Visualization

A Collaborative framework is not complete without sophisticated visualization tools that promote not only the sharing of data, but also of experiences. Much of the data generated at the VLab will be three-dimensional and time-dependent. "Data" is defined on Cartesian meshes at approximate resolutions of 1503 and ~ 100 sequential datasets for large-scale computations. Important datasets will include scalar fields (charge densities, "local" single-particle potentials V(r), Fermi surfaces, i.e., iso-surfaces of E(k), vector fields (electron velocity at the Fermi level), tensor fields (Hessian of E(k) or the inverse effective mass tensor of electrons at the Fermi level), etc.

Another aspect of visualization is the extraction of useful information from very large simulations, like those to be performed with inter-atomic potentials or by first principles in silicate liquids. The user must be able to visualize the dynamics of the constituent atoms with an option for displaying various attributes produced during the simulation. Prof. Karki has been developing immersive and interactive graphical user interfaces (GUI) with real time visualization response to enhance the understanding of massive multivariate simulation datasets. These tools, useful in first principles studies of materials in general, will be further exploited and developed at the VLab.

While mainstream algorithms already exist for these various data types, very few tools promote sharing visualization interactions between distributed users. Leading efforts in this area appear to be in the computer gaming industry and in the military, where hundreds of users can share a common virtual environment and interact with each other in real time. Very little, if any, of this technology has been applied in the sciences. A prototype collaborative visualization system has been demonstrated using the Access Grid. However, the Access Grid is a complex system that does not permit spontaneous interactions between researchers. We propose to leverage NB to enable multi-way visualization steering between multiple users with access to heterogeneous hardware platforms and different visualization systems. (Erlebacher, Yuen, Karki, and Kleese-Van-Dam)



sponsors | home | links | contact us