Helios: A Scalable 3D Plant and Environmental Biophysical Modeling Framework
Abstract
This article presents an overview of Helios, a new three-dimensional (3D) plant and environmental modeling framework. Helios is a model coupling framework designed to provide maximum flexibility in integrating and running arbitrary 3D environmental system models. Users interact with Helios through a well-documented open-source C++ API. Version 1.0 comes with model plug-ins for radiation transport, the surface energy balance, stomatal conductance, photosynthesis, solar position, and procedural tree generation. Additional plug-ins are also available for visualizing model geometry and data and for processing and integrating LiDAR scanning data. Many of the plug-ins perform calculations on the graphics processing unit, which allows for efficient simulation of very large domains with high detail. An example modeling study is presented in which leaf-level heterogeneity in water usage and photosynthesis of an orchard is examined to understand how this leaf-scale variability contributes to whole-tree and -canopy fluxes.
- Publication:
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Frontiers in Plant Science
- Pub Date:
- October 2019
- DOI:
- Bibcode:
- 2019FrPS...10.1185B
- Keywords:
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- biophysical model;
- functional-structural plant model;
- software architecture;
- terrestrial LiDAR;
- three-dimensional model