Table and caption formatting

Question

I'm having some problems getting my table and caption formatting to look right. Below is a sample of the code from my thesis. I've included all the packages that I'm using in my thesis, so that you can get an idea of what else might be affecting the look of the table. I've also attached a picture of my output.

The main issues that I have with the table are:

1. The caption text sits too close to the top of the table. Is there a way to get this to sit a little higher (0.5-1 line spaces) above the table?
2. The rows are too closely spaced, making it a little hard to read the nuclide and atomic mass numbers for the elements. Does line spacing not affect tables? How can I can increase the spacing between rows?
3. The text underneath the table needs to sit directly beneath the table and be no wider than the width of the table. How do I go about this?

Thanks for the help!

.

\documentclass[12pt,a4paper]{report}
\usepackage{setspace}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{graphicx}
\usepackage{layout}
\usepackage{lscape}
\usepackage[round]{natbib}
\usepackage{array}
\usepackage{booktabs}
\usepackage{siunitx}
\usepackage{tensor}

\begin{document}
\doublespacing
\begin{table}
\centering
\caption{Naturally occurring long-lived radionuclides and their stable radiogenic daughters frequently used in geochronology.}\label{tab:001}
\addtolength{\tabcolsep}{-2pt} % slight reduction of intercolumn space
\begin{tabular}{*{4}{c} >{\raggedright\arraybackslash}p{3.5cm}}
\toprule
Parent & Decay Modes$^a$ & Half-life (years) & Daughters \\
\midrule
$^{40}_{19}$K & $\varepsilon$: $10.72\%$, $\beta^{+}$: $1.0\times 10^{-3}\%$ & $1.248 \times 10^{9}$ & $^{40}_{18}$Ar \\
$^{40}_{19}$K & $\beta^{-}$: $89.28\%$ & $1.248 \times 10^{9}$ & $^{40}_{20}$Ca \\
$^{87}_{37}$Rb & $\beta^{-}$: $100\%$ & $4.81\times 10^{10}$ & $^{87}_{38}$Sr \\
$^{147}_{62}$Sm & $\alpha$: $100\%$ & $1.06\times 10^{11}$ & $^{143}_{60}$Nd \\
$^{176}_{71}$Lu & $\beta^{-}$: $100\%$ & $3.76\times 10^{10}$ & $^{176}_{72}$Hf \\
$^{187}_{75}$Re & $\alpha$: $1.0\times 10^{-4}\%$, $\beta^{-}: 100\%$ & $4.33\times 10^{10}$ & $^{187}_{76}$Os \\
$^{232}_{90}$Th & $\alpha$: $100\%$, SF: $1.1\times 10^{-9}\%$ & $1.40\times 10^{10}$ & $^{208}_{82}$Pb \\
$^{235}_{92}$U & $\alpha$: $100\%$, SF: $7.0\times 10^{-9}\%$ & $7.04\times 10^{8}$ & $^{207}_{82}$Pb \\
$^{238}_{92}$U & $\alpha$: $100\%$, SF: $5.5\times 10^{-5}\%$ & $4.468\times 10^{9}$ & $^{206}_{82}$Pb \\
\bottomrule
\end{tabular}
\end{table}
$^{a}$ $\varepsilon$ = electron capture decay; $\beta^{+}$ = positron decay; $\beta^{-}$ = negatron decay; $\alpha$ = alpha decay.
\end{document}

Answer 1

1. It's enough to load the caption package (you could even set a bigger skip, if needed).

2. Redefine \arraystretch locally.

3. Build your table and its footnote using the ctable package.

The code:

\documentclass[12pt,a4paper]{report}
\usepackage{booktabs}
\usepackage{siunitx}
\usepackage{chemmacros}
\usepackage{caption}
\usepackage{ctable}

