Dynamic presentation of Long Term Upper Ocean Study (LOTUS) data using videotape

Abstract

In order to show efficiently the large amount of data obtained during the Long Term Upper Ocean Study (LOTUS), a new method of data presentation was developed. Three data variables can be included in a simple color contour plot, but if successive color contour plots are recorded on videotape, a fourth variable, time, can also be shown. This report documents the process of making a videotape presenting scientific data in this way, from raw data to finished videotape. The videotape shows internal wave kinetic energy versus frequency and depth; the time variation of the videotape displays real time variation in the ratio of 14/30 second to one week, or about l month of data every 2 seconds.