Visual Analytics for Critical Infrastructures

Visual analytics is the science of analytical reasoning facilitated by interactive visual interfaces. It provides technology that combines the strengths of human and electronic data processing enabling a semi-automated analytical process, where humans and machines cooperate using their respective distinct capabilities. This paper proposes the application of visual analytics to the problems of monitoring and understanding critical infrastructures, cascading infrastructure ef-fects, and to the management of crisis response. While, for example, there exist detailed models for individual types of infrastructures such as electric power grids, these do not encompass the various interconnections and interdependencies one needs to be aware of to make risk estimation decisions and for performing operational risk management. What is therefore required is a mechanism for conjoining the information available for individual infrastructure sectors and providing unified views and analytical tools for planning and decision support.