\begin{document}

{
\renewcommand\arraystretch{1.3}
\addtolength{\tabcolsep}{-2pt} % slight reduction of intercolumn space
\ctable[
  caption = {Naturally occurring long-lived radionuclides and their stable radiogenic daughters frequently used in geochronology.},
  label= {tab:001},
  mincapwidth = \textwidth,
  footerwidth
]
{ccS[table-figures-exponent=2,table-figures-integer=2,table-figures-decimal=3,table-number-alignment=center]c
}
{%
\tnote{$\varepsilon$ = electron capture decay; $\beta^{+}$ = positron decay; $\beta^{-}$ = negatron decay; \\ $\alpha$ = alpha decay.}%
}
{%
  \toprule
  Parent & Decay Modes & {Half-life (years)} & Daughters \\ 
  \midrule
  \ch{^{40}_{19}K}   & $\varepsilon$: \SI{10.72}{\percent}, $\beta^{+}$: \SI{1.0e-3}{\percent} & 1.248e9 & \ch{^{40}_{18}Ar} \\
  \ch{^{40}_{19}K}   & $\beta^{-}$: \SI{89.28}{\percent} & 1.248e9 & \ch{^{40}_{20}Ca} \\
  \ch{^{87}_{37}Rb}  & $\beta^{-}$: $100\%$ & 4.81e10 & \ch{^{87}_{38}Sr} \\
  \ch{^{147}_{62}Sm} & $\alpha$: \SI{100}{\percent} & 1.06e11 & \ch{^{143}_{60}Nd} \\
  \ch{^{176}_{71}Lu} & $\beta^{-}$: \SI{100}{\percent} & 3.76e10 & \ch{^{176}_{72}Hf} \\
  \ch{^{187}_{75}Re} & $\alpha$: \SI{1.0e-4}{\percent}, $\beta^{-}$: \SI{100}{\percent} & 4.33e10 & \ch{^{187}_{76}Os} \\
  \ch{^{232}_{90}Th} & $\alpha$: \SI{100}{\percent}, SF: \SI{1.1e-9}{\percent} & 1.40e10 & \ch{^{208}_{82}Pb} \\
  \ch{^{235}_{92}U}  & $\alpha$: \SI{100}{\percent}, SF: \SI{7.0e-9}{\percent} & 7.04e8 & \ch{^{207}_{82}Pb} \\
  \ch{^{238}_{92}U}  & $\alpha$: \SI{100}{\percent}, SF: \SI{5.5e-5}{\percent} & 4.468e9 & \ch{^{206}_{82}Pb} \\ 
  \bottomrule
}
}

\end{document}

Additional improvements:

1. The siunitx package was used to format the entries in the third column.

2. The chemmacros package was used to properly format the sub/superscripts in the first and third columns.

Answer 2

Another approach for the third problem is to use the »threeparttable« package. For formatting and alignment of the numbers it is suggestive to let »siunitx« do that job. The isotopes can be formatted easier by chemformula (from the »chemmacros« bundle).

\documentclass[12pt,a4paper]{report}
\usepackage[T1]{fontenc}
\usepackage{caption}
\usepackage{array,booktabs,threeparttable}
\usepackage{siunitx}
\usepackage{chemformula}

\begin{document}
  \begin{table}[!ht]
    \caption{Naturally occurring long-lived radionuclides and their stable radiogenic daughters frequently used in geochronology.}
    \label{tab:nuclides}
    \centering
    \begin{threeparttable}
      \renewcommand{\arraystretch}{1.5}
      \begin{tabular}{
        c
        c
        S[table-figures-exponent=2,table-figures-integer=2,table-figures-decimal=3,table-number-alignment=center]
        c
      } \toprule
        Parent & Decay Modes\tnote{a} & {Half-life (years)} & Daughters \\ \midrule
        \ch{^{40}_{19}K}   & $\varepsilon$: \SI{10.72}{\percent}, $\beta^{+}$: \SI{1.0e-3}{\percent} & 1.248e9 & \ch{^{40}_{18}Ar} \\
        \ch{^{40}_{19}K}   & $\beta^{-}$: \SI{89.28}{\percent} & 1.248e9 & \ch{^{40}_{20}Ca} \\
        \ch{^{87}_{37}Rb}  & $\beta^{-}$: $100\%$ & 4.81e10 & \ch{^{87}_{38}Sr} \\
        \ch{^{147}_{62}Sm} & $\alpha$: \SI{100}{\percent} & 1.06e11 & \ch{^{143}_{60}Nd} \\
        \ch{^{176}_{71}Lu} & $\beta^{-}$: \SI{100}{\percent} & 3.76e10 & \ch{^{176}_{72}Hf} \\
        \ch{^{187}_{75}Re} & $\alpha$: \SI{1.0e-4}{\percent}, $\beta^{-}$: \SI{100}{\percent} & 4.33e10 & \ch{^{187}_{76}Os} \\
        \ch{^{232}_{90}Th} & $\alpha$: \SI{100}{\percent}, SF: \SI{1.1e-9}{\percent} & 1.40e10 & \ch{^{208}_{82}Pb} \\
        \ch{^{235}_{92}U}  & $\alpha$: \SI{100}{\percent}, SF: \SI{7.0e-9}{\percent} & 7.04e8 & \ch{^{207}_{82}Pb} \\
        \ch{^{238}_{92}U}  & $\alpha$: \SI{100}{\percent}, SF: \SI{5.5e-5}{\percent} & 4.468e9 & \ch{^{206}_{82}Pb} \\ \bottomrule
      \end{tabular}
      \begin{tablenotes}
        \footnotesize
        \item[a]$\varepsilon$ = electron capture decay; $\beta^{+}$ = positron decay; $\beta^{-}$ = negatron decay; $\alpha$ = alpha decay
      \end{tablenotes}
    \end{threeparttable}
  \end{table}
\end{document}

