HR: 1340h
AN: SF13A-0710    [Abstracts]
TI: Collaborative Visualization and Analysis of Multi-dimensional, Time-dependent and Distributed Data in the Geosciences Using the Unidata Integrated Data Viewer
AU: * Meertens, C M
EM: meertens@unavco.org
AF: UNAVCO, 6359 Nautilus Dr., Boulder, CO 80301 United States
AU: Murray, D
EM: dmurray@unidata.ucar.edu
AF: UCAR Unidata Program, P.O. Box 3000, Boulder, CO 80307 United States
AU: McWhirter, J
EM: jeffmc@ucar.edu
AF: UCAR Unidata Program, P.O. Box 3000, Boulder, CO 80307 United States
AB: Over the last five years, UNIDATA has developed an extensible and flexible software framework for analyzing and visualizing geoscience data and models. The Integrated Data Viewer (IDV), initially developed for visualization and analysis of atmospheric data, has broad interdisciplinary application across the geosciences including atmospheric, ocean, and most recently, earth sciences. As part of the NSF-funded GEON Information Technology Research project, UNAVCO has enhanced the IDV to display earthquakes, GPS velocity vectors, and plate boundary strain rates. These and other geophysical parameters can be viewed simultaneously with three-dimensional seismic tomography and mantle geodynamic model results. Disparate data sets of different formats, variables, geographical projections and scales can automatically be displayed in a common projection. The IDV is efficient and fully interactive allowing the user to create and vary 2D and 3D displays with contour plots, vertical and horizontal cross-sections, plan views, 3D isosurfaces, vector plots and streamlines, as well as point data symbols or numeric values. Data probes (values and graphs) can be used to explore the details of the data and models. The IDV is a freely available Java application using Java3D and VisAD and runs on most computers. UNIDATA provides easy-to-follow instructions for download, installation and operation of the IDV. The IDV primarily uses netCDF, a self-describing binary file format, to store multi-dimensional data, related metadata, and source information. The IDV is designed to work with OPeNDAP-equipped data servers that provide real-time observations and numerical models from distributed locations. Users can capture and share screens and animations, or exchange XML "bundles" that contain the state of the visualization and embedded links to remote data files. A real-time collaborative feature allows groups of users to remotely link IDV sessions via the Internet and simultaneously view and control the visualization. A Jython-based formulation facility allows computations on disparate data sets using simple formulas. Although the IDV is an advanced tool for research, its flexible architecture has also been exploited for educational purposes with the Virtual Geophysical Exploration Environment (VGEE) development. The VGEE demonstration added physical concept models to the IDV and curricula for atmospheric science education intended for the high school to graduate student levels.
DE: 8100 TECTONOPHYSICS
DE: 7200 SEISMOLOGY
DE: 1200 GEODESY AND GRAVITY
DE: 0845 Instructional tools
SC: Special Focus: Advances in Data Acquisition, Management, Analysis and Display [SF]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting