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At least 235 records · Page 13

AVIRIS Reflectance Retrievals: UCSB Users Manual

The following write-up is designed to help students and researchers take Airborne Visible/Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) radiance data and retrieve surface reflectance. In the event that the software is not available, but a user has access to a reflectance product, this document is designed to provide a better understanding of how AVIRIS reflectance was retrieved. This guide assumes that the reader has both a basic understanding of the UNIX computing environment, and that of spectroscopy. Knowledge of the Interactive Data Language (IDL) and the Environment for Visualizing Images (ENVI) is helpful. This is a working document, and many of the fine details described in the following pages have been previously undocumented. After having read this document the reader should be able to process AVIRIS to reflectance, provided access to all of the code is possible. The AVIRIS radiance data itself is pre-processed at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California. The first section of this paper describes how to read data from tape and byte-swap the data. Section 2 describes the procedure in preparing support files before running the 'h2o' suite of programs. Section 3 describes the four programs used in the process, h2olut9.f, h2ospl9.f, vlsfit9.f and rfl9.f.

Roberts, Dar A.↗

Information-Theoretic Exploration of Multivariate Time-Varying Image Databases

Modern scientific simulations produce very large datasets, making interactive exploration of such data computationally prohibitive. An increasingly common data reduction technique is to store visualizations and other data extracts in a database. The Cinema project is one such approach, storing visualizations in an image database for post hoc exploration and interactive image-based analysis. This work focuses on developing efficient algorithms that can quantify various types of multivariate dependencies existing within multi-variable datasets. It applies specific mutual information measures for the quantification of salient regions from multivariate image data. Here, using such information measures, the opacity of the images is modulated so that the salient regions are automatically highlighted and the domain scientists can interactively explore the most relevant regions for scientific discovery.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Giovanni: A System for Rapid Access, Visualization and Analysis of Earth Science Data Online

Collecting data and understanding data structures traditionally are the first steps that a user must take, before the core investigation can begin. This is a time-consuming and challenging task, especially when science objectives require users to deal with large multi-sensor data that are usually in different formats and internal structures. The Goddard Earth Sciences Data and Information Services Center (GES DISC) has created the GES DISC Interactive Online Visualization and ANalysis Infrastructure, Giovanni, to enable Web-based visualization and analysis of satellite remotely sensed meteorological, oceanographic, and hydrologic data sets, without users having to download data. The current operational Giovanni interfaces provide the capability to process a number of important satellite measurements, such as (1) ozone and other trace gases from TOMS, OMI, HALOE, and MLS; (2) air temperature, water vapor, and geopotential height from AIRS; (3) aerosols from MODIS TerrdAqua, and GOCART model; (4) precipitation from TRMM and ground measurements; (5) chlorophyll and other ocean color products from SeaWiFS and MODIS Aqua; and (6) sea surface temperature from MODIS Aqua. Depending on the input data structure, the system provides simple statistical analysis and creates time-averaged area plot, area-averaged time series, animations, Hovmoller latitude vs. time and longitude vs. time plots, as well as vertical profiles. The inter-comparison interfaces allow a user to compare observations from different instruments, to conduct anomaly analysis, and to study basic relationships between physical parameters. Giovanni handles data with different temporal and spatial resolutions and, thus, enables both regional and global long-term climate research and short-term special events investigation, as well as data validations and assessments. Because of its simplicity of usage, Giovanni is powerful and versatile, able to assist a wide range of users, from the discipline scientists conducting preliminary research in various fields, to students in the classroom learning about weather, climate, and other natural phenomena. Giovanni can be accessed from: http://disc. esfc.nasa.gov/techlab/giovanni/index.shtml

Shen, S.↗

ColorMoves: Real-time Interactive Colormap Construction for Scientific Visualization

This article presents ColorMoves, an interactive tool that promotes exploration of scientific data through artist-driven color methods in a unique and transformative way. Here, we discuss the power of contrast in scientific visualization, the design of the ColorMoves tool, and the tools application in several science domains.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Influence of Averaging Method on the Evaluation of a Coastal Ocean Color Event on the U.S. Northeast Coast

Application of appropriate spatial averaging techniques is crucial to correct evaluation of ocean color radiometric data, due to the common log-normal or mixed log-normal distribution of these data. Averaging method is particularly crucial for data acquired in coastal regions. The effect of averaging method was markedly demonstrated for a precipitation-driven event on the U.S. Northeast coast in October-November 2005, which resulted in export of high concentrations of riverine colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) to New York and New Jersey coastal waters over a period of several days. Use of the arithmetic mean averaging method created an inaccurate representation of the magnitude of this event in SeaWiFS global mapped chl a data, causing it to be visualized as a very large chl a anomaly. The apparent chl a anomaly was enhanced by the known incomplete discrimination of CDOM and phytoplankton chlorophyll in SeaWiFS data; other data sources enable an improved characterization. Analysis using the geometric mean averaging method did not indicate this event to be statistically anomalous. Our results predicate the necessity of providing the geometric mean averaging method for ocean color radiometric data in the Goddard Earth Sciences DISC Interactive Online Visualization ANd aNalysis Infrastructure (Giovanni).

Acker, James G.↗

Comprehensive Non-Destructive Conservation Documentation of Lunar Samples Using High-Resolution Image-Based 3D Reconstructions and X-Ray CT Data

Established contemporary conservation methods within the fields of Natural and Cultural Heritage encourage an interdisciplinary approach to preservation of heritage material (both tangible and intangible) that holds "Outstanding Universal Value" for our global community. NASA's lunar samples were acquired from the moon for the primary purpose of intensive scientific investigation. These samples, however, also invoke cultural significance, as evidenced by the millions of people per year that visit lunar displays in museums and heritage centers around the world. Being both scientifically and culturally significant, the lunar samples require a unique conservation approach. Government mandate dictates that NASA's Astromaterials Acquisition and Curation Office develop and maintain protocols for "documentation, preservation, preparation and distribution of samples for research, education and public outreach" for both current and future collections of astromaterials. Documentation, considered the first stage within the conservation methodology, has evolved many new techniques since curation protocols for the lunar samples were first implemented, and the development of new documentation strategies for current and future astromaterials is beneficial to keeping curation protocols up to date. We have developed and tested a comprehensive non-destructive documentation technique using high-resolution image-based 3D reconstruction and X-ray CT (XCT) data in order to create interactive 3D models of lunar samples that would ultimately be served to both researchers and the public. These data enhance preliminary scientific investigations including targeted sample requests, and also provide a new visual platform for the public to experience and interact with the lunar samples. We intend to serve these data as they are acquired on NASA's Astromaterials Acquisistion and Curation website at http://curator.jsc.nasa.gov/. Providing 3D interior and exterior documentation of astromaterial samples addresses the increasing demands for accessability to data and contemporary techniques for documentation, which can be realized for both current collections as well as future sample return missions.

Blumenfeld, E. H.↗

A distributed analysis and visualization system for model and observational data

Software was developed with NASA support to aid in the analysis and display of the massive amounts of data generated from satellites, observational field programs, and from model simulations. This software was developed in the context of the PATHFINDER (Probing ATmospHeric Flows in an Interactive and Distributed EnviRonment) Project. The overall aim of this project is to create a flexible, modular, and distributed environment for data handling, modeling simulations, data analysis, and visualization of atmospheric and fluid flows. Software completed with NASA support includes GEMPAK analysis, data handling, and display modules for which collaborators at NASA had primary responsibility, and prototype software modules for three-dimensional interactive and distributed control and display as well as data handling, for which NSCA was responsible. Overall process control was handled through a scientific and visualization application builder from Silicon Graphics known as the Iris Explorer. In addition, the GEMPAK related work (GEMVIS) was also ported to the Advanced Visualization System (AVS) application builder. Many modules were developed to enhance those already available in Iris Explorer including HDF file support, improved visualization and display, simple lattice math, and the handling of metadata through development of a new grid datatype. Complete source and runtime binaries along with on-line documentation is available via the World Wide Web at: http://redrock.ncsa.uiuc.edu/ PATHFINDER/pathre12/top/top.html.

Wilhelmson, Robert B.↗

A Taxonomic Classification Approach for Global Spatio-temporal Data

The World Bank, World Health Organization, and other major vendors collectively provide thousands of global time series datasets that focus on issues of the environment, public health, economics, violence, education, and national security. Sorting these data into meaningful information requires the use of data mining techniques to cluster trends into an orderly and manageable number of cases. The World SpatioTemporal Analytics and Mapping (WSTAMP) project database (wstamp.ornl.gov) was developed to spatiotemporally harmonize global vendor data (23,300+ attributes, 200+ locations, 50+ years). Within the WSTAMP analytical environment, Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) has been a highly effective data-driven approach for clustering and mapping these time series into national spatiotemporal behavior maps. Two significant properties have surfaced from this work. First, several recognizable cluster patterns have emerged and persist across a range of locations, attributes, and time frames (e.g., increasing, decreasing, rebounding, peak, oscillating). Secondly, practitioners engaging WSTAMP have noted the explanatory and anticipatory value of these patterns and articulated particular interest in detecting them within the spatiotemporal cube. This need was addressed by shifting DTW-based clustering from an open ended, data-driven implementation to a taxonomic pattern matching approach. This paper presents the method including implementation strategies for visualization and human computer interaction and applies the approach to a sample data set and concludes with next steps.

