Technical information

For all those people who like reading how it was all done..

Graphics

The 3D graphics of model simulations were generated on a Silicon Graphics workstation using the Explorer scientific visualisation software. The data for the visualisations came from a three-dimensional chemical model of the atmosphere (see below). We have a separate page available describing our visualisation facility.

Most of the schematic diagrams (particuarly those which have a 3D appearance) were done using the ShowCase software on the Silicon Graphics workstations. The rest of the diagrams were created using Adobe Photoshop on a Apple MacIntosh. The images were rendered to the Netscape colour table using Photoshop and tools on the Unix workstation.

The MPEG movies were again created using the various animation tools available on the Silicon Graphics workstation. The Quicktime movies of actual events were created using an Apple MacIntosh with a video card using Avid Videoshop.

HTML

Early versions of the ozone tour were developed on Unix workstations. The HTML and JavaScript used in this version was developed on an Apple MacIntosh using the BBEdit editor.

Computer models and data

The model simulations used in the visualisations were done by a three-dimensional chemical transport model which contains a detailed description of the chemistry of the stratosphere and of the meteorology. This model is run on high performance computers from Cray and Fujitsu available at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, UK. Output from the model is then brought back to our local workstation network for analysis and visualisation.

The TOMS data used for some of the illustrations in the tour came from the British Atmospheric Data Centre.

For more information, please free feel to contact: Dr. Glenn Carver.

© 1998. Centre for Atmospheric Science, Cambridge University, UK. No text or graphics can be used or reproduced without explicit written permission. This version designed and maintained by Dr. Glenn Carver. Original concept and design Owen Garrett.