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Tensor plot


Figure 52


Figure 53

The Tensor plot, shown in figure, displays tensor variables using ellipsoid glyphs to convey information about a tensor variable's eigenvalues. Each glyph's scaling and rotation is controlled by the eigenvalues/eigenvectors of the tensor as follows: for each tensor, the eigenvalues (and associated eigenvectors) are sorted to determine the major, medium, and minor eigenvalues/eigenvectors. The major eigenvalue scales the glyph in the x-direction, the medium in the y-direction, and the minor in the z-direction. Then, the glyph is rotated so that the glyph's local x-axis lies along the major eigenvector, y-axis along the medium eigenvector, and z-axis along the minor.