HR: 0830h
AN: ED31C-1180    [PDF]
TI: Integrating Research and Education: A 3D Modeling and Data Visualization Package for Data Assimilation
AU: Garvin-Doxas, K
EM: garvindo@colorado.edu
AF: CIPS, UCB 390, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309
AU: Garvin-Doxas, K
EM: garvindo@colorado.edu
AF: JILA, UCB 440, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309
AU: * Doxas, I
EM: doxas@colorado.edu
AF: CIPS, UCB 390, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO 80309
AB: Recent advances in the development of integrated models of the Sun-Earth environment are placing increasing emphasis on data assimilation schemes that can maximize the intelligence extracted from our sparse sampling of upwind conditions. One of the schemes proposed is Branch Prediction and Speculative Execution, which consists of making probabilistic estimates of current upstream conditions, and distribute among available machines simulations that assume each of the probabilistically estimated states as initial conditions. As the near-Earth space evolves and near-Earth satellite data are compared with the models, some of the speculatively executed simulations will be proved wrong. At that point the machines that were executing them will be reassigned either to new lines of speculative simulation, or to increase the processing power devoted to more promising simulations already executing. CALCHAS is a 3D visualization package that integrates models and data, and is used in the above data assimilation scheme. The package is written in Java 3D, and has a modular design, so that different models and datasets, both real-time and historical, can be seamlessly compared using a variety of goodness-of-fit measures. The package is used both in research and education at the undergraduate as well as secondary level. Teaching modules use the package to teach Nature of Science (NOS) concepts like modeling and uncertainty, that have been shown particularly difficult to teach with traditional expository instruction. Standard instruments, like the Views About Science Survey (VASS; Halloun and Hesteness, {\it Science and Education} 7, 1998) and the Views of Nature of Science questionnaire (VNOS; Lederman, Abd-El-Khalick, Bell, and Schwartz, {\it Journal of Research in Science Teaching}, 39, 2002) are used to track progress in student conceptions of science.
DE: 2722 Forecasting
DE: 2753 Numerical modeling
DE: 6605 Education
SC: Education and Human Resources [ED]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting