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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 19 records

Geothermal Prospector: Supporting Geothermal Analysis Through Spatial Data Visualization and Querying Tools

Determining opportunities for geothermal energy can involve a significant investment in data collection and analysis. Analysts within a variety of industry and research domains collect and use these data; however, determining the existence and availability of data needed for a specific analysis activity can be challenging and represents one of the initial barriers to geothermal development [2]. This paper describes the motivating factors involved in designing and building the Geothermal Prospector application, how it can be used to reduce risks and costs related to geothermal exploration, and where it fits within the larger collection of tools that is the National Geothermal Data System (NGDS) [5].

15 GEOTHERMAL ENERGY↗

UrbanScaping: Community Spatial Data Visualization & Analytics

Evaluating the electrification potential of buildings through retrofitting is crucial for reducing carbon emissions and the carbon footprint of built environments. This study leverages the Automatic Building Energy Modeling (AutoBEM) software, integrating the Model America database to create an urban context-based spatial analysis platform for community engagement and development. We selected Camp Hill Borough, PA, as a case study to analyze building-specific energy performance and evaluate the electrification potential of each building by switching to different Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems and measurement components. The simulation results generated by the workflow provide retrofitting suggestions to help mitigate the carbon footprint as well as energy saving statistics of buildings. Additionally, the developed web-based interface serves as a community engagement platform, allowing residents to provide feedback and further develop interactive communication protocols. The outcomes of this project offer a baseline for community electrification planning and contribute to the design of low-carbon communities.

Chowdhury, Shovan [ORNL]↗

Visualizing Spatially Varying Distribution Data

Box plot is a compact representation that encodes the minimum, maximum, mean, median, and quarters information of a distribution. In practice, a single box plot is drawn for each variable of interest. With the advent of more accessible computing power, we are now facing the problem of visual icing data where there is a distribution at each 2D spatial location. Simply extending the box plot technique to distributions over 2D domain is not straightforward. One challenge is reducing the visual clutter if a box plot is drawn over each grid location in the 2D domain. This paper presents and discusses two general approaches, using parametric statistics and shape descriptors, to present 2D distribution data sets. Both approaches provide additional insights compared to the traditional box plot technique

Kao, David↗

Abstract for CRADA between VariGrid Explorations Inc. and NETL (AGMT-0863)

As the energy industry continues to invest in data, big data, and advanced analytics to improve production, reduce operation and maintenance costs, improve safety, and reduce risks, uncertainty will serve as a limiting factor in the success of these operations. Intuitive communication of uncertainty can provide more transparency in the decision-making process; offering the ability to more accurately evaluate the risk and impact of decisions, identify data and knowledge gaps, and evaluate trade-offs. The issue of uncertainty will thus play a large role in the success of investments that rely on big data and data analytics. However, no robust method for representation of uncertainty in spatial data visuals currently exists. As such, uncertainty is, at best, communicated using multiple independent visuals and aggregated in final displays, or frequently omitted altogether. Failure to accurately and effectively quantify and communicate uncertainty poses a barrier, limiting critical information that would better allow businesses to make more accurate and intelligent decisions.

96 KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND PRESERVATION↗

Auna: A Geospatial System for Assessing Equity in Multimodal Mobility

Traditionally, new modes of transportation in the United States have benefited upper social classes at the expense of underrepresented and lower socioeconomic classes. Several recent studies in transportation have explored this disparity, and research has highlighted factors that contribute to transportation equity. In this effort, we will examine this previous work as it applies to the broader, current transportation system. Based on findings, we propose Auna, a tool to better visualize spatial data, including social injustice, ground and air mobility data.

GIS↗

NASA World Wind: Visualization Technology for Spatial Data

Spatial information intelligence is a global issue that will increasingly affect our ability to survive as a species. Collectively we must better appreciate the complex relationships that make life on Earth possible. Providing spatial information in its native context can accelerate our ability to process that information. To maximize this ability to process information, three basic elements are required: data delivery (server technology), data access (client technology), and data processing (information intelligence). NASA World Wind provides the open source client technology based on open standards. The possibilities for data processing and data sharing are enhanced by this inclusive infrastructure for geographic information. It is interesting that this open source and open standards approach, unfettered by proprietary constraints, provides for unlimited innovation with this technology.

