Visual Analytic Design for Detecting Airborne Pollution Sources VAST Challenge 2017 Award: Comprehensive Mini-Challenge 2 Answer

Abstract

Using the VAST Challenge 2017 dataset as illustration, the design choices of a visual analytic system for predicting the source of air pollution is described. Probabilistic Source Cones are visual symbols representing the probability of source direction of a pollution event. Using transparency to indicate probability, multiple cones may be overlaid in order to provide a fuzzy triangulation of likely sources. This enabled the correct prediction and elimination of pollution sources at a precision far in excess of the spatial density of the sensors themselves.