Concept in Definition ABC

Isolines, also known as isopleths or contour lines, are a form of representation graph used in different areas of knowledge: meteorology, topography, geography descriptive, oceanography or seismology.

They are represented as a line on a map and there are several modalities or types: isobases, isohaline, isocores, isochymenes, isodrosotherms, isogeotherms or isobars. All of them are imaginary lines that connect points, for example those geographical places with a atmospheric pressure Similary.

Isoline tracing is a basic tool for visually interpreting a given space. If we take into account the etymology of the word, these lines express the union of points with the same value, since the prefix iso indicates equality or uniformity.

As a general criterion, scientists accumulate data about a space and that data is later transferred to a map through a type of isoline. In any case, these lines represent levels or thresholds of some kind of change in a zone.

Isolines are used in weather maps

Capital letters A and B appear on these maps. The first refers to the anticyclone and the second to the storm, and both are two disturbances of the atmosphere.

Another fundamental element is the meteorological fronts, which can be of three types: warm, cold and occluded. Warm fronts are related to high temperatures, cold fronts are associated with precipitation and occluded fronts indicate the connection of a warm and a cold one.

The isolines most used in mapping are isobars. With them the different atmospheric pressure zones are identified and this measurement is made with one unit, millibars.

The distance that separates the isobars is known as the pressure gradient and this distance refers to the velocity of the wind in a given area (the closer the isoboras are, the more intense the wind).

In the meteorological observatories, data on the forecasts of the weather and such data are of great importance for all types of activities and sectors: agriculture, land and maritime transport, aviation, commercial activities, etc.

Other uses of some of the different isolines

Isogeotherms serve to represent the temperature of a planet and the isohelias are lines that join points with equal solar brightness.

Isobaths are used in oceanography and with them points with the same depth are joined.

Flow isolines show variations in river flows.

Isogons join points related to the Earth's magnetic field.