This paper introduces a novel method supporting the interactive exploration of volumetric subsurface data. To facilitate better insights into the datasets we propose the application of focus and context visualization metaphors. Using these metaphors users can emphasize arbitrary parts of a dataset or remove occluding information interactively to focus on the region of interest. In addition to these visualization issues we will explain how the focus and context metaphors can be combined with VR-based interaction techniques to allow the efficient exploration within more immersive VR environments. In particular, we will discuss how to control the focus and context metaphor to highlight the region of interest in combination with the usage of visual bookmarks to track potentially interesting parts within large volumetric subsurface datasets.

@article{RSH06a,
  author = {Ropinski, Timo and Steinicke, Frank and Hinrichs, Klaus H.},
  title = {Visual Exploration of Seismic Volume Datasets},
  journal = {Journal Proceedings of the 14th International Conference in Central Europe on Computer Graphics, Visualization and Computer Vision (WSCG06)},
  volume = {14},
  pages = {73--80},
  year = {2006},
  keywords = {voreen, vr},
  url = {http://viscg.uni-muenster.de/publications/2006/RSH06a},
}