The red arrows were provided by a mid-depth layer from the model rather than the interpolated data. The field data was presented by black arrows. Eddy formation measured by field data and visualized by interpolated currents and speed color field overlay. This study examined a number of visualization techniques using animation to facilitate an understanding of a regions flow characteristics or hydrodynamics. The reader is left to decide which technique best simulated the important dynamics for their applications.
Some points warrant discussion.
For the coastal and estuarine flows simulated, patchiness of the current field in both time and space was clearly seen using animation and color overlays. The patchiness was exaggerated by choosing a color map with a skewed distribution, as the distribution of the speeds from the model results was skewed in these examples. Using a Lagrangian approach however, such as a salinity animation where available or more generally a simulated dye experiment, was required. A dye trajectory animation clearly showed the true tidal excursions, the net along-shelf drift, the residence times of water and the mixing rates over transects of the region. By showing both approaches the viewer readily observes the details of the current structure and can realistically visualize how the current field influences the transport of water and material in the region.