Scientific Data Visualization Research Articles

A spatial dynamic multistock production model

We developed a generalized spatial dynamic age-structured multistock production model by linking bioenergetic principles of physiology, population ecology, and community trophodynamics to a two-dimensional finite-element hydrodynamic circulation model. Animal movement is based on a search of an environmental-habitat feature vector that maximizes cohort production dynamics. We implemented a numerical version of the model and used scientific data visualization to display real-time results. As a proxy for larger regional-scale dynamics, we applied the model to study the space-time behavior of recruitment and predator-prey production dynamics for cohorts of spotted seatrout (Cynoscion nebulosus) and pink shrimp (Penaeus duorarum) in the tropical waters of Biscayne Bay, Florida.

Massive Data Visualization

The old proverb, And out of mind as soon as out of sight, attributed to Lord Brooke (1554(1628) generally referred to the passing of evil or harm. In the context of large-scale data analysis and simulation, however, it might foreshadow the loss of important information. The focus of this issue of CiSE is on the use and development of visualization techniques for exploring and managing large-scale scientific and textual information. The four articles comprising this issue demonstrate four different approaches to the visualization of scientific data from applications such as landscape ecology, text retrieval, cosmology, computational chemistry, and material science.

DOVE: distributed objects based scientific visualization environment

This paper describes the design and performance of a distributed, multi-tier architecture for scientific data visualization. A novel aspect of this framework is its integration of Java IDL, the CORBA distributed object computing middleware, with JavaBeans, the Java Component model, to provide a flexible, interactive framework for distributed, high-performance scientific data visualization. CORBA server objects running in a distributed collaborative environment provide data acquisition and perform data-intensive computations. Clients such as Java Bean components use these server objects for data retrieval and provide an environment for visualization. The server objects use JDBC, the Java application programming interface to SQL databases, to retrieve data from the database. We discuss the system framework and its components and describe an example application and its performance. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

3D Visualization Applied to Electromagnetic Engineering

ABSTRACT Over the past few years, the Naval Sea Systems Command (NavSea) Topside Design Group has conducted extensive development of the electromagnetics code for naval ship topside design. Analysis of computational electromagnetic data has long been a challenging task for surface ship designers. There are a number of very good computational models for analyzing a surface ship's electromagnetic characteristics. Unfortunately, the output of these models consist of huge matrices of real numbers that are very difficult to analyze.This paper will show how NavSea, in conjunction with Naval Command, Control and Ocean Surveillance Center RDT&E Division (NCCOSC/NRaD) and Rockwell International, is using computer graphics to help surface ship topside designers optimize the electromagnetic characteristics of a ship's design. NavSea has developed 2D and 3D scientific data visualization tools that provide an intuitive “feel” for the output of the numeric computational electromagnetic models.This paper will also describe how industrial software standards and fast, inexpensive graphics engines will provide electromagnetic design engineers with much more capable, robust, flexible, portable, and economical scientific visualization tools.

High-dimensional trivariate nurbs representation for analyzing and visualizing fluid flow data

Scientific data visualization addresses the representation, manipulation, and rendering of volumetric data sets, providing mechanisms for looking closely into structures and understanding their complexity and dynamics. In the past several years, a tremendous amount of research and development has been directed toward algorithms and data modeling methods for a scientific data visualization. But there has been very little work on developing a mathematical representation of a volumetric data that feeds this visualization. Especially, in flow visualization, the volumetric model has long been demanded as a foundation for the display of very large amounts of data resulting from numerical simulations. In this paper, we focus on the mathematical representation of volumetric data sets and the feature segmentation of meaningful information from the derived volumetric model. For this purpose, a well-known B-spline volume is extended to a high-dimensional trivariate model in this paper. Several three-dimensional examples are presented to demonstrate the capabilities of this suggested model.

Commentary on high-performance computing and human vision II: Virtual reality and eyeball tracking

Visualization of scientific data that are not normally visible can be greatly enhanced by understanding human visual perception. Mars the Movie illustrated the use of stereo resolution for producing realistic vistas of the Mars surface. The real-time recording and analysis of eyeball-tracking data is another example of human vision research which benefits from high-performance computing. Currently the bottleneck is not in the hardware but in the available software to transform data efficiently.

