Available with 3D Analyst license.
Temporal data is data that represents a state in time, such as land-use patterns in Hong Kong in 1990 or total rainfall in Honolulu on July 1, 2009. Temporal data is collected to analyze weather patterns and other environmental variables, monitor traffic conditions, study demographic trends, and so forth. This data comes from many sources ranging from manual data entry to data collected using observational sensors or generated from simulation models.
Visualizing temporal data can help you step through your data in a temporal sequence and see the patterns or trends that emerge in your data over time. In ArcMap, ArcGlobe, or ArcScene, you can enable time properties on your data and visualize it using a simple time slider that changes the data in the display or in a graph through time.
Why visualize data through time
There are many reasons you might want to visualize data through time, such as the following:
- Exploring historic patterns in data, such as population or land-use changes
- Tracking hurricane paths and other meteorological events
- Mapping the progression of a wildfire or a flood
- Examining change in ozone through elevation levels
- Visualizing changes in the occurrence of a disease over time
How to visualize temporal data
Any supported layer or table can be visualized over time by first enabling the time properties, then utilizing the Time Slider window as described below:
Enable time on data
Once added in ArcMap, ArcGlobe, or ArcScene, a layer can be time enabled by setting the time properties of your layer on the Time tab of the Layer Properties dialog box.
Learn more about supported data that can be visualized over time
Use the Time Slider
The Time Slider allows you to step through the time-enabled datasets in ArcMap, ArcGlobe, and ArcScene.