Earth Processes: Understanding Through Computer Modeling

American Museum of Natural History: Hall of Planet Earth

A family of five interactive video exhibits. A touch screen interface allows museum visitors to choose from a menu of questions. Each exhibit in the series has three parts, covering why computer scientists model the earth, how scientists build a model and what the models tell us. Animated graphics describe why and how scientists make a model.

Through on-camera interviews visitors meet the scientists as they describe what we learn from the models. The exhibits covered Atmospheric Circulation, Ocean Circulation, Magnetism in the Core, Mantle Convection and Fluid Flow.

All video was MPEG-2 encoded and plays on LCD display panels from a dedicated computer. These exhibits were produced in collaboration with the American Museum of Natural History and scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratories.