Using an Interactive JavaBased Environment to Facilitate Visualization Comprehension

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Using an Interactive Java-Based Environment to
Facilitate Visualization Comprehension

• Daniel Bramer, Tim Scheitlin, Rajul Pandya, Ryan
  Deardorff, Dean Elliott, Ken Hay, Mary Marlino,
  Don Middleton, Mohan Ramamurthy, Marianne
  Weingroff, and Robert Wilhelmson

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Visual Geophysical Exploration EnvironmentVGEE

• Simpler Visualization Environment
• Guidance for Key Concepts
• Isolate Processes Within Complex Systems

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Java / GDV / VisAD

• Java 1.3 (application)
• Easy exchange between VGEE components
• Underlying 3D Viz. Environment
• Leveraged from GDV and VisAD
• GDV 3D Gridded Data Viewer (UNIDATA)
• VisAD Java Visualization Component Library
  (SSEC / UNIDATA / NCSA / Aus. Bureau of
  Meteorology

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Graphical User Interface (GUI)
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VGEE GUI

• Learner Friendly
• Explore and Interact in 3-D
• Same tools as researchers, but set for survey
  level

Viz El Nino avg. DJF vertical wind speed
cross-section and isosurface
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Concept Models / Probes

• Concept Models
• Stand-Alone
• Teach basic principles in a user controlled
  environment
• Probes
• Isolate processes form the overall system
• Relate learned concepts to the real world

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Concept Models

• Temperature
• Condensation
• Ocean Evaporation
• Dry Adiabatic
• Moist Adiabatic
• Custom Moist Adiabatic
• Ekman Wind Balance
• Coriolis Force

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Probes

• Same as
• Concept Models
• Integrate with Dataset(s)

Viz Height (plan) Temperature (cross-section)
with jet (isosurface)
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Web site www.dlese.org/vgee

• Learner Guides
• Focused Activities
• Teacher Guides
• Guidance
• Work Submission
• Encyclopedia

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Implementation

• West Chester University
• Spring 2002
• University of Illinois
• Summer / Fall 2002

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Acknowledgements

• This project is funded by the National Science
  Foundation Division of Undergraduate Education
  Grant DUE-9972491.

Website
http//www.dlese.org/vgee