HR: 17:25h
AN: SM42E-06 INVITED     [PDF]
TI: Vector and Scalar Field Visualization Techniques for Multispacecraft Space Physics Missions
AU: * Roberts, D A
EM: aaron.roberts@nasa.gov
AF: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 692, Greenbelt, MD 20771 United States
AU: Rezapkin, V
EM: vasili.rezapkin@aquilent.com
AF: Aquilent, 1100 West Street, Laurel, MD 20727 United States
AU: Coleman, J
EM: jason.coleman@aquilent.com
AF: Aquilent, 1100 West Street, Laurel, MD 20727 United States
AU: Boller, R
EM: ryan.a.boller.1@gsfc.nasa.gov
AF: NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 587, Greenbelt, MD 20771 United States
AB: We present a new way of visualizing data that makes it possible to view simultaneously a large number of measured time series on the orbits of a large number of spacecraft. We shall show examples of using our ``ViSBARD" software to illucidate the structure of the solar wind upstream of the Earth, as well as cases showing magnetic field and particle information from many spacecraft in the magnetosphere. Each measurement is presented by a glyph (symbol or vector) at each point in time and at the position it was measured in the 3-D space. The ecliptic plane and, if appropriate, magnetospheric surfaces are presented to provide context. The software allows scrolling and zooming in time; the usual pan, zoom, and rotate in space; scaling of the data variables; a choice of color palettes; and 2-D graphs that scroll and scale in concert with the 3-D representation to aid the interpretation of the 3-D visualization. As the interval of data changes, the resolution automatically adjusts to maintain rapid response and to limit memory usage. A kinematic projection of all quantities yields a ``spatial view" that is particularly effective in fast flows such as the solar wind. The center of rotation can be moved to any data point to allow a detailed examination of a particular region. The software supports stereo viewing. Future extensions will incorporate the viewing of images as well as the simultaneous viewing of data and models.
DE: 2134 Interplanetary magnetic fields
DE: 2164 Solar wind plasma
DE: 2740 Magnetospheric configuration and dynamics
SC: SPA - Magnetospheric Physics [SM]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting