Methods for high-realism and real-time 3D missile plume simulation

Regarding missile plume modeling, an overview of the latest techniques on computer graphics is given. There are compared the different approaches, geometrical modeling or particle system modeling, analyzed the advantage and disadvantage of each approaches. Then, we present an effective simulation method for realism and real-time simulation of 3-dimensional missile plume based on the previous. We simplified the missile plume model by a trigonometric function, and its irregular visual dynamics characteristics realized by texture sequencing and particle system with variable speeds and transparencies that depend on the billboard technique. Also, the problem that 2D texture can not be viewed properly in 3D scene is solved. And a color mapping method from the color trait of missile plume burning is provided. The specific characteristic of our method is that the realism and real-time are all considered. And we use OpenGL as aided tool to implement the method provided on VC++ platform. It is proven that the method could effectively enhance the verisimilitude of missile plume.