Stewart, Robert↗

Spatial-Temporal PV Hosting Capacity Estimation and Evaluation

Evaluating Photovoltaic Hosting Capacity (PVHC) is an essential step in the process of integrating solar energy into power grids, particularly when focusing on the distribution network (DN) as the primary integration target. PVHC needs to be investigated, especially in cases where the grids are unbalanced, and their operational conditions vary spatially and temporally. This motivation prompted us to propose a scalable model tailored to this application. In this paper, we applied linearization to the alternating current optimal power flow (AC-OPF) and solar inverters, transforming the original problem into a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) problem. Additionally, we accounted for the battery energy storage system (BESS) as a time-coupling factor for calculating PVHC. We then compared the PVHC results between the IEEE-13 bus and SMART-DS San Francisco (SFO) cases and discussed the extent to which BESS can enhance the PVHC of a DN. Furthermore, we designed a web-based graphical visualization for the SFO case, enabling user interaction with raw data and simulation results on a map through a graphical user interface (GUI). In summary, our results and findings provide valuable insights for future three-phase unbalanced AC-OPF PVHC practices and their visualization.

AC-optimal power flow↗

Blue Keanu: A Scientific Visualization Tool For Network Data

This software allows the user to visualize complex PCAP-ng files captured from network capture software such as Wireshark. The visualization runs in a GUI window that can be zoomed or moved to areas of interest in a waterfall type display. The user then can see an area of interest that looks different than the typical traffic visually, such as a human interaction or non-repetitive area of data. The program will tell the user the packet number and byte offset of interest for fast analysis of discrete atomic or non-random events. This is particularly useful for visualization of unknown binary format data, such as in PLC or SCADA protocols that may have human or other non-repetitive activity for further analysis, reverse engineering, or fast forensic analysis.

Durller, MichaelGeorge↗

Entwine Point Tiles for 3D Visualization and Querying of ICESat-2

Point Cloud data from non-optical sensors present challenges in scientific computing in both volume of data and files, even for cloud services environments. As part of the Multi-Mission Algorithm and Analysis Platform (MAAP), a joint open science platform for global biomass modelling, we’ve developed a cloud optimized workflow for using ATL08 (ICESat-2) data as a point cloud. For MAAP, the ATL08 data product is published as Entwine Point Tiles (EPT), allowing users to visualize and query the full extent of this collection interactively without pre-downloading, or preprocessing. The EPT format is a cloud-optimized point cloud data format which re-organizes points into a cloud friendly spatially indexed data structure. MAAP uses AWS S3 to store these point clouds and serves them over OGC specified APIs, 3DTiles for visualization, and WFS for querying. This workflow allows for interactive 3D visualizations in a web browser, including notebook environments and facilitates on the fly subsetting for interactive data exploration, all of which can be applied to other similar sensors.

Alex Mandel↗

Hardening DOE R&D Software Tools for Web-based Visualization SBIR Phase I Final Report

Ubiquitous web-based visualization is essential to delivering large-scale data visualization to various stakeholders, from the scientist to the board member. These stakeholders will not tolerate a stalled application or a pop-up window asking them to wait for the processing to complete. They require a responsive and interactive visualization environment with high-quality imagery suitable for detailed analysis and boardroom presentations. At Kitware, Inc., we have accomplished web visualization to this point, leveraging state-of-the-art tools like HTML5, CSS3, SVG, Canvas, and WebGL. Solutions that leverage a combination of these technologies are necessary to handle workloads that vary significantly in data size efficiently. However, it is not always practical to move large data to the web client for visualization. Kitware's ParaView as a Service combines client-side visualization using both distributed processing and remote rendering on big data impractical to move. Existing distributed processing and remote rendering solution's interactivity is below the expectations of web-based applications. Our project examined proposed solutions to the areas outlined above in ParaView as a Service. We have investigated concurrent pipelines, streaming images, progressive rendering, and optimization of algorithms and data movement to address these concerns. For the Phase I project, we completed the proposed work plan. As a result, the project produced three prototypes of essential importance for web visualization and the ParaView as a Service community. We created a simple desktop application for an interactive streamline placement prototype, a web-based interactive streamline placement prototype, and a web-based progressive rendering utilizing raytracing prototype. These prototypes relied on the hardening of emerging software toolkits funded by the Department of Energy (DOE) Advanced Scientific Computing Research (ASCR) program (such as ParaView, VTK-m, and Mochi). We blended these components into web-based visualization prototypes that meet the industry's expectations for interactivity and responsiveness. The Phase I project had four essential focus areas: 1. Develop prototype ParaView as a Service backend server using asynchronous, non-blocking design principles. 2. Develop a prototype web application that uses the ParaView as a Service backend server for remote data visualization. 3. Implement image streaming with encoding/compression and progressive rendering capabilities in the proposed platform. 4. Evaluate the prototype developed and summarize observations, including the challenges and pitfalls of our approach. After our successful completion of Phase I, we are strongly positioned to propose a successful Phase II project.

