TimeHistograms for Large, Time-Dependent Data

Abstract

Histograms are a very useful tool for data analysis, because they show the distribution of values over a data dimension. Many data sets in engineering (like computational fluid dynamics, CFD), however, are time-dependent. While standard histograms can certainly show such data sets, they do not account for the special role time plays in physical processes and our perception of the world. We present TimeHistograms, which are an extension to standard histograms that take time into account. In several 2D and 3D views, the data is presented in different ways that allow the user to understand different aspects of the temporal development of a dimension. A number of interaction techniques are also provided to make best use of the display, and to allow the user to brush in the histograms.