Geospatial↗

Visual data mining for quantized spatial data

In previous papers we've shown how a well known data compression algorithm called Entropy-constrained Vector Quantization ( can be modified to reduce the size and complexity of very large, satellite data sets. In this paper, we descuss how to visualize and understand the content of such reduced data sets.

cluster analysis↗

iGlobe Interactive Visualization and Analysis of Spatial Data

iGlobe is open-source software built on NASA World Wind virtual globe technology. iGlobe provides a growing set of tools for weather science, climate research, and agricultural analysis. Up until now, these types of sophisticated tools have been developed in isolation by national agencies, academic institutions, and research organizations. By providing an open-source solution to analyze and visualize weather, climate, and agricultural data, the scientific and research communities can more readily advance solutions needed to understand better the dynamics of our home planet, Earth

Hogan, Patrick↗

MAGIC: M arching Cubes Isosurface Uncertainty Visualization for G auss i an Uncertain Data With Spatial C orrelation

Here, in this paper, we study the propagation of data uncertainty through the marching cubes algorithm for isosurface visualization for correlated uncertain data. Consideration of correlation has been shown paramount for avoiding errors in uncertainty quantification and visualization in multiple prior studies. Although the problem of isosurface uncertainty with spatial data correlation has been previously addressed, there are two major limitations to prior treatments. First, there are no analytical formulations for uncertainty quantification of isosurfaces when the data uncertainty is characterized by a Gaussian distribution with spatial correlation. Second, as a consequence of the lack of analytical formulations,existing techniques resort to a Monte Carlo sampling approach, which is expensive and difficult to integrate into visualization tools. To address these limitations, we present a closed-form framework to efficiently derive uncertainty in marching cubes level-sets for Gaussian uncertain data with spatial correlation (MAGIC). To derive closed-form solutions, we leverage the Hinkley's derivation on the ratio of Gaussian distributions. With our analytical framework, we achieve a significant speed-up and enhanced accuracy of uncertainty quantification over classical Monte Carlo methods. We further accelerate our analytical solutions using many-core processors to achieve speed-ups up to 585× and integrability with production visualization tools for broader impact. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our correlation-aware uncertainty framework through experiments on meteorology, urban flow, and astrophysics simulation datasets.

Gaussian↗

Geocube

NOTICE: Geocube has been replaced by EDX Spatial, a modern geospatial platform to map, visualize, query and explore spatial data. Online web mapping tool for visualization and simple analysis of Earth-energy data files from public and DOE related sources. Geocube allows users to upload and visualize their own datasets but also comes preloaded with individual spatial datasets as well as spatial data collections that align to topical themes.

carbon storage↗

Sustainable Biosphere Initiative Project

The goal of the Advanced Technology in Ecological Sciences project is to gain broad participation within the environmental scientific community in developing a research agenda addressing the development and refinement of technologies instrumental to research that responds to these challenges (e.g. global climate change, unsustainable resource use, and threats to biological diversity). The following activities have been completed: (1) A listserve 'eco-tech was set up to serve as a clearinghouse of information about activities and events relating to advanced technologies; (2) A series of conference calls were organized on specific topics including data visualization and spatial analysis, and remote sensing; and (3) Two meetings were organized at the 19% ESA Annual Meeting in Providence, Rhode Island. Topics covered included concerns about tool and data sharing; interest in expanded development of ground-based remote sensing technologies for monitoring; issues involved in training for using new technologies and increasing data streams, and- associated implications of data processing capabilities; questions about how to develop appropriate standards (i.e. surface morphology classification standards) that facilitate the exchange and comparison of analytical results; and some thoughts about remote sensing platforms and vehicles.

Source record↗

Basin Assessment Spatial Planning Platform

The tool is intended to facilitate hydropower development and water resource planning by improving synthesis and interpretation of disparate spatial datasets that are considered in development actions (e.g., hydrological characteristics, environmentally and culturally sensitive areas, existing or proposed water power resources, climate-informed forecasts). The tool enables this capability by providing a unique framework for assimilating, relating, summarizing, and visualizing disparate spatial data through the use of spatial aggregation techniques, relational geodatabase platforms, and an interactive web-based Geographic Information Systems (GIS). Data are aggregated and related based on shared intersections with a common spatial unit; in this case, industry-standard hydrologic drainage areas for the U.S. (National Hydrography Dataset) are used as the spatial unit to associate planning data. This process is performed using all available scalar delineations of drainage areas (i.e., region, sub-region, basin, sub-basin, watershed, sub-watershed, catchment) to create spatially hierarchical relationships among planning data and drainages. These entity-relationships are stored in a relational geodatabase that provides back-end structure to the web GIS and its widgets. The full technology stack was built using all open-source software in modern programming languages. Interactive widgets that function within the viewport are also compatible with all modern browsers.

