Visualizing Atmospheric Fields on a Personal Computer: Application to Potential Vorticity Analysis

A four-dimensional computer-analysis program for visualizing atmospheric fields on a personal computer is presented. The program can display, on screen, a fast-time animation of metorological fields on various surfaces or cross sections. An example is given of the application of the program for a potential vorticity analysis in a deep polar air-mass intrusion in the Mediterranean. This example has been chosen for demonstration from several other previously investigated case studies. These studies involve a variety of standard, as well as nonstandard fields and have been used for teaching in the synoptic meteorology laboratory course at Tel Aviv University, and also for basic research.