Scientific Visualization & Data Analytics Showcase Archive

"Atlas of a Changing Earth" Visualization of the ArcticDEM Survey and Vavilov Ice Cap Collapse

Authors: Kalina M. Borkiewicz, Stuart Levy, Jeff Carpenter, Donna Cox, and Robert Patterson (National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA), University of Illinois); AJ Christensen (NASA); and Bill Kramer (National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA), University of Illinois)

Abstract: The Advanced Visualization Lab at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications created a cinematic scientific visualization of the ArcticDEM survey and Vavilov ice cap collapse for the documentary film "Atlas of a Changing Earth", in both digital fulldome and flatscreen television formats. While the ArcticDEM dataset is the main one featured here, this visualization fills in gaps using other datasets, including a climate simulation by Bates et al and Landsat imagery. The visualization required a number of steps including: both manual and algorithmic data cleaning, processing, and alignment; data fusion; virtual scene design; morphing interpolation; lighting design; camera choreography; compositing; and rendering on the Blue Waters supercomputer.

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