Volumetric visualization of zooplankton sound scattering in the ocean

Acoustic visualization combines the techniques of acoustic remote sensing and scientific data visualization. It provides scientists with the means for interactively exploring three-dimensional data sets collected with conventional acoustic survey methods. Here, investigations are described in which acoustic visualization has provided new insights into the volumetric distribution of zooplankton sound scattering in the ocean. The presentation will document the steps involved with survey design as well as data analysis and interpretation. It will focus on attempts to derive quantitative, objective inferences from sparse, irregularly spaced data collected during acoustic surveys of patchily distributed zooplankton. [Work supported by NOAA, NSF, and ONR.]

Mining geophysical data for knowledge

Oasis is a flexible, extensible, and seamless environment for scientific data analysis, knowledge discovery, visualization, and collaboration. The authors describe how Oasis can help explore data analysis and data mining of spatio-temporal phenomena from large geophysical data sets.

RIVA: a versatile parallel rendering system for interactive scientific visualization

JPL's Remote Interactive Visualization and Analysis System (RIVA) is described in detail. The RIVA system integrates workstation graphics, massively parallel computing technology, and gigabit communication networks to provide a flexible interactive environment for scientific data perusal, analysis, and visualization, RIVA's kernel is a highly scalable parallel perspective renderer tailored especially for the demands of large datasets beyond the sensible reach of workstations. Early experience with using RIVA to interactively explore and process multivariate, multiresolution datasets is reported; several examples using data from a variety of remote sensing instruments are discussed in detail and the results shown. Particular attention is placed on describing the algorithmic details of RIVA's parallel renderer kernel, with emphasis on the key aspects of achieving the algorithm's overall scalability. The paper summarizes the performance achieved for machine sizes up to more than 500 nodes and for initial input image/terrain bases in the 2 Gbyte range.

Acoustic visualization of zooplankton and micronekton patchiness in oceanic ecosystems

Acoustic visualization combines the techniques of acoustic remote sensing and scientific data visualization. It provides scientists with the means for interactively exploring three-dimensional data sets collected acoustically. In this presentation, field investigations will be presented in which acoustic visualization has provided unique insights into the three-dimensional patchiness of zooplankton and micronekton distributions. The steps involved with survey design as well as data analysis and interpretation will be discussed along with a video presentation. Details will be given of attempts to derive quantitative, objective inferences from irregualrly spaced and temporally inconsistent data collected during acoustic surveys of patchily distributed animals in an advective flow field. [Work supported by ONR, NSF, and NOAA.]

Visualization of scattered meteorological data

Considers how rain-gauge data, scattered in two dimensions, aid the study of El Nino-caused rainstorms in normally arid coastal Peru. Continuous realization techniques can extract qualitative information from the data. The techniques described were developed with IBM Visualization Data Explorer, a general-purpose software package for scientific data visualization and analysis. Data Explorer provides tools for both scattered and gridded data.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>

Implications of graphics enhancements for the visualization of scientific data: dimensional integrality, stereopsis, motion, and mesh.

This study examines the effectiveness of four techniques to assist scientists in evaluating multidimensional data. Subjects viewed a series of complex 3D data sets, each representing an underlying complex surface, from which a set of discrete points or observations were sampled. From each sample they answered questions that required focus of attention on certain data points or integration across varying numbers of data points and dimensions. After a number of samples were viewed from each surface, subjects were tested for their retention of the surface characteristics. In Experiment 1, 3D (perspective) representations were found to support superior performance to 2D (planar) representations, but only for more integrative questions. Animated motion provided no benefits. In Experiment 2, stereoptic views of a 3D display were also found to support performance, particularly for integrative questions, but the ability to rotate the data space (motion parallax) and the presence of a mesh surface connecting the points did not. The posttests revealed some evidence that 3D representations improved the ability to visualize the surface, but neither 3D renderings nor stereopsis led to a better abstract representation of the data.