Geveci, Berk↗

An Introduction to Data Visualization

Data visualization can be used to present findings, explore data, and use the human eye to find patterns that a computer would struggle to locate. Borrowing tools from art, storytelling, data analytics and software development, data visualization is an indispensable part of the analysis process. While data visualization usage spans across multiple disciplines and sectors, most never receive formal training in the subject. As such, this tutorial will introduce key data visualization building blocks and how to best use those building blocks for different scenarios and audiences. We will also go over tips on accessibility, design and interactive elements. While this will by no means be a complete overview of the data visualization field, by building a foundation and introducing some rules of thumb, attendees will be better equipped for communicating their findings to their audience.

data visualization↗

Towards Design Principles for Visual Analytics in Operations Contexts

Operations engineering teams interact with complex data systems to make technical decisions that ensure the operational efficacy of their missions. To support these decision-making tasks, which may require elastic prioritization of goals dependent on changing conditions, custom analytics tools are often developed. We were asked to develop such a tool by a team at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where rover telecom operators make decisions based on models predicting how much data rovers can transfer from the surface of Mars. Through research, design, implementation, and informal evaluation of our new tool, we developed principles to inform the design of visual analytics systems in operations contexts. We offer these principles as a step towards understanding the complex task of designing these systems. The principles we present are applicable to designers and developers tasked with building analytics systems in domains that face complex operations challenges such as scheduling, routing, and logistics.

Lombeyda, Santiago↗

Scientific Visualization and Computational Science: Natural Partners

Scientific visualization is developing rapidly, stimulated by computational science, which is gaining acceptance as a third alternative to theory and experiment. Computational science is based on numerical simulations of mathematical models derived from theory. But each individual simulation is like a hypothetical experiment; initial conditions are specified, and the result is a record of the observed conditions. Experiments can be simulated for situations that can not really be created or controlled. Results impossible to measure can be computed.. Even for observable values, computed samples are typically much denser. Numerical simulations also extend scientific exploration where the mathematics is analytically intractable. Numerical simulations are used to study phenomena from subatomic to intergalactic scales and from abstract mathematical structures to pragmatic engineering of everyday objects. But computational science methods would be almost useless without visualization. The obvious reason is that the huge amounts of data produced require the high bandwidth of the human visual system, and interactivity adds to the power. Visualization systems also provide a single context for all the activities involved from debugging the simulations, to exploring the data, to communicating the results. Most of the presentations today have their roots in image processing, where the fundamental task is: Given an image, extract information about the scene. Visualization has developed from computer graphics, and the inverse task: Given a scene description, make an image. Visualization extends the graphics paradigm by expanding the possible input. The goal is still to produce images; the difficulty is that the input is not a scene description displayable by standard graphics methods. Visualization techniques must either transform the data into a scene description or extend graphics techniques to display this odd input. Computational science is a fertile field for visualization research because the results vary so widely and include things that have no known appearance. The amount of data creates additional challenges for both hardware and software systems. Evaluations of visualization should ultimately reflect the insight gained into the scientific phenomena. So making good visualizations requires consideration of characteristics of the user and the purpose of the visualization. Knowledge about human perception and graphic design is also relevant. It is this breadth of knowledge that stimulates proposals for multidisciplinary visualization teams and intelligent visualization assistant software. Visualization is an immature field, but computational science is stimulating research on a broad front.

