Dataset: Rainbow color map distorts and misleads research in hydrology – guidance for better visualizations and science communication

The rainbow color map is scientifically incorrect and hinders people with color vision deficiency to view visualizations in a correct way. Due to perceptual non-uniform color gradients within the rainbow color map the data representation is distorted what can lead to misinterpretation of results and flaws in science communication. Here we present the data of a paper survey of 797 scientific publication in the journal Hydrology and Earth System Sciences. With in the survey all papers were classified according to color issues. Find details about the data below.

year = year of publication (YYYY)

date = date (YYYY-MM-DD) of publication

title = full paper title from journal website

authors = list of authors comma-separated

n_authors = number of authors (integer between 1 and 27)

col_code = color-issue classification (see below)

volume = Journal volume

start_page = first page of paper (consecutive)

end_page = last page of paper (consecutive)

base_url = base url to access the PDF of the paper with /volume/start_page/year/

filename = specific file name of the paper PDF (e.g. hess-9-111-2005.pdf)

Color classification is stored in the col_code variable with:

0 = chromatic and issue-free,

1 = red-green issues,

2= rainbow issues and

bw= black and white paper.

See more details (e.g., sample code to analyse the survey data) on https://github.com/modche/rainbow_hydrology

Paper: Stoelzle, M. and Stein, L.: Rainbow color map distorts and misleads research in hydrology – guidance for better visualizations and science communication, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 4549–4565, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-4549-2021, 2021.