Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!apple!tahoe!wheeler!steve
From: steve@wheeler
Newsgroups: comp.graphics
Subject: Animation on Silicon Graphics Personal Iris
Message-ID: <4392@tahoe.unr.edu>
Date: 21 Aug 90 16:34:10 GMT
Sender: news@tahoe.unr.edu
Reply-To: steve@wheeler ()
Organization: DRI-WRC Reno
Lines: 42

I am a groundwater hydrologist specializing in the
development and application of scientific visualization
of output from 2- and 3-D models of fluid flow and solute
transport in groundwater flow systems. I have some
general questions, and a couple of specific ones.

1. I have just ordered a Silicon Graphics Personal Iris
4D-25TG as a basis for my system. As a result, I am
interested in establishing contact with people who are
working on similar problems with SGI machines.

2. I am trying to decide on a method to store animations.
The first question is: digital or analog (i.e., storing
the RGB or NTSC signal). One method that I am thinking
about is to store frame by frame on a Sony LVR-5000 laser
videodisc recorder (WORM technology). Anybody have any
opinions or further ideas?

3. One of my specific visualization problems is the
simultaneous display of hydraulic parameters which affect
the fluid flow, and the fluid flow data (in 3-D and
time). The most important hydraulic parameter is
permeability, which is a second-rank tensor. Has anybody
thought about clever ways to display such data
simultaneously? Or, more simply, has anybody thought
about how to display just second rank tensors?
Picture a 3-D volume, which represents the subsurface,
and at every point, there is a second rank tensor
representing the permeability. This is a symmetric
tensor, so there are only three different numbers
associated with it.

If you send me mail, I will try to summarize and post. I
monitor this newsgroup, so I should also see followups,
if you decide to respond in that way.

Steve Wheatcraft                Internet: steve@olympus.wrc.unr.edu
Desert Research Institute                 (134.197.1.70)
University of Nevada System     Bitnet  : steve@unsvax.bitnet
P.O. Box 60220                  AT&T    : (702) 673-7393
Reno, NV 89506                  FAX     : (702) 673-7397