New Techniques for Visualizing 3D Field Lines and Particle Trajectories

In many areas of science and engineering, an essential task is to model and understand complex flow phenomena from the evolution of the universe, patterns of ocean flow, aerodynamic flow surrounding a vehicle, down to the functioning of ecosystems. One way to depict a flow field is to use field lines and particle trajectories, which are straightforward to compute and render. However, choosing the right set of field lines or trajectories that best convey the flow structure and dynamics is a nontrivial task. This paper presents four new techniques easing this task and discusses how these techniques can enhance scientists’ ability to understand and explain data generated by their simulations.