Visualization Tools For Large Seafloor Databases Accessed Over Networks

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Visualization tools are being developed to allow the scientists, teachers and students to view and manipulate representations of the ocean floor directly on the screens of their desktop computers. Many different types of pictures can be examined, including maps, perspective views, pseudocolor imagery, shaded relief diagrams and 3-D stereograms. The raw data from which the views are created include bathymetry from multibeam and phase intererometric sonars and backscatter from side-looking sonars. Using electronic communication over Internet, the users connect from their computer (the server) into a client computer at Columbia University to begin the visualization session. The client returns to the user with menus and dialog boxes for the purpose of selecting the display type, map boundaries, color tables, fonts, data files, etc.. Moments later the representation appears in a window on the user's screen with computations run in the client computer. The user, given a responsive, intuitive and interactive interface, is liberated from the chores of locating and maintaining large complex databases and software code. The users find their work accelerated by an immediate response to a query and by a greater depth of understanding from advanced graphic representations of very large datasets.