Interactive Visual Analysis of Complex Scientific Data as Families of Data Surfaces

Abstract

The widespread use of computational simulation in science and engineering provides challenging research opportunities. Multiple independent variables are considered and large and complex data are computed, especially in the case of multi-run simulation. Classical visualization techniques deal well with 2D or 3D data and also with time-dependent data. Additional independent dimensions, however, provide interesting new challenges. We present an advanced visual analysis approach that enables a thorough investigation of families of data surfaces, i.e., datasets, with respect to pairs of independent dimensions. While it is almost trivial to visualize one such data surface, the visual exploration and analysis of many such data surfaces is a grand challenge, stressing the users' perception and cognition. We propose an approach that integrates projections and aggregations of the data surfaces at different levels (one scalar aggregate per surface, a 1D profile per surface, or the surface as such). We demonstrate the necessity for a flexible visual analysis system that integrates many different (linked) views for making sense of this highly complex data. To demonstrate its usefulness, we exemplify our approach in the context of a meteorological multi-run simulation data case and in the context of the engineering domain, where our collaborators are working with the simulation of elastohydrodynamic (EHD) lubrication bearing in the automotive industry.

Visual Parameter Space Analysis: A Conceptual Framework

“…From the visualization literature, we gathered an initial set of 112 research papers that we deemed potentially interesting. A closer analysis of these papers led us to a set of 21 corerelevant papers [1,4,9,10,14,16,18,21,26,37,43,44,45,46,55,56,57,68,69,73,76]. This selection was based on a set of exclusion criteria that we defined.…”

Visualization System Requirements for Data Processing Pipeline Design and Optimization

“…Each colored cell indicates a requirement that is important for a given case study/paper, and an 'x' indicates that the requirement remains unmet by users' current tools. [25] req req req req req Chemical process models [26] x req req x Economic modelling [27] req req xx req req x req Aircraft engine design [28] req req x req req Phylogenetic trees [29,30] x req x x req req Molecular evolution [31,32] x x req x req x * Raidou et al [75] iCoCooN req req req * Ruppert et al [46] --x req x Luboshik et al [38] --x req req req Bruckner et al [10] --x req x req * Beham et al [43] Cupid req req xx Konyha et al [39] --x req x Pretorius et al [12] Paramorama req x req Afzal et al [36] RVF x req req x Bergner et al [13] ParaGlide xx req Torsney-Weir et al [33] Tuner x req x x * Padua et al [11] --x req x * Bögl et al [42] TiMoVA req req req x x req Spence et al [73] --req req Berger et al [9] --req x xx Piringer et al [40] HyperMoVal xx req req req Matkovic et al [17] --req x Coffey et al [34] --x x req Matkovic et al [50] --x Potter et al [49] Ensemble-Vis x req Booshehrian et al [19] Vismon req x req x Brecheisen et al [52] --x req x Unger et al [54] --req req req Amirkhanov et al [74] --x Marks et al [48] Design Galleries req x Waser et al [18] World Lines req x x * Martins et al [35] --x req x * Wu [53] --xx x Guo et al [41] --req…”

“…As the number of outputs increases, so does the requirement for sophisticated visualization techniques to assess the outputs. Those techniques become less scalable as the outputs become more complex and involve, for example, geographic visualizations [49], animations [10] or 3D graphics where users need to inspect many different views [50].…”

Screen-space silhouettes for visualizing ensembles of 3D isosurfaces

“…However, only a few ensemble members can be visualized simultaneously due to cluttering and occlusion. Matković et al [32] visualize ensemble data as families of data surfaces in combination with cutting planes showing intersections with the surfaces. We pursue a similar approach by using cutting planes to guide the user towards specific regions of interest.…”