visaD

VisAD is an open-source Java library for interactive visualization and analysis of numerical data. It provides a unified framework that combines a data model, a display subsystem, and interaction tools to create visualizations of multi-dimensional data.

Data in VisAD are described through a typed hierarchy. RealType and RealTupleType express numeric quantities and tuples of quantities; FunctionType and SetType describe how data are arranged and related. The central abstraction is a Data object, which can represent scalars, tuples, arrays, or functions mapping one domain to a range.

Visual mapping is done via ScalarMaps, which connect data dimensions to visual attributes such as color, size, shape, or coordinate axes. Displays (DisplayImpl) render the data, and can host multiple linked views with shared or synchronized data.

VisAD emphasizes interactivity: users can pan, zoom, probe, pick points, and slice high-dimensional data into lower-dimensional views. It supports cross-sectioning, projections, and coordinated visualization across multiple canvases.

Designed for scientific visualization, VisAD is used in fields such as geosciences, climate research, and physics, and is suitable for teaching and research. Being implemented in Java, it runs on platforms supporting the Java Runtime Environment and integrates with other Java visualization components.

Origin and development of VisAD trace back to academic research projects; it has been maintained by a community of contributors and includes documentation, tutorials, and examples to help users build custom visualizations.