Uselton, Samuel P.↗

Spatially Adaptive Tunable Lighting Control System with Expanded Wellness and Energy Saving Benefits

Lighting design is becoming increasingly complex, including active dimming for energy savings and spectral tuning for human wellbeing. Modern commercial lighting control systems are already difficult to use, and maintain, and even with so-called Smart Lighting, optimizing light settings is rapidly exceeding the capabilities of direct human control, limiting the adoption of lighting control systems. The growing importance of Occupancy Centric Controls (OCC) for advanced building management systems can be applied to the development of autonomous lighting system controls needed to drive the adoption of advanced lighting controls for improved adaptive “sculpted illumination” for both greater energy savings and broader human wellbeing perspectives. This project, led by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, entitled “Spatially adaptive tunable lighting control system with expanded wellness and energy saving benefits” will develop and test an entirely new platform for automated optimized lighting design and control that requires little or no human engagement, yet contours lighting profiles automatically to minimize lighting energy use. We call this approach to lighting control “dynamic light sculpting” since the right amount of illumination is automatically delivered to occupants in real time. Since the system uses new, privacy-preserving occupant position and pose detection technologies developed by Rensselaer for broad OCC building applications, the control system will analyze how to deliver the right amount of the right type of illumination only where and when it is needed based these OCC platforms. To create these powerful autonomous lighting control platforms, the project will integrate evolving augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) tools with sophisticated lighting and interior design toolkits to create interactive lighting design and control simulators. Using the quickly growing paradigm of digital twins, these tools will integrate light fixture properties, occupancy sensor data, interior design data, and lighting specifications to accurately visualize how various design concepts interact with simulated yet realistic human activities that occur in commercial office buildings of various types. These advanced digital twin design and simulation tools will be combined with a new class of digitally-programmable LED lighting fixtures that can dynamically change the spectral content and direction of light emission. When fully integrated, the new autonomous lighting control system will take all of the guesswork out of optimizing light quality while minimizing energy consumption. Digital twin tools will simplify the design, installation, commissioning, operation, and maintenance of future energy-efficient lighting systems. It should be possible to reduce lighting energy costs from 40% to 70% with OCC based dynamic light sculpting systems. The work will be led by the Center for Lighting Enabled Systems and Applications (LESA) and the Center for Architectural Science and Ecology (CASE), both at Renssealer Polytechnic Institute; Lumileds, a global leader in the development of advanced LED systems; and HKS, a leading global architecture design firm. This interdisciplinary project team’s experience includes all of the design simulation tools, VR/AR digital twin visualization technology, advanced occupancy sensing technology, and complex control system design capabilities that will revolutionize lighting design and control technology to autonomously deliver high-quality lighting that improves human health and wellbeing while simultaneously maximizing lighting energy savings.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Use of Semantic Technology to Create Curated Data Albums

One of the continuing challenges in any Earth science investigation is the discovery and access of useful science content from the increasingly large volumes of Earth science data and related information available online. Current Earth science data systems are designed with the assumption that researchers access data primarily by instrument or geophysical parameter. Those who know exactly the data sets they need can obtain the specific files using these systems. However, in cases where researchers are interested in studying an event of research interest, they must manually assemble a variety of relevant data sets by searching the different distributed data systems. Consequently, there is a need to design and build specialized search and discover tools in Earth science that can filter through large volumes of distributed online data and information and only aggregate the relevant resources needed to support climatology and case studies. This paper presents a specialized search and discovery tool that automatically creates curated Data Albums. The tool was designed to enable key elements of the search process such as dynamic interaction and sense-making. The tool supports dynamic interaction via different modes of interactivity and visual presentation of information. The compilation of information and data into a Data Album is analogous to a shoebox within the sense-making framework. This tool automates most of the tedious information/data gathering tasks for researchers. Data curation by the tool is achieved via an ontology-based, relevancy ranking algorithm that filters out nonrelevant information and data. The curation enables better search results as compared to the simple keyword searches provided by existing data systems in Earth science.

Ramachandran, Rahul↗

Use of Semantic Technology to Create Curated Data Albums

One of the continuing challenges in any Earth science investigation is the discovery and access of useful science content from the increasingly large volumes of Earth science data and related information available online. Current Earth science data systems are designed with the assumption that researchers access data primarily by instrument or geophysical parameter. Those who know exactly the data sets they need can obtain the specific files using these systems. However, in cases where researchers are interested in studying an event of research interest, they must manually assemble a variety of relevant data sets by searching the different distributed data systems. Consequently, there is a need to design and build specialized search and discovery tools in Earth science that can filter through large volumes of distributed online data and information and only aggregate the relevant resources needed to support climatology and case studies. This paper presents a specialized search and discovery tool that automatically creates curated Data Albums. The tool was designed to enable key elements of the search process such as dynamic interaction and sense-making. The tool supports dynamic interaction via different modes of interactivity and visual presentation of information. The compilation of information and data into a Data Album is analogous to a shoebox within the sense-making framework. This tool automates most of the tedious information/data gathering tasks for researchers. Data curation by the tool is achieved via an ontology-based, relevancy ranking algorithm that filters out non-relevant information and data. The curation enables better search results as compared to the simple keyword searches provided by existing data systems in Earth science.

Ramachandran, Rahul↗