Lexcube: Interactive Visualization of Large Earth System Data Cubes

Abstract

Many subsystems of Earth are constantly monitored in space and time and undergo continuous anthropogenic interventions. However, research into this transformation remains largely inaccessible to the public due to the complexity of the Big Data generated by models and Earth observation. To overcome this barrier, we present the Leipzig Explorer of Earth Data Cubes (lexcube.org), an interactive Earth data visualization that allows users to explore terabyte-scale datasets with minimal latency through space, time, variables, and model variants. With over 2800 users and 163,000 API requests since its public release in May 2022, lexcube.org is a novel interactive data cube visualization that embraces the concept of data cubes, enabling an equal treatment of space and time. We expect this development to be particularly relevant for the emerging exascale Digital Twins of Earth, as interactive visualizations in real-time could remove access barriers and help democratize Earth system sciences.