GlyphSea — An Application to Visualize Vector Data
How does one display a vector field? Vector visualization is an important area to investigate scientific data in many domains.
Prior visualization strategies have primarily focused on low resolution and discrete glyph plots or volumetric rendering of scalar fields, which do not permit a full characterization of underlying phenomena. We have developed an interactive glyph visualization application that allows scientists to explore vector fields. We implement a novel technique of procedural dipole texturing to encode and display vector data which shows magnitude and direction in an unambiguous and view-independent manner.
We employ a novel lattice method to show neighborhood, which also enables glyphs to be distinguished. We further enhance visualization by using screen space ambient occlusion, jitter, outline halos and displacement. By combining contextual information with glyphs, such as geographic maps and representations of crustal structure with three-dimensional isosurfaces, scientists are able examine vector fields in a rich and interactive multivariate environment.
We demonstrate the results for time-dependent vector data from three different simulations, including the "Big One" earthquake simulation affecting the Los Angeles region. These new visualizations clearly depict the obvious features, as well those missed in previous investigations.
GlyphSea Downloads
Note: The GlyphSea software is only available internally at this time.
You can download and view our GlyphSea visualization movie.
[MP4, 720x405, ~147 MB]
Contact Amit Chourasia for an HD resolution movie.
GlyphSea Results
Point Source Earthquake
Magnetic Field
TeraShake Earthquake Simulation
Comments
Send comments to Amit Chourasia, SDSC Visualization Services Group Lead.
