Viscous Fingering: A Topological Visual Analytic Approach

We present a methodology to analyze and visualize an ensemble of finite pointset method (FPM) simulations that model the viscous fingering process of salt solutions inside water. In course of the simulations the solutions form structures with increased salt concentration value, called viscous fingers. These structures are of primary interest to domain scientists since it is not deterministic when and where viscous fingers appear and how they evolve. To explore the aleatoric uncertainty embedded in the simulations we analyze an ensemble of simulation runs which differ due to stochastic effects. To detect and track the viscous fingers we derive a voxel volume for each simulation where fingers are identified as subvolumes that satisfy geometrical and topological constraints. Properties and the evolution of fingers are illustrated through tracking graphs that visualize when fingers form, dissolve, merge, and split. We provide multiple linked views to compare, browse, and analyze the ensemble in real-time.