Source record↗

Airborne Single Particle Mass Spectrometers (SPLAT II & miniSPLAT) and New Software for Data Visualization and Analysis in a Geo-Spatial Context

Understanding the effect of aerosols on climate requires knowledge of the size and chemical composition of individual aerosol particles - two fundamental properties that determine an aerosol’s optical properties and ability to serve as cloud condensation or ice nuclei. Here we present miniSPLAT, our new aircraft compatible single particle mass spectrometer, that measures in-situ and in real-time size and chemical composition of individual aerosol particles with extremely high sensitivity, temporal resolution, and sizing precision on the order of a monolayer. miniSPLAT operates in dual data acquisition mode to measure, in addition to single particle size and composition, particle number concentrations, size distributions, density, and asphericity with high temporal resolution. When compared to our previous instrument, SPLAT II, miniSPLAT has been significantly reduced in size, weight, and power consumption without loss in performance. We also present ND-Scope, our newly developed interactive visual analytics software package. ND-Scope is designed to explore and visualize the vast amount of complex, multidimensional data acquired by our single particle mass spectrometers, along with other aerosol and cloud characterization instruments on-board aircraft. We demonstrate that ND-Scope makes it possible to visualize the relationships between different observables and to view the data in a geo-spatial context, using the interactive and fully coupled Google Earth and Parallel Coordinates displays. Here we illustrate the utility of ND-Scope to visualize the spatial distribution of atmospheric particles of different compositions, and explore the relationship between individual particle composition and their activity as cloud condensation nuclei.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

The art and power of data imaging

Data imaging and visual data assessment are veritable gold mines in the scientist's quest to understand and accurately interpret numerical data. Graphical displays of various aspects of a dataset offer the analyst insight to the data that no mathematical computation or statistic can provide. It is difficult, at best, for even a skilled and observant statistician to understand the underlying structure of a dataset. Often, there is either too little data to get a good 'picture' of the structure that might be present or there is so much data that one cannot readily assimilate it. Of course, the latter problem (too much data) is, in reality, no problem at all given the abilities of modern computers and software systems to manage large amounts of data. Advances in computer technology and the advent of the global positioning satellite system have enabled scientists from many fields of endeavor to collect and view data in its spatial context. Visual images constructed from spatially referenced data reveal the inherent richness and structure in the data and lead to more informed conclusions. So powerful is data collected with spatial context that a relatively new branch of mathematical statistics, geo-spatial statistics, has emerged. Geo-spatial statistics seek to exploit this context rich data form to better understand the spatial and co-relationships that might exist, but would be otherwise hidden in tabular data or obscured with classic statistical approaches. This paper (and accompanying presentation) will show the power that visual data assessment possesses to understand radiological scanning data and to make confident and accurate decisions based on the data images. It will challenge the traditional mathematical concept of detection limits for scanning. It will demonstrate that more data, even if the individual datum comprising the dataset is of 'poorer quality' (i.e., has a larger uncertainty and, thus, a larger calculated minimum detection value), is significantly more powerful than a smaller dataset comprised of higher quality measurements. This presentation will cause the open-minded health physicist to rethink how they prescribe, collect, evaluate, and make decisions based upon radiological scan data. (authors)

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

EnsembleGraph: Interactive Visual Analysis of Spatial-Temporal Behavior for Ensemble Simulation Data

We present a novel visualization framework—EnsembleGraph— for analyzing ensemble simulation data, in order to help scientists understand behavior similarities between ensemble members over space and time. A graph-based representation is used to visualize individual spatiotemporal regions with similar behaviors, which are extracted by hierarchical clustering algorithms. A user interface with multiple-linked views is provided, which enables users to explore, locate, and compare regions that have similar behaviors between and then users can investigate and analyze the selected regions in detail. The driving application of this paper is the studies on regional emission influences over tropospheric ozone, which is based on ensemble simulations conducted with different anthropogenic emission absences using the MOZART-4 (model of ozone and related tracers, version 4) model. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our method by visualizing the MOZART-4 ensemble simulation data and evaluating the relative regional emission influences on tropospheric ozone concentrations. Positive feedbacks from domain experts and two case studies prove efficiency of our method.

ensemble simulation↗

Variable Grid Method

NETL’s Variable Grid Method (VGM) is a novel approach that leverages GIS capabilities to simultaneously visualize and quantify spatial data trends and underlying data uncertainty. The flexible VGM approach utilizes a range of spatial datasets and uncertainty quantifications, which can be calculated using data related to sample density, sample variance, interpolation error, multiple simulations, etc., to create an integrated visualization of data and uncertainty. The intuitive manner of the VGM helps communicate the relationship between uncertainty and spatial data to effectively guide research, support advanced computation analyses, and helps inform research, management and policy decisions. The VGM approach is being developed into a standalone tool designed to integrate into a variety of research workflows, providing users the capabilities to utilize the VGM for their datasets, analysis, and models in support of their decision making needs. The VGM approach was developed as part of NETL’s Offshore portfolio. It was further matured and utilized in projects associated with both NETL’s Unconventional Resources and Carbon Storage portfolios, and is now being further developed by Varigrid, LLC.

Carbon Storage↗