Display of Vector Fields Using a Reaction-Diffusion Model

Effective visualization of vector fields relies on the ability to control the size and density of the underlying mapping to visual cues used to represent the field. In this paper we introduce the use of a reaction-diffusion model, already well known for its ability to form irregular spatio-temporal patters, to control the size, density, and placement of the vector field representation. We demonstrate that it is possible to encode vector field information (orientation and magnitude) into the parameters governing a reaction-diffusion model to form a spot pattern with the correct orientation, size, and density, creating an effective visualization. To encode direction we texture the spots using a light to dark fading texture. We also show that it is possible to use the reaction-diffusion model to visualize an additional scalar value, such as the uncertainty in the orientation of the vector field. An additional benefit of the reaction-diffusion visualization technique arises from its autom...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2004
• Where: VIS
• Authors: Allen R. Sanderson, Chris R. Johnson, Robert M. Kirby
• Keywords: Effective Visualization, Reaction-diffusion Visualization Technique, Vector Visualization Techniques, VIS 2004, Visualization