Working with Space Time Cube Layers

Space-time cube layers allow you to visualize, explore, and interact with space-time cubes. The space-time cube layer and ribbon can help you better understand the contents and analysis results stored in a space-time cube. Using the space-time cube layer and ribbon, you can do the following:

• Visualize the variables and analysis results in a space-time cube.
• Slice and filter a space-time cube in a 3D scene.
• Explore the space-time cube layer through time series charts.
• Contextualize a 3D space-time cube layer visualization by overlaying 2D analysis layers.
• Manage the space-time cube by retrieving descriptive information and creating subsets by time or space.
• Regenerate the space-time cube layer from the space-time cube to add new analyses or variables.

Create a space-time cube

You can create a space-time cube layer from any NetCDF space-time cube (.nc). You can create a space-time cube by using any tool in the Space Time Cube Creation toolset.

1. Start ArcGIS Pro.
2. Select Global Scene from the New Project options.

   It is recommended that you always visualize space-time cube layers in a 3D scene.

3. Download the 2005-2022 US wildfire dataset, the US counties layer, and the California boundary layer.

   The wildfire dataset contains the US wildfire locations between 2005 to 2022. The data was collected by the USGS and US Forest Services Monitoring Trends in Burn Severity program.

   Learn more about the USA Fire Burned Areas 1984 – 2022

4. On the Analysis tab, click the Tools button to open the Geoprocessing pane.
5. In the Geoprocessing pane, search for Create Space Time Cube by Aggregating Points.
6. Click the tool and specify the parameters as follows:

   

   This creates a NetCDF space-time cube. The space-time cube will have an .nc file extension.

Run an analysis

You can use any tool from the Time Series Forecasting toolset or the Space Time Pattern Analysis toolset to analyze and identify patterns in a space-time cube or estimate future values at locations in a space-time cube.

1. Open the Geoprocessing pane. On the Analysis tab, click the Tool button.
2. Search for Forest-based Forecast.
3. Click the tool and specify the parameters as follows:

   

   This estimates the total number of acres in each county that will burn from wildfires.

Create a space-time cube

To create a space-time cube layer, you must use the Make Space Time Cube Layer tool. You can access the tool from the Geoprocessing pane or the Map tab.

1. On the Map tab, click Add Data. In the drop-down menu, click Space Time Cube Layer.

   The Make Space Time Cube Layer tool opens.

2. Specify the parameters as follows:

   

3. Click Run to run the tool.

   A space-time cube layer is created and added to the Contents pane. The space-time cube will be displayed in the 3D scene.

Interact with the space-time layer

A space-time cube layer will activate the space-time cube ribbon, which provides several tools to configure, visualize, explore, and manage the space-time cube layer.

1. Activate the space-time cube ribbon by selecting the space-time cube layer in the Contents pane.
2. In the Visualize section, ensure the Variable parameter value is ACRES_SUM_ZEROS.
3. In the Elevation section, set Vertical Exaggeration to 2.

   The vertical distance is increased between bins, making it easier to view each time slice.

4. In the Spatiotemporal Extent section, click the Configure Extent drop-down menu. Set the Area of Interest parameter value to ca_boundary.

   A spatial filter is applied to the space-time cube. Only the bins in California will be visible in the scene.

5. Check the Highlight Forecasted Time Steps check box.

   This changes how the space-time cube is visualized. The forecasted bins in the space-time cube will remain opaque while the other bins become transparent.

6. In the Visualize section of the ribbon, in the Theme gallery, click Forecast Result.
7. In the Explore section, click Time Series Pop-ups by Location and click a bin in the scene.

   A pop-up appears with a time series chart for that location.

8. Close the pop-up chart.
9. In the Data Management section, click the Space Time Cube Management drop-down menu and click Subset Cube.

   The Subset Space Time Cube tool opens.

10. To remove the forecasted time steps, specify the parameters as follows: