Dynamic 3D Maps and Their Texture-Based Design

Three-dimensional maps are fundamental tools for presenting, exploring, and manipulating geo data. This paper describes multiresolution concepts for 3D maps and their texture-based design. In our approach, 3D maps are based on a hybrid, multiresolution terrain model composed of data sets having different topological structure, for example a coarse regular grid combined with by triangulated microstructures. Any number of texture layers can be associated with the terrain model. For each texture layer, the multiresolution structure builds a texture tree which is linked to geometry patches of the multiresolution terrain model. The terrain model together with multiple texture layers can be rendered in real-time, in particular if multitexturing is available. Texture layers can be combined by high-level operations such as blending and masking, and can be rebuilt at run-time. This mechanism simplifies the implementation of visual exploration tools and of procedural, automated map designs. 3D maps facilitate the visual simulation of environmental issues in spatial support systems, virtual reality applications, real-time GIS, and interactive cartography.