MountainMetCube: An AR Application for Handheld Viewing

In recent years, augmented reality (AR) applications (where virtual objects are inserted into a real environment) have been gaining in popularity. One example is the Merge Cube, which has developer libraries for replacing the cube with computer graphics which the user is then holding in his or her hand. This is convenient for quickly changing the viewing angle of an image illustrating highly three-dimensional concepts, several of which exist in the field of mountain meteorology.

This presentation outlines and demonstrates an application consisting of three such examples. The first contains an isolated island with height and area that can be changed by the user, resulting in structure changes to the island's wake. The wake can be visualized in multiple ways, including cloud structure and sunglint patterns. Another module shows a globe with large mountain barriers forcing topographic Rossby waves. A zoom feature allows the user to see PV-conserving columns flowing over one of these ridges. The final example is a curved mountain chain intercepting a cold anticyclone. The user can move between different time periods in the development of a cold air dam, barrier jet, and upslope precipitation.