Description of software
innovation_plot_v4.pro is an idl program that uses
innovation files as input data. The results are shown as a set of coloured
squares on a geographical map.
Location of source code
The IDL source code can be found at
/home/h05/frbr/idl_source_code/innovation_plot_v4.pro
The code uses library routines written by Andy Heaps (NCAS, University of
Reading)
and these are accesssed by adding these two lines into your .profile file:
export IDL_PATH=+/usr/local/itt
. /data/nwp1/frbr/TIDLWorkspace/andy_lib/guide4.sh
Method of use - interactive usage
The user must supply information as follows:
- Enter the full pathname of the innovation file
- Specify whether a times-series (i.e. all times will be plotted
in separate images, or a single plot (containing data from all times
in the innovations file) is to be produced.
- The user can output either (a) observations, (b) forecasts, or
(c) obs-fcst values.
- If forecasts are chosen, then results from one of the following
must be selected: (a) a specific forecast, (b) the mean of all forecasts,
or (c) the forecast standard deviation.
- If obs-fcst values are chosen, then results from one of the following
must be selected: (a) a specific forecast, or (b) the mean value
of obs-fcst.
- Next, the user must choose a valid observation group and, based
on this choice, a valid observation type.
- From the selection observation types, a valid level number must be selected.
All the available levels can be selected, if required.
- Finally, the times to be plotted must be selected - for time-series plots
all the times must be selected.
Method of use - batch mode
- The user should make a copy of the IDL source code in his/her working
directory.
- Next, create a text file called innovation_plot_controlfile in the
working directory. This file should contain the following:
107 ;first cycle
110 ;last cycle
/home/h05/frbr/datafiles/Innovations_qwq999.txt ;typical full pathname
1 ; 0 single plot, 1 time series
-999 ; 0 obs, 1>23 fcsts, 999 fcst mean, 995 fcst stdev, -1>-23 o-f, -999 o-f mean
3 ;selected group (aircraft, surface, etc)
2 ;selected type (pressure, theta, etc)
-999.9 ; level selected, -999.9 denotes all levels
-999.9 ; time selected, -999.9 denotes all times (not used for time series)
where the records have been changed to reflect the input data and output
requirements of the user. The text to the right of the ';' symbols can be kept
as a reminder of the meaning of the data records.
- The idl code can now been run in a batch job or, if run interactively, will
loop through the specified cycles.
It is important that the user has some knowledge of the contents of the
innovation files to be processed. Thus, if aircraft observations are selected
for the batch job processing, and none of these are found at some time, then the
job will crash.
Example output
The figure shows aircraft temperature observations at all levels for
several cycles of a high resolution model run.
Current code developments
None.