Stereoscopic Visualization and Analysis of Space Science Observations and Simulations
Bringing the power of simple, practical "virtual reality" methods to desktop computers
D. Aaron Roberts
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Laboratory for Extraterrestrial Physics
Primary Collaborators:
David Ebert (UMBC), Chris Shaw (U Regina),
Melvyn Goldstein (GSFC)
 
New methods for true 3-D visualization using "glyphs" and a hand tracker interface in addition to traditional methods will provide scientists desktop access to powerful new ways of visualizing data.
Target data sets include MHD and other simulations, multi-spacecraft time series visualized in their actual relative locations (see magnetic field vectors below), and astrophysical data sets such as 3-D galaxy positions.
Click here for a pdf file of a conference presentation on this topic given in November 1997.
Another relevant paper (html) that includes links to collaborators can be found by clicking here.
Stereographic view of magnetic fields

Vectors are especially difficult to visualize in 2-D. Typically, interplanetary magnetic field vectors are represented by a series of plots for the components. The representation above shows a very different view, and one that is greatly enhanced by stereo (this is a parallel stereo pair). Note also that the color of the vectors represents temperature, and the symbols on the axis indicate the density.
 
 

View of glyphs rendered in 3D

 The use of "glyphs" or symbols at each point provides an efficient way of representing information about a quantity throughout a volume. With stereo, the 3-D position of the glyphs is readily perceived, making it possible to see into the volume without the use of, for example, nested isosurfaces or time consuming volume visualization. (These methods are still useful, and will be implemented as well).

Person using hand-trackers for 3D viewing

A 3-D world is best explored with 3-D input devices. In addition to investigating new devices, we are developing new software to take advantage of a pair of magnetic hand trackers equipped with three buttons each. Pan, zoom, and rotate all become one natural motion, and selecting 3-D subsets becomes similar to using a mouse in 2-D.
 
 

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