A Selection of 3D Images
This page contains a series of graphical images, produced from a variety of different data-sets, which illustrate how a 3D visualisation system can be programmed to explore multi-dimensional spatial data. Through this process (often referred to as Visualisation in Scientific Computing), new insights can be gained into complex phenomona in the earth and environmental sciences. We are also developing the use of VRML/Java for full 3D user-interaction and information retrieval on the Web - See Modelling with VRML Pages.
1. A global relief model of the Earth created by mapping the ETOPO elevation data onto a sphere (84 KB). Ocean floor bathymetry is particularly well displayed due to the vertical exaggeration. This model can spin, be zoomed etc. in AVS !
Global Relief Model
2. Visualisation of the Earth's interior (82 KB & 80 KB ). The data is from the lower mantle and has been derived from earthquake wave (p-wave) velocity. The surface extraction models (isosurfaces and 2D slices) tend to provide a clearer 3D image than the solid model - although work is continuing on this aspect (Data from Dept. of Earth Sciences, Oxford Univ.).
Earth Mantle Model - via surface extraction Earth Mantle Model - solid model
3. A 3D plot of the variation of monthly rainfall in Wales (22 KB). In this view, an isosurface defining areas receiving >200mm/month of rain shows the wet Autumn experienced by most of the country after the 1976 drought.
Rainfall Model
4. A ray-traced image of a lobster (51KB] using a "direct composite" volume visualisation algorithm to blend alpha values and assist in detecting irregularities in the interior.
Lobster Model
5. Air pollution parameters isolated at a particuliar time-step (52 KB) - the full version of this 4D dataset from North Carolina uses animation. An isosurface of ozone concentration has been colour-mapped with CO (carbon monoxide) values to explore how they correlate in 3D through time (Data from MCNC Env Pgms).
Air Pollution Model
6. Earthquake wave amplitude within a soft-sediment basin.(55 KB). The UCD isolines show how the displacement increases towards the surface better than the solid model. (Data from a finite element model, University of North Carolina).
Earthquake Model
7. Maxwell Montes, Venus (131 KB). A radar reflectivity image (from the Russian Venera orbiter) mapped onto surface topography (NASA Pioneer orbiter data). The 3D image illustrates how surface roughness varies with terrain.
Venus Images
8. A fence model of the Plessey coal seam near Pegswood, Northumberland (52 KB).
Coal Seams1
9. Surfaces representing coal seams near Pegswood, Northumberland (80 KB) with a 3D block model and structure contour map.
Coal Seams2
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