D3D UPDATE: IS IT BEING USED?P1.10

Ed Szoke*, Herb Grote, Paula McCaslin, and Phil McDonald*

NOAA Research-Forecast Systems Laboratory

Boulder, Colorado

*In collaboration with the Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere (CIRA), Colorado State University, Fort Collins.

What is D3D?

D3D (Display in 3 Dimensions) is a collection of visualization tools based on the University of Wisconsin’s Vis5D software. FSL modified Vis5D to make the interfaces appear much like they do in AWIPS D2D, and to ingest AWIPS format model grids.

The D3D visualization tools:

Isosurfaces – The basic D3D visualization tool is the isosurface. The example shows an isosurface of potential temperature for the 280 K surface. The isosurface can be a single color, or, as in this example, can be colored by another variable, here height in km, to add more information. In this example cold air is spilling into the CONUS but is blocked by the Rockies over CO and NM.

Plan views and cross-sections – These are really D2D tools, but in D3D are highly interactive in that they can be quickly moved across the domain using either “handles” on the edge of the planes, or through a slider bar that is part of the

Volume Browser.

Sounding tool – This is also a tool that has features present in D2D, but the ability to easily interact with this tool and quickly move it to any location makes this an easy way to quantify a lot of information. The possible displays (as seen in this example) are a Skew-T plot, a hodograph, a listing of parameters, and a vertical display of up to 3 different fields.

Probe – The probe is a somewhat unique tool, sort of like the sounding plot but for a single point. It can be used to sample the value of a number of variables (choosing from the drop-down list). The probe location can be adjusted manually or by using the “Put home cursor” GUI can be easily located over a specific station (Boston in this example). Or one can sample only at a specific level (500 mb here).

Trajectories – The trajectory tool allows one to easily construct backward or forward trajectories, or trajectory groups. Both are shown in this example, along with the trajectory GUI. Trajectories, like isosurfaces, can be colored by another variable. Trajectories can be displayed as a thin line, or as a ribbon. One can launch trajectories from a point, or examine trajectories arriving at a

point.

Volume Visualization – This tool makes a 3D display, but unlike the isosurface, all data points for a particular field are displayed in a 3D view. The image is displayed as kind of a “colored fog”. The colors can be adjusted to emphasize certain values. Volume visualization is more computer intensive then the other D3D tools.

A brief history of D3D development at FSL: some highlights For more details see our homepage at http://d3d.fsl.noaa.gov

Current Status of D3D

Using D3D trajectories to predict smoke distribution

• 1997: FSL switches to the University of Wisconsin’s Vis5D software for exploring visualization. Changes made to make Vis5D appear like D2D and to accept AWIPS type model data.

• Late 1997 to 1998: D3D used during the FSL Daily Weather Briefing, feedback leads to changes.

• Summer 1998: FSL real-time forecast exercise with D3D, using FSL and Denver WFO meteorologists.

• Oct-Dec 1999: Full forecast exercise with one WFO forecaster from each Region and National Center.

Presentation at AMS Short Course (January-Annual Meeting) & talk at 15 th IIPS.

• 2000: D3D ported to a PC-Linux platform.

• 2001: D3D training with Southern Region (January). Talk at NOAA Tech 2002 Conference (Silver Spring, October), 17th IIPS, and 8th Workshop on Meteorological Systems (Reading, England, November).

• 2002: AWIPS Symposium at January AMS Annual Meeting features D3D session. Continued distribution of D3D CDs to those WFOs interested.

Project staff: (total ~0.5 person/years) Herb Grote – Project leader Paula McCaslin – Programmer Phil McDonald – Programmer Ed Szoke – Project weather guy

D3D official status:

Currently not part of AWIPS build plans …but some good news – the NWS is officially tracking D3D via a Science and Technology Opportunity Proposal (Nov. 2002). …some not so good news – funding uncertainties for FY03.

