Evaluating cross-blended hypsometric tints: A user study in the United States, Switzerland, and Germany

Cross-blended hypsometric tints display elevation while locally adjusting colors to match the differing natural environments of world regions. This paper presents the results of a study comparing cross-blended hypsometric tints with conventional hypsometric tints. Over 200 respondents in the United States, Switzerland, and Germany were asked to interpret the meaning of color on both types of hypsometric maps. The study revealed significant differences between map readers in the United States and the two European countries, and a general difficulty in correctly interpreting hypsometric colors. Most participants perceived hypsometric tints as representing both topography (elevation and land forms) and environmental phenomena.