Virtual Globe Development
Definition
Virtual globe development builds interactive 3D Earth applications that stream terrain, imagery, and vector data to users for exploration and analysis. Key elements are tiling and level-of-detail schemes, GPU rendering, spatial indexing, and efficient network protocols. Developers integrate analytics such as measurements, time sliders, simulations, and story layers while optimizing performance across devices.
Application
Use cases range from public outreach portals and education to professional tools for planning, disaster response, and asset management. Virtual globes enable users to contextualize projects globally and drill into local detail without installing heavy desktop software.
FAQ
How do quantized meshes and 3D tiles improve scalability?
They compress geometry and organize data by LOD, letting clients request only what is needed for the current view, keeping frame rates high.
What strategies reduce network latency?
Edge caching/CDNs, HTTP/2 multiplexing, and prefetch heuristics based on camera motion reduce stalls during navigation.
How should time be represented on a globe?
Attach timestamps to layers and support animations and filtering; fixed basemaps plus dynamic overlays clarify context.
What accessibility and usability practices matter?
Keyboard navigation, altitude readouts, unit toggles, and clear legends help non-experts; avoid hidden controls and overwhelming defaults.