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<p class="MsoNormal">Mark,<o:p></o:p><br>
Thanks for your input.<span style="">
</span>I realize that there is a lot of overlap in the descriptions of
these
tools so it is worthwhile helping users decide what tools are most
relevant in
their research.<span style=""> </span>It is important to note
that this is not a UCAR policy question.<span style="">
</span>There are many different visualization packages either developed
or
supported by UCAR (e.g. NCAR graphics, NCL, Vis5d, PyNgl,…) and each
package
has application areas of particular importance and strength.<span
style=""> </span>Likewise, there are, and always will be,
areas where tools have overlap. UCAR generally is interested in making
available many tools of value to the research community. <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>I also agree it would be valuable to
hear feedback from
users of both tools and other visualization tools as well, to help new
users
select the best tool for their work.<o:p></o:p><br>
<span style=""></span><br>
VAPOR has its origins in the turbulence research community
and only recently have we been addressing the needs of the weather
community.<span style=""> </span>VAPOR is particularly strong
at interactive visualization of very large (e.g. terabyte) data sets.<span
style=""> </span>VAPOR utilizes some of the most recent
advances in hardware graphics acceleration, for interactive volume
rendering
and isosurfacing.<span style=""> </span>VAPOR is also strong
in flow integration capabilities, including a variety of techniques for
exploring both steady and unsteady flow (including pathlines,
streamlines, and
image-based flow).<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>On the other hand, VAPOR’s support for
geoscience data is
not as mature as IDV’s.<span style=""> </span>Applying VAPOR
to a WRF dataset requires a data conversion step because (in order to
facilitate interactive access to very large datasets) VAPOR datasets
are saved
in a wavelet transformed format.<span style=""> </span>The
‘ingesting’ of native WRF data requires this initial conversion step
and is not
as immediate as with IDV.<span style=""> </span><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p></o:p>Many needs of weather visualization are
not yet addressed in
VAPOR.<span style=""> </span>We are in the process of
identifying and adding capabilities that are most important to
understanding
WRF datasets.<span style=""> </span>These include, for
example, visualization of 2D variables, and support for the various map
projections that are used in geoscience data visualization.</p>
<p class="MsoNormal">-Alan<br>
<o:p></o:p></p>
Mark Stoelinga wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid002201c8c4e0$19c6da80$08b01fac@cargpc4" type="cite">
<pre wrap="">I'm curious about IDV and VAPOR, two relatively new visualization and
analysis packages from UCAR (IDV from Unidata, first released in 2004, and
VAPOR from NCAR/CISL, first released in 2006). I admit I haven't tried
either of them, but from the web pages, they both look like great software
packages, with much effort poured into them. I have seen a increasing
discussion on the users' email list about both of these packages recently.
My first question is from a policy perspective: Why is UCAR developing two
major visualization/analysis packages that, at first glance, seem to have
many of the same capabilities?
I'm also curious about WRF users' experiences with these two packages. How
seamless are each of these packages with ingesting native WRF system data?
What are users' experiences with using these two packages for analyzing and
displaying WRF system data? Has anyone used both, and has an opinion on
relative strenghts and weaknesses?
Mark
=====================================================================
| Mark Stoelinga | University of Washington |
| Research Assistant Professor | Department of Atmospheric Sciences |
=====================================================================
| Phone: 206-543-6235 _______________ Mailing address: |
| Fax: 206-543-0308 ( ( __ ) _,-~ University of Washington |
| Office: Room 508 ATG ( _ ) ) Atmospheric Sciences |
| Email: stoeling@ ( ( _ ) either: Box 351640 (regular mail)|
| washington.edu (______) or: Rm 408 ATG (overnight) |
| V::/// Seattle, WA 98195-1640 |
| Web: <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.atmos.washington.edu/~stoeling">http://www.atmos.washington.edu/~stoeling</a> |
=====================================================================
-----Original Message-----
From: <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:wrf-news-bounces@ucar.edu">wrf-news-bounces@ucar.edu</a> [<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="mailto:wrf-news-bounces@ucar.edu">mailto:wrf-news-bounces@ucar.edu</a>] On Behalf
Of Alan Norton
Sent: Friday, May 30, 2008 3:47 PM
To: <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:wrf-news@ucar.edu">wrf-news@ucar.edu</a>
Subject: [Wrf-news] VAPOR 1.3 released
VAPOR 1.3 has been released (<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.vapor.ucar.edu">http://www.vapor.ucar.edu</a>) with several new
capabilities useful in visualizing WRF-ARW datasets.
Includes:
Image based flow visualization: You can see and animate the wind
motion and direction in the probe, for interactive exploration of the
wind field.
Isosurfaces can be colored by mapping another variable onto the
isosurface
A new user preferences panel helps customize the app to individual
users and platforms.
For more information, see the release notes at
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.vapor.ucar.edu/doc/release-notes/index.shtml">http://www.vapor.ucar.edu/doc/release-notes/index.shtml</a>
For questions or problems, contact: <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:vapor@ucar.edu">vapor@ucar.edu</a>
-Alan Norton, NCAR/CISL _______________________________________________
Wrf-news mailing list
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:Wrf-news@ucar.edu">Wrf-news@ucar.edu</a> <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://mailman.ucar.edu/mailman/listinfo/wrf-news">http://mailman.ucar.edu/mailman/listinfo/wrf-news</a>
</pre>
</blockquote>
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