitude.

We will explain what barbs are, how to read them, and how to visualize them using Python and matplotlib. Here's a typical set of barbs:

In the preceding diagram, the triangle, also known as flag, represents the largest increment.

A full line or barb represents a smaller increment; a half line is the smallest increment.

The increments are in the order of 5, 10, and 65 for a half-line, line, and triangle, respectively. The values here represent, for meteorologists at least, wind speed in nautical miles per hour (knots).

We ordered the barbs...