Bottom line: NWS forecasters still have plenty of opportunity to determine the future of D3D

What is the current status and use of D3D in the field?

The map above shows the current (based on a survey in January 2003) distribution and use or non-use of D3D.

• Some observations (some from input via the survey):

• D3D CDs were distributed at AMS Conferences (like this!), visits by forecasters to COMET or FSL, or by request.

• It is apparent from the above map that many WFOs with D3D are not using it. Why is this?

• Competition/bad timing – IFPS is a major thrust at this time and forecasters are putting in a lot of time on it.

• Finding a place to run D3D – In a somewhat ironic twist, D3D could easily run on the new official Linux workstations being installed at WFOs, but currently these are off-limits (though this may change). Some WFOs have installed D3D on a separate Linux box, others on the WES (though not with real-time data).

• We’re used to thinking in 2D – While most find D3D intriguing, they are not sure how best to use 3D imagery.

How might D3D use be improved?

-One theme in many of the responses is the need for training in how best to use D3D.

-We have not pushed detailed training to this point in part because we wanted to see how forecasters would go about using D3D. Perhaps though, as outlined by Johnson (DDC WFO, AWIPS Symposium, 2002), the paradigm shift to 3D is more obtrusive then thought.

-However, there have been some examples of D3D use cited by WFOs (these papers are available from our homepage at http://d3d.fsl.noaa.gov):

-See Poster P1.1 (nearby!) by Dan Nietfeld (Omaha, Nebraska WFO)

-Example of D3D and QG diagnostics by Irv Watson (Tallahassee, Florida WFO)

-Use of D3D trajectories by Dave Barjenbruch (Boulder, Colorado WFO)

-D3D use at COMET (Liz Page, talk 12.8 at this conference)

-Using Vis5D to display ensemble model data (Jordan Alpert, talk 15.2 on Thursday)

Some other examples are shown below and in the panel to the right…

-We hope to put these examples with more detail on our web page

-But we still hope that as forecasters get to use D3D more they will determine their own examples and whether D3D can be a useful tool for operations.

What do you think? Comments are welcome, here, or stop by the FSL booth, or by email at szoke@fsl.noaa.gov

Forest fires were a common occurrence in the West last summer. In June of 2002 two of the larger fires were found in Colorado, one over the southwest part of the state (near Durango, see the map below) and the other just southwest of Denver (the Hayman fire). Here we show how trajectories from a local scale model as well as from the Eta could be used to help predict smoke distribution.

D3D slider bar

Visible satellite image at 1500 UTC on 21 June 2002. The milky-looking areas over the mountains and eastern Colorado are from the smoke from the two fires. The smoke extends north into eastern Wyoming and western Nebraska.

A trajectory launched from near the Hayman fire using the 0600 UTC MM5hot local scale (10 km horizontal grid resolution) model on 21 June 2002. The trajectory was launched from an elevation 250 m AGL above the surface, using the D3D “Put Home Cursor” GUI, and the trajectory is colored by pressure, with the “ribbon” option used. A 7-h trajectory is shown, ending at 1300 UTC, and indicates the smoke would descend into the Denver area during the early morning hours on 21 June.

A pair of trajectories, launched from the same model time, and also colored by pressure, but extending out for 23 h so that they end at 0500 UTC on 22 June 2002. The trajectories are launched at 250 and 300 m AGL.

In this visible satellite image for 2300 UTC on 23 June 2002 the most apparent smoke plume appears to be from the fire in eastern Arizona. But all the fires contribute to a smoke plume that extends across the Midwest and Ohio Valley.

Trajectories using the Eta model for the 48 h period ending at 1200 UTC on 23 June 2002. Two sets of trajectories (colored by pressure) are launched using the trajectory column option, which automatically launches trajectories at a column point at 50 mb intervals in the vertical. The Hayman fire trajectories use the line option, while the trajectories for the fire near Durango are with the ribbon option.