Creative Flow Visualization Using A Physically Accurate Lighting Model
Mark J. Stock · 2002
A method is presented for creative visualization of threedimensional turbulent flows in a two-dimensional image using a more compact representation of the flowfield and a photometrically accurate rendering step. Three-dimensional fluid flow is compactly represented as vortex lines or sheets, and a computational method called a vortex method, which is uniquely suited for this representation, is used to calculate the evolution of those elements in time and space. The positions of the vortex elements at any moment in time constitute a detailed threedimensional form of the flow structure. To take advantage of the strengths of the human visual system and effectively convey meaning and understanding of this structure with an image, we used a renderer that handles physical light properties such as shadow and interreflection. The Radiance lighting simulation system, with its accurate and tunable interreflection lighting algorithm, was chosen to render the images. We believe that with this method, greater understanding of complex turbulent flows can be communicated, and more informative and captivating images can be created.