---

Answer 3

A solution using the caption and floatrow packages, so that the caption width is equal to the table width:

\documentclass[12pt,a4paper]{report}
\usepackage{amsmath}
\usepackage{array}
\usepackage{booktabs}
\usepackage[justification = centerlast]{caption} 
\usepackage{floatrow} 
\floatsetup[table]{footnoterule = none}
\renewcommand{\arraystretch}{1.5}

\begin{document}

\begin{table}
\addtolength{\tabcolsep}{-2pt} % slight reduction of intercolumn space
\centering
\ttabbox%
{\caption{Naturally occurring long-lived radionuclides and their stable radiogenic  daughters frequently used in geochronology.}\label{tab:001}}
{\begin{tabular}{*{4}{c} >{\raggedright\arraybackslash}p{3.5cm}}
    \toprule
    Parent & Decay Modes\mpfootnotemark & Half-life (years) & Daughters \\
    \midrule
    $^{40}_{19}$K & $\varepsilon$: $10.72\%$, $\beta^{+}$: $1.0\times 10^{-3}\%$ &  $1.248 \times 10^{9}$ & $^{40}_{18}$Ar \\
    $^{40}_{19}$K & $\beta^{-}$: $89.28\%$ & $1.248 \times 10^{9}$ & $^{40}_{20}$Ca \\
    $^{87}_{37}$Rb & $\beta^{-}$: $100\%$ & $4.81\times 10^{10}$ & $^{87}_{38}$Sr \\
    $^{147}_{62}$Sm & $\alpha$: $100\%$ & $1.06\times 10^{11}$ & $^{143}_{60}$Nd \\
    $^{176}_{71}$Lu & $\beta^{-}$: $100\%$ & $3.76\times 10^{10}$ & $^{176}_{72}$Hf \\
    $^{187}_{75}$Re & $\alpha$: $1.0\times 10^{-4}\%$, $\beta^{-}: 100\%$ &  $4.33\times 10^{10}$ & $^{187}_{76}$Os \\
    $^{232}_{90}$Th & $\alpha$: $100\%$, SF: $1.1\times 10^{-9}\%$ & $1.40\times 10^{10}$ & $^{208}_{82}$Pb \\
    $^{235}_{92}$U & $\alpha$: $100\%$, SF: $7.0\times 10^{-9}\%$ & $7.04\times 10^{8}$ & $^{207}_{82}$Pb \\
    $^{238}_{92}$U & $\alpha$: $100\%$, SF: $5.5\times 10^{-5}\%$ & $4.468\times 10^{9}$ & $^{206}_{82}$Pb \\
    \bottomrule
 \end{tabular}
 \floatfoot{\quad\textsuperscript{\thempfootnote}\:$\varepsilon$ = electron capture  decay; $\beta^{+}$ = positron decay; $\beta^{-}$ = negatron decay;  \\ $\alpha$ = alpha  decay.}}
 \end{table}

 \end{document}