Students take a 3-D tour under the water in
Lake Tahoe to explore hidden features
Tectonic plates are visible in this 3-D view of
earthquake data points in the earth's mantel
Otellini Visualization Lab
- Take a 3-D virtual reality flight through Lake Tahoe.
- Dive under the water and fly around the watershed.
- See inside planet Earth and explore where earthquakes originate.
The Otellini Visualization Lab, located at the prestigious Tahoe Environmental Research Center (TERC) is a state-of-the-art facility and the centerpiece of our efforts to both understand the complexities of Lake Tahoe and to educate and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers.
This public science education lab is a computer simulation and visualization laboratory which utilizes state-of-the-art numerical simulation and visualization resources developed at UC Davis and collaborating institutions. The Visualization Lab 1) assists and advances the work of UC Davis researchers and other collaborators, 2) houses tools for presenting and manipulating very large datasets, and 3) presents scientific data in revolutionary ways to provide students and the public with a better understanding of complex issues. The laboratory is immediately visible from the Great Hall of the Education Center and works in conjunction with the other educational displays located within the education center.
Computer simulation and data visualization offer a method for seeing the unseen. They enrich the process of scientific discovery and foster profound and unexpected insights. In many fields, they revolutionize the way that scientists do science. The goal of visualization is to leverage existing scientific methods by providing new scientific insight through visual methods.
At the Otellini Visualization Lab, visitors don 3-D glasses to explore inside the earth, under the water, and around the watershed. Besides providing an educational exhibit for the public, these tools could also provide rapid response to wildfires or contaminant spills in the lake in the future.
We currently highlight existing geoscience datasets in 3-D for visitors, researchers and students, including:
- Detailed surface topography & Lake Tahoe bathymetry (MPEG-1, 24MB)
- Seismic fault zones (MPEG-1, 28MB)