Line Integral Convolution

The Line Integral Convolution (abbreviation: LIC to German: line integral convolution ) is a method for scientific visualization of vector fields (for example, flow fields ). It provides an overall method available to represent all interesting areas of the vector field.

The method was first developed for stationary 2D arrays. To obtain a LIC representation for such a field, a two-dimensional white noise along the lines of the flow field is a core folded with a local carrier ( in the simplest case: locally averaged). The pixel values ​​along the field lines are thus highly correlated, orthogonal to the other hand - by the noise - almost uncorrelated. Thus, the field lines rise visually from the background and be visible. The method of presentation is reminiscent in approach and as a result of the visualization of magnetic field lines using randomly distributed iron filings.

Extensions of the method to time-dependent 2D arrays, as well as 3D fields have also been proposed.