MATLAB Function Reference

contourf

Filled two-dimensional contour plot

Syntax

• contourf(Z)
  contourf(Z,n)
  contourf(Z,v)
  contourf(X,Y,Z)
  contourf(X,Y,Z,n)
  contourf(X,Y,Z,v)
  contourf(axes_handle,...)
  [C,h,CF] = contourf(...)
  

Description

A filled contour plot displays isolines calculated from matrix Z and fills the areas between the isolines using constant colors. The color of the filled areas depends on the current figure's colormap.

contourf(Z) draws a contour plot of matrix Z, where Z is interpreted as heights with respect to a plane. Z must be at least a 2-by-2 matrix. The number of contour lines and the values of the contour lines are chosen automatically.

contourf(Z,n) draws a contour plot of matrix Z with n contour levels.

contourf(Z,v) draws a contour plot of matrix Z with contour levels at the values specified in vector v.

contourf(X,Y,Z), contourf(X,Y,Z,n), and contourf(X,Y,Z,v) produce contour plots of Z using X and Y to determine the x- and y-axis limits. When X and Y are matrices, they must be the same size as Z, in which case they specify a surface as surf does.

contourf(axes_handle,...) plots into the axes with handle axes_handle instead of the current axes (gca).

[C,h,CF] = contourf(...) returns the contour matrix C as calculated by the function contourc and used by clabel, a vector of handles h to patch graphics objects, and a contour matrix CF for the filled areas.

Remarks

If X or Y is irregularly spaced, contourf calculates contours using a regularly spaced contour grid, then transforms the data to X or Y.

Examples

Create a filled contour plot of the peaks function.

• [C,h] = contourf(peaks(20),10);
  colormap autumn
  
   
  

See Also

clabel, contour, contour3, contourc, quiver

Contour Plots for related functions

contourc

Contourgroup Properties

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