What's new in IDV 5.3
The Integrated Data Viewer (IDV) version 5.3 is now available. This version of IDV has notable system, display, and data improvements.
IDV 5.3 takes advantage of the latest versions of the netCDF-Java and VisAD libraries, both of which allow more efficient data access than previous versions. This leads to less memory use on the local system while still providing the same functionality as the prior IDV releases.
In terms of display developments, IDV 5.3 has added a new 3D volume vector display as well as a new volume trajectories display. A volume trajectory is defined by a trajectory that uses the entire volume of the mass being studied as the start point of the trajectory sequence. Therefore, the trajectory tracks the entire mass through time. Currently, the IDV 5.3 is the only visualization software that has the ability to produce a volume trajectory.
The volume trajectory functionality operates at high performance while using a minimum of memory and CPU resources on the local system. This is possible because IDV is very efficient at accessing data from the netCDF-Java and VisAD libraries.
Three new trajectory display types further enrich the data visualization experience: Cylinder, Ribbon, and Deformed Ribbon.
Trajectory data has previously been viewed as a simple line. Now, with these three new trajectory display types, users can visualize the data with a richer physical representation of a parcel's movement through space over a given time period. This gives the user a more in-depth understanding of the dynamical processes occurring as the atmospheric volume being studied evolves over time.
Applications of this advanced understanding of how and where air parcels move through time can be extended beyond just the understanding of storms. For example, the IDV can shed light on where pollution travels in a certain area from a given source. This can be an excellent addition to pollution forecast accuracy for major metropolitan areas.
Lastly, IDV 5.3 can now process local McIDAS area files with calibration and a spatial subset capabilities. Prior to the IDV 5.3, the satellite calibrations and spatial subset calculations were performed through an ADDE data server. Version 5.3 has the ability to perform the calibration of GOES satellite area files locally. This is beneficial because it allows the user to conveniently study calibrated GOES satellite data, even if it is not derived from an ADDE data server.
The improvements made to the IDV allow users to have a richer experience, enabling more meteorological information to be derived from this visualization software. For a more complete review of the IDV 5.3, as well as IDV news and examples, see the IDV page.
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