# What is the default Color Gradient used by ContourPlot? [duplicate]

What ColorFunction does ContourPlot use by default --- that is, what does "Automatic" mean as the value for that option? The "Density and Contour Plots" tutorial says:

By default, the color ranges from black to white through intermediate shades of blue as the value of the function increases.

And the default gradient does have blue at the dark end; but it goes through something like orange on the way toward white.

Surprisingly, the default does not seem to be among the 51 gradients listed by ColorData["Gradients"].

• The color scheme is something like "M10DefaultDensityGradient" – b3m2a1 Jan 9 '20 at 21:06
• With b3m2a1's hint, I found that my question is answered in some detail in:mathematica.stackexchange.com/questions/162883/… – Lyle Ramshaw Jan 9 '20 at 22:20
• to find additional gradient color schemes that are not listed in ColorData["Gradients"] you can use ColorData["*radient*"];e.g., Grid[Partition[ Labeled[ColorData[#, "Image"], #, Top] & /@ Sort[ColorData["*radient*"]], 4]] – kglr Jan 10 '20 at 0:40