Abstract: Cloud is one of the nature elements that is difficult to render in real-time due to its peculiar microstructures and complex physical process of formation. Realistic simulation of cloud is one of the challenging topics in computer graphics. A comprehensive survey on realistic simulation of cloud in recent twenty years was presented, with a detail introduction to the modeling,dynamic simulation and light scattering effect technictues of cloud. Some fundamental principles, advantages and disadvantages of the typical methods were introduced and analyzed. Finally, some typical simulation methods were compared and summarized in detail, some key research issues that need to be further researched were pointed out.

Key words: Cloud scene, Realistic simulation, Particle system, Cellular automaton, Volume rendering, Bidirectional reflectance distribution function