Properties Based on Isosurfaces

Besides molecular orbitals, other molecular properties, such as electrostatic potentials or spin density, can be represented by isovalue surfaces. Normally, these scalar properties are mapped onto different surfaces see above). This type of high-dimensional visualization permits fast and easy identification of the relevant molecular regions. 

To display properties on molecular surfaces, two different approaches are applied. One method assigns color codes to each grid point of the surface. The grid points are connected to lines chicken-wire) or to surfaces (solid sphere) and then the color values are interpolated onto a color gradient [200]. The second method projects colored textures onto the surface [202, 203] and is mostly used to display such properties as electrostatic potentials, polarizability, hydrophobidty, and spin density. 

These properties arc also relevant if molecular interactions arc considered. In contrast to electrostatic potentials, they only take effect at small distances between interacting molecular regions, 

Above all, spin density is most significant for radicals. Their unpaired electrons can be localized rapidly, by visualizing this property on the molecule. 

The representation of molecular properties on molecular surfaces is only possible with values based on scalar fields. If vector fields, such as the electric fields of molecules, or potential directions of hydrogen bridge bonding, need to be visualized, other methods of representation must be applied. Generally, directed properties are displayed by spatially oriented cones or by field lines. 

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