A self-adaptive technique for visualizing geospatial data in 3D with minimum occlusion

Geospatial data are often visualized as 2D cartographic maps with interactive display of detail on-demand. Integration of the 2D map, which represents high level information, with the location-specific detailed information is a key design issue in geovisualization. Solutions include multiple linked displays around the map which can impose cognitive load on the user as the number of links goes up; and separate overlaid windowed displays which causes occlusion of the map. In this paper, we present a self-adaptive technique which reveals the hidden layers of information in a single display, but minimizes occlusion of the 2D map. The proposed technique creates extra screen space by invoking controlled deformation of the 2D map. We extend our method to allow simultaneous display of multiple windows at different map locations. Since our technique is not dependent on the type of information to display, we expect it to be useful to both common users and the scientists. Case studies are provided in the paper to demonstrate the utility of the method in occlusion management and visual exploration.