Environment Success Story

VISMAR-Marine Environmental Data 3-D Visualization of
Sea Flow Using PV-WAVE®



"We chose PV-WAVE because of its flexible development language, strong data-handling procedures and powerful data visualization."

-Dr. Clive Best, Institute for Systems Engineering and Informatics
Joint Research Centre

QUICK FACTS
The Joint Research Centre (JRC) has used the PV-WAVE command language to write a software package that analyzes the data produced by a sea-modeling research project. The visual analysis of the enormous amounts of data involved in 3D simulations of the sea flow is simplified by using the application-building features within PV-WAVE that can create menus and icons for each operation.

THE PROBLEM
The Institute for Systems Engineering and Informatics at the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of The European Commission in Italy has used PV-WAVE to develop an application to visualize the results of sea-modeling calculations.

The software package, HYDRA®, has been produced to analyze the data produced by the sea-process-modeling research project at JRC. It allows users to investigate scalar and vector fields in 3D volumes of the ocean. HYDRA has a flexible interface allowing the production of contour, iso-color plots and vector-field plots of slices through the volume in any dimension and at any time.

THE SOLUTION
The data from simulation software called SPRAMIX® are stored on a database system written by Dr. Clive Best specifically for storing 2D and 3D vector data. It is based on ISAM- indexed sequential access files. HYDRA accesses this database via mouse-driven menus and icons.

Animations of data plots in time and space can be produced using an automatic time-step and slice-step mode allowing several images to be stored on a file to be played back later in an animation mode. These animations can be incorporated into MPEG files and put onto videotape for recording the simulation and presentation of the results. Print data are copied to a file or output to a printer. The user can also save files for use by document-publishing software such as FrameMaker®.

The focus of the HYDRA product is ease of use and flexibility. This has been achieved using the application-building features within PV-WAVE that can create menus and icons for each operation so that end users simply use the mouse to select the data and graphing options to create the view that they require. The visual analysis of the enormous amounts of data involved in 3D simulations of the sea flow is thereby simplified.

HYDRA is written in the PV-WAVE command language, which is a fourth-generation programming language (4GL) that provides powerful graphics application development tools. The user interface of HYDRA is based on a set of mouse-driven menus from which the user selects a particular option by clicking the left-hand button. Graphical display is performed in any of up to six windows, which can be moved and sized by the user. A key feature of this product is the flexibility provided by the large number of options available in the utility menus, allowing full control of the graphs produced. As in any well-produced program, there is a full HELP facility with help text available on every command within HYDRA.

RETURN ON INVESTMENT
Dr. Clive Best said, "We chose PV-WAVE because of its flexible development language, strong data-handling procedures and powerful data visualization. Particularly important for this application was the rpc interface, which allowed us to create a distributed visualization system on top of an existing database."
HYDRA is now fully operational and is in daily use by the sea-modeling group of STI/IRSA. Several video animations have been produced using HYDRA, and some MPEG movies can be viewed at
http://esba-www.jrc.it/.

WORLD CLASS PRODUCTS, SERVICES, AND SUPPORT
Visual Numerics has provided technical software solutions for numerical analysis and visualization for over 30 years. The company's software products help users understand complex data from a variety of sources and build business-critical applications. Visual Numerics offers two product lines: the IMSL‘ Numerical Libraries for powerful mathematical and statistical analysis and the PV-WAVE‘ visual data analysis development environment. Visual Numerics also offers customized consulting services for applications that involve mathematical, statistical, or visual data analysis to meet today’s business analytical needs.

The IMSL Numerical Libraries – which include the IMSL C Library, IMSL Fortran Library and JMSL‘ Library for Java‘ applications – are the industry standard for numerical analysis. They deliver developers with the breadth and depth of core algorithms allowing for the rapid development of any application. Whether developing applications in C, Fortran, or Java, or on UNIX, Windows or Linux, the robust IMSL Libraries provide the reliable foundation and the building blocks developers need.

The PV-WAVE family of products – which includes PV-WAVE, TS-WAVE, and JWAVE – delivers engineers with the development tools to efficiently and accurately meet their data analysis needs. PV-WAVE solutions allow users to rapidly import, manipulate, analyze and visualize data. The PV-WAVE family also includes robust time series analysis software as well as the ability to share analysis results across the enterprise with a Java-based solution. And, unlike other products, PV-WAVE Advantage includes a sophisticated set of analysis routines based on the industry-standard IMSL Libraries.

In addition, Visual Numerics Consulting Services combine technical expertise, decades of hands-on experience and a combination of powerful products to create the highest quality solutions possible for your visual data analysis needs.

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Industry
Environment

Application
Oceanography

Product
PV-WAVE



The Joint Research Centre is The European Union’s Scientific and Technical Research Laboratory and an integral part of the the European Commission. It is a Directorte General, providing the scientific advice and technical know-how to support EU policies. Its status as a commission service, which guarantees independence from private or national interests, is crucial for pursuing its mission.


Key Benefits

> Simplified visual analysis of data
> Automatic time stop and slice step mode
> Ability to store several images and play back
> Ease and flexibility of use
> 3D simulations of the sea flow
> Full control of graphs that are produced
   
   
 
   
 
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