FEWSim: A Visual Analytic Framework for Exploring the Nexus of Food-Energy-Water Simulations

2025-06-16

AI Summary

The strong interdependencies among food–energy–water (FEW) systems hinder quantitative cross-sectoral analysis due to missing or unobservable variables. To address this, we propose a visualization analytics framework specifically designed for FEW-coupled systems. Our method introduces a novel three-tier asynchronous microservice architecture that enables integrated FEW modeling, dynamic scenario management, and synchronized multidimensional time-series visualization. The framework supports joint cross-sectoral indicator analysis, comparative multi-scenario assessment, and sustainability-index-based quantitative evaluation. Empirical validation in the Phoenix Active Management Area, Arizona, demonstrates significant improvements in identifying FEW interaction patterns and enhancing interpretability of policy scenario evaluations. By enabling scalable, interoperable, and transparent analysis, our framework provides a robust methodological foundation for the coordinated governance of complex resource systems.

Technology Category

• Planning, Routing, and Scheduling: Optimization of Spatio-temporal Systems
• Cognitive Modeling & Cognitive Systems: Agent Architectures
• Multiagent Systems: Other Foundations of Multi Agent Systems

Application Category

• Web Mining and Content Analysis: Web data visualization
• Systems and Infrastructure for Web, Mobile and WoT: Virtualization and resource management in Web systems and infrastructures
• Graph Algorithms and Modeling for the Web: Efficient manipulation of static and dynamic Web-related graphs

Abstract

The interdependencies of food, energy, and water (FEW) systems create a nexus opportunity to explore the strengths and vulnerabilities of individual and cross-sector interactions within FEW systems. However, the variables quantifying nexus interactions are hard to observe, which hinders the cross-sector analysis. To overcome such challenges, we present FEWSim, a visual analytics framework designed to support domain experts in exploring and interpreting simulation results from a coupled FEW model. FEWSim employs a three-layer asynchronous architecture: the model layer integrates food, energy, and water models to simulate the FEW nexus; the middleware layer manages scenario configuration and execution; and the visualization layer provides interactive visual exploration of simulated time-series results across FEW sectors. The visualization layer further facilitates the exploration across multiple scenarios and evaluates scenario differences in performance using sustainability indices of the FEW nexus. We demonstrate the utility of FEWSim through a case study for the Phoenix Active Management Area (AMA) in Arizona.

Problem

• Exploring interdependencies in food-energy-water systems
• Analyzing hard-to-observe cross-sector FEW interactions
• Visualizing simulated FEW nexus scenarios for decision-making

Innovation

• Three-layer asynchronous architecture for FEW nexus
• Interactive visual exploration of time-series results
• Scenario comparison using sustainability indices