Using scientific visualization tools to facilitate analysis of multi-dimensional data from a spatially explicit, biophysical, individual-based model of marine fish early life history
Authored by S Hinckley, BA Megrey, EL Dobbins
Date Published: 2002
DOI: 10.1006/jmsc.2001.1150
Sponsors:
United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI)
Platforms:
MATLAB
Model Documentation:
Other Narrative
Model Code URLs:
Model code not found
Abstract
Individual-based models (IBM), as an ecological modeling paradigm, are
being used widely in the analysis of fish populations in marine
ecosystems. The flexibility and power of IBMs with respect to building
detailed and realistic biological models have encouraged recent and
important extensions, which include explicit spatial dynamics and
biophysical forcing of certain life stage processes. Unfortunately, the
usefulness of individual-based numerical simulation models is often
negated by the difficulty in digesting and analyzing their voluminous
and complicated output. Scientific visualization tools offer the
capability to remedy this problem. In this paper we briefly describe our
spatially explicit, biophysical, individual-based model, its data input
and output characteristics and the off-the-shelf visualization tools we
used to help facilitate analysis and interpretation of the model. A
stand-alone, easy-to-use, post-processing, graphic user interface is
described that permits rapid examination and integrated visualization of
mufti-dimensional model output. Specific examples are provided showing
how scientific visualization, as a research tool, provided valuable
assistance in untangling complex model dynamics assisted with diagnostic
analyses related to model validation, helped investigate trends, and
apparent oddities in the data, and facilitated the communication of
model results.
Tags
Circulation
Small-scale turbulence
Plankton contact rates
Eddy-resolving model
Of-alaska shelf