Sampling Scattered Data Onto Rectangular Grids for Volume Visualization
Abstract
Three dimensional arrays of scalar data representing spatial volumes arise in many scientific applications. Analysis of this type of data is difficult because of the size of the data sets. Computer graphics techniques for rendering images of three dimensional data have been developed recently. In computational fluid flow analysis, methods for constructing three dimensional numerical grids are being refined. This technique is particularly suited for simulations involving finite element analysis. The three dimensional grids produced by these methods are generally not rectangular in shape. Many graphics methods for rendering three dimensional volume images take advantage of the physical structure of rectangular grids. Because finite element analysis is useful in fields other than fluid flow analysis and the numerical grid has promising applications, methods for handling arbitrarily shaped data grids are needed. This thesis investigation develops a method for sampling data in virtually any form onto rectangular grids. Two sampling methods are developed and implemented using two different sampling filters. The results were successful in rendering images of both fabricated data and data from a fluid flow simulation. Input data distribution characteristics affecting the sampling techniques were identified, and possible solutions are provided. The goal of this study was to determine if data could be successfully sampled from a grid of arbitrary shape onto a grid of rectangular shape. The results indicate that this is indeed possible. (KR)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 01, 1989
- Accession Number
- ADA215533
Entities
People
- Raymond P. Lentz Iii
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology