Flow Visualization With Novel Dynamic Glyphs

The visualization of 3-D vector field is a challenging area, especially for Computational Fluid Dynamics(CFD) fields. The effect of visualization impacts on the analysis of data and exploration of the hidden information behind the data. An intuitive and effective visualization method enables researchers to understand and judge the inherent laws of the vector field data more easily, and then make the right decision. Therefore, the visualization of 3-D vector fields has great practical significance and a good foreground.As there are some problems on using the streamlines and glyphs for visualizing the flow field. This article has a deep research of the streamlines and glyphs for representing 3-D flow field visualization methods. We have designed two new glyphs and proposed a method called Glyph-flowing of dynamic glyphs to visualize the 3-D flow field. This work and research achievements are as follows:Firstly, as symmetrical and vertically symmetrical elements could not express the directionality of flow field, we propose a non-perfectly-symmetrical glyph. As glyph indicating the problem of multidimensional data in the flow field, we propose a multidirectional glyph. Experimental results show that, the non-perfectly-symmetrical glyph is more useful for the visualization of the flow field than like a round face, prismatic, and rectangular glyph. The Multi-directional glyph displays the various components of the velocity vector more accurately, indicating the details more clearly, and improving the effect of result greatly.Secondly, as how to represent the data flow problems intuitively and effectively, this paper presents a self-adaptive tracking algorithm of dynamic glyph. This method is an effective visualization for the complex 3-D vector field structures. This method can not only solve the point icon reveals the inherent 3-D vector field data continuity problems, but also avoid the streamlines in poor seed selection vector omission field of the important features and details, as well as the streamlines cluttering phenomenon. Experimental results show that, we can observe the local details and global patterns of the vector field using this method at the same time.Thirdly, we have realized the module of dynamic glyph, and then we have experimented with the data of Delta-Wing, Hai-Tang typhoon, Lorenz attractor, blood, and so on. Experimental results show that the module could visualize the animation of the flow fields, and achieve a real-time interactive animation.As a word, we have designed a non-perfectly-symmetrical glyph and a multidirectional glyph, and present a self-adaptive tracking algorithm of dynamic glyph, and we have integrated the modules into the TH-CPVS software. Experimental results show that the dynamic glyphs visualizing the 3-D vector field effect is of good quality and high efficiency, and prove the correctness and validity of research results. The module has a strong practicability, and the TH-CPVS software is well used for the visualization of the Big Airplane.