Patent ID: 7724258

Claim:
A method for interactively modeling a natural phenomenon with a computer including a CPU, graphics hardware, a display, and an input device for receiving instructions from a user, the method comprising the steps of: providing a physical simulation model including a procedural simulation model of the natural phenomenon, wherein the procedural simulation model includes a simulation grid and a plurality of flow primitives; extracting the procedural simulation model from the physical simulation model using interactive techniques; modifying the plurality of flow primitives including the step of adjusting parameters including one or more selected from the group comprising of vortices, divergences, advectors, blobs, sources, sinks and densities; repositioning spatial boundaries of the plurality of flow primitives on the procedural simulation model; utilizing a collection of preset noise filters, volumetric textures and texture transformations to describe the detail and the type of the natural phenomenon; synchronizing the physical simulation model and the procedural simulation model; and simulating the natural phenomenon.