| The Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) has changed environmental
data mining into
an interactive process by giving the user new dimensions. By adding depth
perception, temporal evolution, and the ability to interact with data VRML
has proved itself to be a valuable tool to We will present web-based interfaces that support interactive, 3-D visualizations of oceanographic data drawing on such diverse oceanographic studies such as hydrothermal vents, ocean circulation, air-sea interactions, and El Niño studies. The techniques available for scientific data visualization using VRML will be ennumerated, and resources for those interested will be given. Demonstrations include real-time El Niño / La Niña data from the TAO [see figure] network of El Niño monitoring buoys in the tropical Pacific Ocean, Fisheries Oceanography model output animations, hydrothermal plumes from sea floor volcanic eruptions, and global gridded data sets. |