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Ponte Academic Journal
Apr 2019, Volume 75, Issue 4

SKYGRAPH: VISUALIZING COSTA RICA'S WINDS

Author(s): Jorge Monge Fallas ,Franklin Hernandez-Castro, Luis Daniel Lopez Rodriguez, David Segura Solis

J. Ponte - Apr 2019 - Volume 75 - Issue 4
doi: 10.21506/j.ponte.2019.4.2



Abstract:
This article presents the results of the design and development of the skyGraph, a wind visualization tool. This tool takes a climatology of Costa Rica (the summary of the behavior of the winds in a whole year) and visualizes it in three dimensions in conjunction with the geography of the country. For this, 11 levels of wind (isobaric layers) were taken in a matrix of 41x41 vectors each, distributed covering the surface of the country. Conventionally, this type of visualization is only found in two dimensions with the consequent hight cognitive burden of having to see each isobaric layer separately, in the case of our skyGraph tool, you can view any custom number of layers in periods from month to month. The greatest challenge encountered, was creating the ability to visualize animated, tridimensional and varied layers of wind velocity, alongside specific geographies within the country. We could not identify any other system using this kind of approach. To meet this requirement, the system provides a number of options for tackling occlusion, as these data are very dense and obscured from one another. The entire study was conducted with backing from the University of Costa Rica's Center for Geophysical Research (CIGEFI). This enabled the development process to incorporate continuous feedback and to ensure that the tool met the requirements of its target community.
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