Proc. SPIE 5901, 59011A, 1−5, 2005
Solar Physics and Space Weather Instrumentation
S. Fineschi and R.A. Viereck (eds.)
© SPIE − The International Society for Optical Engineering
Interactive Visualization of Solar Mass Ejection Imager (SMEI) Volumetric Data
Y. Yu, P. Hick and B.V. Jackson
Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences, University of California San Diego
Abstract
We present a volume rendering system developed for the real time visualization
and manipulation of 3D heliospheric volumetric solar wind density and velocity
data obtained from the Solar Mass Ejection Imager (SMEI) and interplanetary
scintillation (IPS) velocities over the same time period. Our system exploits
the capabilities of the VolumePro 1000 board from TeraRecon, Inc., a low-cost
64-bit PCI board capable of rendering up to a 512-cubed array of volume data
in real time at up to 30 frames per second on a standard PC. Many
volume-rendering operations have been implemented with this system such as
stereo/perspective views, animations of time-sequences, and determination
of coronal mass ejection (CME) volumes and masses. In these visualizations
we highlight one time period where a halo CMEs was observed by SMEI to engulf
Earth on October 29, 2003. We demonstrate how this system is used to measure
the distribution of structure and provide 3D mass for individual CME features,
including the ejecta associated with the large prominence viewed moving to
the south of Earth following the late October CME. Comparisons with the IPS
velocity volumetric data give pixel by pixel and total kinetic energies for
these events.