Geotouch: software for three and four dimensional GIS in the earth sciences

A new program for exploratory data analysis in three and four dimensions is presented and described. Interactive communication between diverse dataset s is stressed as the main gestalt of the Geotouch program. The primary kind s of data include point, vector, raster and wireframe data sets, in additio n to specialized forms such as focal mechanisms and ellipsoidal information . The software includes methods for cutting cross-sections at arbitrary ang les, spinning objects in three space and animating time series of punctual data, such as hypocenter series and Volcano eruptions. The program is writt en in POSIX compliant C using X-windows for Unix systems and has been porte d to Linux. Free access, via the Internet, to executable binary, source cod e and documentation make this package an attractive alternative to expensiv e or unwieldy commercial options. (C) 2000 Published by Elsevier Science Lt d.