Visualization Techniques for Vector Fields with Applications to Flow Data

This paper describes three diierent methods for visualization of vector elds: selective visualization, statistical visualization, and turbulent particles. The rst method enables the user to focus on the interesting parts of a data set by creation, processing, and display of selected parts. The second technique visualizes statistical quantities about a region of interest rather than raw data. For statistical simulations of turbulent ows, the third method uses particles to show the erratic motions caused by turbulence. A brief technical description of each method is given, and practical examples from uid dynamics demonstrate their utility. The rst two methods are suitable to vector elds in general and illustrate how data reduction for visualization is achieved. The third is specialised for statistical turbulent ow simulations, where simpliication in the simulation produces a reduced dataset, which requires a special visualization technique to partially reconstruct turbulent motion.