Interactive Data Processing and 3D Visualization of the Solid Earth

This book will give researchers in the field of visualization and computer graphics valuable insight into theopen visualization challenges in the geosciences, and how certain problems are currently solved using domain specific processing and visualization techniques.

This book presents works detailing the application of processing and visualization techniques for analyzing the Earth’s subsurface. The topic of the book is interactive data processing and interactive 3D visualization techniques used on subsurface data. Interactive processing of data combined with interactive visualization is a powerful combination which have in the recent years become possible due to hardware and algorithm developments. The combination enables the user to perform interactive exploration and filtering of datasets while simultaneously visualizing the results so that insights can be made immediately. This makes it possible to quickly form hypotheses and draw conclusions.

Case studies from the geosciences are not as often presented in the scientific visualization and computer graphics community as e.g., studies on medical, biological or chemical data. This book will give researchers in the field of visualization and computer graphics valuable insight into the open visualization challenges in the geosciences, and how certain problems are currently solved using domain specific processing and visualization techniques. Conversely, readers from the geosciences will gain valuable insight into relevant visualization and interactive processing techniques.

Subsurface data has interesting characteristics such as its solid nature, large range of scales and high degree of uncertainty, which makes it challenging to visualize with standard methods. It is also noteworthy that parallel fields of research have taken place in geosciences and in computer graphics, with different terminology when it comes to representing geometry, describing terrains, interpolating data and (example-based) synthesis of data.

The domains covered in the book are geology, digital terrains, seismic data, reservoir visualization and CO2 storage. The technologies covered within these topics are 3D visualization, visualization of large datasets. 3D modelling, machine learning, virtual reality, seismic interpretation and multidisciplinary collaboration. People within any of these domains and technologies are potential readers of the book.