MAPVIS: a map-projection based tool for visualizing scalar and vectorial information lying on spheroidal surfaces

In this article, we present a novel fast algorithm dedicated to the visualization of scalar and vectorial information lying on elliptical surfaces. As the geometry of the data is simple and not relevant, and inside structures are meaningless, standard visualization methods appear to be not well adapted to our context. Our algorithm is based on map projections, good candidates to unroll elliptical surface around a region of interest, without being computationally prohibitive. It has the merit to project, on a 2D cartographic reference, different views of scalar, as well as, vectorial 3D information lying on the surface. We display results for synthetic and cell wall simulations data.