George Mason University
CDS/CCDS/Statistics Colloquium Series
Seminar Announcement


Visualizing Cluster-Compressed
Multivariable and Multialtitude Atmospheric Data


Daniel B. Carr

Department of Statistics
George Mason University


Research 1, Room 301, Fairfax Campus
George Mason University, 4400 University Drive, Fairfax, VA 22030

Time: 10:30 a.m. Refreshments, 10:45 a.m. Colloquium Talk
Date: September 14, 2007



ABSTRACT

This talk addresses the challenge of visualizing cluster-compressed atmospheric data from AIRS (Atmospheric Infra-Red Spectroscopy) in a geospatial context. Each cluster has 35 variables including temperature and water vapor at 11 altitudes and cloud fraction at 10 altitudes. One approach uses Java shareware called CCmaps. CCmaps conveys three variables for regions in a map using sliders, color and conditioning. Generating regions representing both altitude and membership in latitude and longitude grid cells brings all altitude data for three variables into play. A second approach uses C++/OpenGL software called Glisten to represent data using 3D rendered glyphs. This shows altitude using a z-axis. Widgets enable variable selection and transfer function control of glyph features such a color (via color ramps), size, transparency, and filtering. Live examples convey options and insights.