Visualizing the dynamics of two-dimensional foams with FoamVis

We describe an interactive computer program FoamVis that provides techniques for visualization, exploration and analysis of time-dependent 2D foam simulation data generated by the Surface Evolver. The program takes a sequence of Surface Evolver files and animates them to show velocity vectors, local strain, the position of topological changes, and the forces on objects immersed in a foam flow, and enables the user to simultaneously compare different simulations. We use FoamVis to show the correlation between different attributes, such as bubble velocity and T1 density, in a foam flowing through a constriction, the relationship between orientation and foam-induced forces acting on an elliptical object falling through a foam under gravity, and the changes in bubble size that occur during diffusion-driven coarsening of a foam containing a mixture of gases.