Object-oriented visualization

Feature based techniques incorporated into standard visualization algorithms can greatly enhance the quantification and visualization of observed phenomena, as described in the article. The methods to isolate and recognize coherent 3D structures are analogous to 2D vision techniques. The overall goals are the same in both fields, namely, to interpret an image (data) and construct a model to describe it. Although the article uses data sets from numerical simulations of fluid flow, the concepts are applicable to other domains where scientists study the evolution and morphologies of 4D space time vector and scalar fields. More work is needed to explore complex features based upon domain specific knowledge and to define the parameters for classification and tracking. Sophisticated databases for storage and retrieval of feature based data sets are also an interesting area of study. The ultimate goal of visualization is to aid in the understanding and analysis of data. With faster parallel computers and more sophisticated laboratory equipment, information is being produced in ever greater amounts. This information must be presented to the scientist in a form suitable for cogent assimilation and manipulation. The article presents issues and algorithms for an object oriented approach to this problem and demonstrates its usefulness for visualization