Arctic

The Arctic environment is an increasingly intensive site of study for climate researchers across the globe. Rapid anthropogenic warming is causing the Arctic’s seasonal freezing to fluctuate, rapidly melting critical, carbon-sequestering permafrost, land ice, and sea ice.

In order to better understand these processes and how the Arctic environment will continue to change in the near and far future, scientists are turning to high-fidelity, small-scale models of earth systems physics.

Our lab works with scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory using the E3SM Earth System Model to improve visualization techniques for these essential, multivariate data challenges. These scientists are interested in methods for visually metabolizing and communicating multiple, layered, co-located variables both within and between teams.

Here, we use innovative techniques to show the movement of Arctic cyclones as they interact with atmospheric rivers, surface albedo, ocean temperature, ocean current movement, and ice cover to influence not only local climate dynamics, but also global climate systems.

Essential to this process is color expertise drawn from color theory in the arts, as well as opacity and transparency applied in order to emphasize the most important components and deemphasize those that provide context. 

ASSOCIATED VIDEOS