Techniques for Visualizing Multi-Valued Flow Data

Abstract

In this paper we discuss several techniques to display multiple scalar distributions within an image depicting a 2D flow field. We first address how internal contrast and mean luminance can effectively be used to represent a scalar distribution in addition to an underlying flow field. Secondly, we expand upon a current technique to more effectively use luminance ramps over dense streamlines to represent direction of flow. Lastly, we present a new method, based on embossing, to encode the out-of-plane component of a 3D vector field defined over a 2D domain. Throughout this paper, we limit our focus to the visualization of steady flows.