Trajectlijnen

Trajectlijnen are lines that represent the path of a moving object through space as a function of time. They are used to visualise motion in disciplines such as physics, engineering and computer graphics, and to analyse spatial dynamics in natural and built environments.

Etymology and scope: The term combines the Dutch traject (path, trajectory) with lijnen (lines). In practice, trajectlijnen can refer to any visualization of a trajectory, including particle tracks in simulations, flight or vehicle routes on maps, or airflow paths in weather models.

Construction and methods: Trajectlijnen are typically derived from time-stamped position data p(t). In discrete data they are drawn by connecting consecutive samples with straight segments; in continuous models they follow a parametric curve r(t). When used in geographic information systems, trajectories are projected to map coordinates using a chosen projection and may be resampled or smoothed to reduce noise.

Applications: In physics and engineering they aid motion analysis and simulations. In meteorology and environmental science they help track air parcels, droplets or pollutant plumes. In transportation planning and GIS they visualize routes and traffic dynamics. In computer graphics and animation trajectlijnen are used to animate objects along predefined paths.

Limitations and interpretation: The accuracy of trajectlijnen depends on data quality, sampling frequency and temporal alignment. Map projections can distort distances and angles, especially over large areas. Dense or overlapping lines can reduce readability, and multiple trajectories may require color-coding or layering to convey speed, direction or uncertainty.