A simple, efficient method for realistic animation of clouds

Abstract

This paper proposes a simple and computationally inexpensive method for animation of clouds. The cloud evolution is simulated using cellular automaton that simplifies the dynamics of cloud formation. The dynamics are expressed by several simple transition rules and their complex motion can be simulated with a small amount of computation. Realistic images are then created using one of the standard graphics APIs, OpenGL. This makes it possible to utilize graphics hardware, resulting in fast image generation. The proposed method can realize the realistic motion of clouds, shadows cast on the ground, and shafts of light through clouds.

Parallel Dynamic Cloud Rendering Method Based on Physical Cellular Automata Model

“…Dobashi [1], [2] and Miyazaki [3] proposed a method to conduct real-time rendering the cloud with the dynamic produced imposter and octree. This method uses the intersection of the current viewpoint and the octree to determine the texture casting object.…”

“…Copyright c 2012 The Institute of Electronics, Information and Communication Engineers Dobashi [1] first proposed a cellular automata-based modeling of dynamic cloud, the method uses three Boolean variables for humidity, cloud and change factors to represent the cloud state property, and it defines a Boolean operation to simulate the growth of cloud, the cloud particles disappear and wind shift motion (i.e. three physical processes).…”

“…The approach is focused on the simulated beam transmission phenomena in the cloud and cloud shadow, demands little on cloud detail character, and so adopts relatively simple rules of Boolean operations, but it is difficult to simulate for complex cloud movement change. Eric [12] adopt the modeling method of Dobashi [1], by combining real picture to enhance and complement rendering technology in the rendering stage. But as the model used didn't get out of the Dobashi's design restriction, the growth of cloud can be simulated, however not realistically.…”

Subdivision interpolating implicit surfaces

“…An increasingly popular modeling approach in recent years is the field-based implicit surfaces [1][2][3][4][5][6]. An implicit surface is defined as a locus in space that satisfies an equation f ðx; y; zÞ ¼ T; where T is the threshold of an iso-surface.…”

“…An implicit surface is defined as a locus in space that satisfies an equation f ðx; y; zÞ ¼ T; where T is the threshold of an iso-surface. The implicit representations make them convenient for modeling and animating complex smooth objects, such as liquids [1], clouds [3], plants, sea-life forms, and other organic shapes [5,6]. In addition to object modeling, implicit surfaces have also been widely used in other applications including constrained space deformations [4], surface reconstruction [7], and shape morphing [8].…”