Research issues in data modeling for scientific visualization

This article summarizes some topics of modeling as they impinge on the future development of scientific data visualization. The benefits from visualization techniques in analyzing data are well established, but to build on these pioneering efforts, one must recognize modeling as a distinct structural component in the larger context of visualization and problem-solving systems. Volume modeling is the entry way to this arena of future development, and model-based rendering describes how scientists will view the results. Important side developments such as multiresolution modeling and model-based segmentation will contribute structural capability to these systems. All of these components ultimately depend on the mathematical foundations of scattered data modeling and on model validation and standards to incorporate this modeling methodology into effective tools for scientific inquiry.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>

Stereoscopic data visualization: pattern recognition in three dimensions

A method of data visualization that uses stereoscopic displays for viewing data in three dimensions is described. It is based on an inexpensive stereoscopic system that uses a personal computer and commercially available, modulated liquid-crystal eyeglasses. Details about the hardware are given, and software written to take advantage of the stereoscopic effect is described. This method of scientific data visualization can assist in the interpretation of data in three dimensions for the purposes of data preprocessing, data analysis, and pattern recognition.

Data flow visual languages

Current visual programming languages, which are supported by block diagrams referred to as data flow graphs, are discussed. Three systems currently available for engineers to use are examined. They are LabVIEW, for process control and instrumentation, and AVS and Khoros, for scientific data visualization.< <ETX xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">&gt;</ETX>

Scientific data visualization and biological diversity: new tools for spatializing multimedia observations of species and ecosystems

Current knowledge of the biodiversity of protected ecosystems is often limited to museum collection specimen data, outdated or cursory inventories and anecdotal accounts. Beyond the inventory of biological diversity comes the need to monitor changes of many parameters and at many scales, and the need to incorporate this knowledge into an accessible information system for biodiversity management planning and conservation education. This paper briefly describes our continuing research efforts to develop new ways to collect, analyze, organize and distribute biodiversity data.

A Computer-Graphical Model of Multigenerational Family Systems

This paper describes an interdisciplinary project in which techniques from the field of scientific data visualization are applied to the field of family psychotherapy. The model of Bowen theory a conceptual framework that treats the family as an organism, is the basis for this project Beginning with symbols and conventions from the genogram, a static diagram widely used for documenting family process, a three-dimensional dynamic model is being developed, based on a treelike topology. The system allows interactive analysis of this 3-D structure using a mouse and keyboard commands. An interactively movable "time-slice" in the structure gives rise to a motion picture of family symbols (similar to the genogram) which change through time. Upon further development, this system will allow analysis of an extensive family database, including information from social, emotional, and physical domains, over many generations. Keywords: data visualization, family systems theory genealogy genogram, interactive computer animation.

Computer-Aided Facilities Diagnostics: A New Software Tool for the Armory of the Macro-Ergonomist

A macro-ergonomic systems approach to evaluating the impact of office environment design on workers requires a variety of analytical tools. Computer-Aided Facilities Diagnostics (CAFD), is a new software tool which enables scientific visualization of data by graphically combining user survey information with spatial forms such as building floor plans. Preliminary work with CAFD suggests that the ability to visualize data may facilitate users in brainstorming about possible solutions to work environment problems. The potential benefits of CAFD for ergonomic intervention will be discussed.

Visual Information Processing of Computed Topographic Electrical Activity Brain Maps

Effective display of computer-generated biomedical images draws on computer graphics and image processing, display technology and human factors, visual psychophysics and perception, cognitive psychology, and the new field of scientific data visualization. In converting from raw, acquired data to a visual display, developers need to know the limitations of the data and of the display technology. To obtain reliable inferences about the clinical or physiological state of the patient requires that the computer display be matched to the visual information-processing competence and limitations of human observers. The issues that should be considered by both developers and users of computer-based display technologies to enhance clinical performance in observation and diagnosis are surveyed with reference to electrical activity brain maps.

Scientific Data Visualization Software: Trends and Directions

Scientific data visualization has finally come of age as an important and accepted discipline. While scientists have been using computer graphics to visualize experimental data and computational results for at least 30 years, recent improvements in cost/performance of graphics workstations, more readily available software, and a new-found identity based on the report Visualization in Scientific Computing (McCormick, DeFanti, and Brown, 1987) have solidified the discipline. The thesis here is that scientists are forced to work too hard to create these visualizations, but that the evolving set of visualization tools can greatly reduce the requisite effort. The architecture of a new class of software can lead to a more widespread availability of interactive visualization tools, which can make the process of creating a visualization as simple as doing interactive chart and graph layout.