================================================================================ ASCII12 WCR Processed Data Directory Catalog ================================================================================ Last Update: 24 April 2012 Directory Total Size FileDescriptors Comment Size File Beg_End Time RadMode-Ants Ants: UTC H1-side or up beam(h-pol) V1-side or up beam(v-pol) H2-down_fore beam V2-down beam ................................................................................ rf01_jan07 total 2.8 GB 555M WCR.ASCII12.20120107.150451_153605.CPP-H1H2V2.nc acquisition started late 79M WCR.ASCII12.20120107.153607_154034.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 603M WCR.ASCII12.20120107.154035_161432.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 74M WCR.ASCII12.20120107.161434_161843.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 592M WCR.ASCII12.20120107.161845_165205.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 78M WCR.ASCII12.20120107.165206_165629.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 573M WCR.ASCII12.20120107.165630_172846.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 401M WCR.ASCII12.20120107.172847_175121.CPP-H1H2V2.nc ................................................................................ rf02_jan09 clear air flight total 1.3 GB 78M WCR.ASCII12.20120109.172621_173809.CPP-V2H2.nc 194M WCR.ASCII12.20120109.173810_180743.CPP-V2H2.nc 194M WCR.ASCII12.20120109.180742_183715.CPP-V2H2.nc 202M WCR.ASCII12.20120109.183716_190803.CPP-V2H2.nc 202M WCR.ASCII12.20120109.190802_193849.CPP-V2H2.nc 184M WCR.ASCII12.20120109.193851_200652.CPP-V2H2.nc 184M WCR.ASCII12.20120109.200651_203453.CPP-V2H2.nc 76M WCR.ASCII12.20120109.203454_204623.CPP-V2H2.nc ................................................................................ rf03_jan16 total 2.3 GB 210M WCR.ASCII12.20120116.142020_143207.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 703M WCR.ASCII12.20120116.143209_151141.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 703M WCR.ASCII12.20120116.151142_155116.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 747M WCR.ASCII12.20120116.155117_163319.CPP-H1H2V2.nc ................................................................................ rf04_jan16 total 2.3 GB 675M WCR.ASCII12.20120116.184356_192155.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 684M WCR.ASCII12.20120116.192157_200027.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 362M WCR.ASCII12.20120116.200028_202048.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 442M WCR.ASCII12.20120116.202050_204541.CPP-H1H2V2.nc ................................................................................ rf05_jan18 blowing snow flight total 1.4 GB 241M WCR.ASCII12.20120118.145644_151015.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 242M WCR.ASCII12.20120118.151037_154728.CPP-V2H2.nc 242M WCR.ASCII12.20120118.154727_162417.CPP-V2H2.nc 212M WCR.ASCII12.20120118.162418_165639.CPP-V2H2.nc 212M WCR.ASCII12.20120118.165638_172858.CPP-V2H2.nc 212M WCR.ASCII12.20120118.172857_180117.CPP-V2H2.nc 51M WCR.ASCII12.20120118.180119_180900.CPP-V2H2.nc ................................................................................ rf06_jan18 total 3.0 GB 24M WCR.ASCII12.20120119.000114_000234.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 777M WCR.ASCII12.20120119.000539_004922.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 462M WCR.ASCII12.20120119.004923_011522.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 610M WCR.ASCII12.20120119.011606_015024.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 722M WCR.ASCII12.20120119.015026_023104.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 458M WCR.ASCII12.20120119.023106_025652.CPP-H1H2V2.nc ................................................................................ rf07_jan19 total 446 MB 446M WCR.ASCII12.20120119.164906_171413.CPP-H1H2V2.nc ................................................................................ rf08_jan20 total 3.7 GB 338M WCR.ASCII12.20120120.135110_141012.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 755M WCR.ASCII12.20120120.141013_145243.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 678M WCR.ASCII12.20120120.145244_153054.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 391M WCR.ASCII12.20120120.153055_155256.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 853M WCR.ASCII12.20120120.155258_164059.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 412M WCR.ASCII12.20120120.164100_170409.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 14M WCR.ASCII12.20120120.171313_171400.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 252M WCR.ASCII12.20120120.171401_172812.CPP-H1H2V2.nc ................................................................................ rf09_feb13 total 3.5 GB 304M WCR.ASCII12.20120213.190435_192140.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 796M WCR.ASCII12.20120213.192141_200629.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 789M WCR.ASCII12.20120213.200630_205054.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 807M WCR.ASCII12.20120213.205055_213619.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 579M WCR.ASCII12.20120213.213620_220854.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 304M WCR.ASCII12.20120213.220855_222601.CPP-H1H2V2.nc ................................................................................ rf10_feb14 total 3.6 GB 774M WCR.ASCII12.20120214.223453_231826.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 304M WCR.ASCII12.20120214.231827_233534.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 643M WCR.ASCII12.20120214.233535_001144.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 523M WCR.ASCII12.20120215.001146_004111.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 775M WCR.ASCII12.20120215.004112_012450.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 459M WCR.ASCII12.20120215.012451_015040.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 190M WCR.ASCII12.20120215.015110_020150.CPP-H1H2V2.nc ................................................................................ rf11_feb21 total 3.6 GB 200M WCR.ASCII12.20120221.194435_195550.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 831M WCR.ASCII12.20120221.195552_204237.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 861M WCR.ASCII12.20120221.204238_213104.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 759M WCR.ASCII12.20120221.213105_221348.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 810M WCR.ASCII12.20120221.221350_225924.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 197M WCR.ASCII12.20120221.225925_231029.CPP-H1H2V2.nc ................................................................................ rf12_feb22 total 3.1 GB 308M WCR.ASCII12.20120222.134719_140437.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 684M WCR.ASCII12.20120222.140438_144309.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 673M WCR.ASCII12.20120222.144310_152101.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 267M WCR.ASCII12.20120222.152103_153604.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 783M WCR.ASCII12.20120222.153605_162009.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 443M WCR.ASCII12.20120222.162010_164505.CPP-H1H2V2.nc ................................................................................ rf13_feb28 total 3.1 GB 408M WCR.ASCII12.20120228.134137_140435.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 429M WCR.ASCII12.20120228.140455_142903.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 337M WCR.ASCII12.20120228.142929_144827.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 443M WCR.ASCII12.20120228.144845_151342.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 441M WCR.ASCII12.20120228.151437_153926.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 422M WCR.ASCII12.20120228.154107_160452.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 376M WCR.ASCII12.20120228.160513_162622.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 251M WCR.ASCII12.20120228.162641_164049.CPP-H1H2V2.nc ................................................................................ rf14_feb28 total 3.4 GB 352M WCR.ASCII12.20120228.193045_195033.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 650M WCR.ASCII12.20120228.195034_202708.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 701M WCR.ASCII12.20120228.202710_210637.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 257M WCR.ASCII12.20120228.210638_212105.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 685M WCR.ASCII12.20120228.212106_215938.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 613M WCR.ASCII12.20120228.215939_223408.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 169M WCR.ASCII12.20120228.223409_224339.CPP-H1H2V2.nc ................................................................................ rf15_feb29 blowing snow flight total 1.3 GB 103M WCR.ASCII12.20120229.151121_152700.CPP-V2H2.nc first 40 sec Tx is OFF 236M WCR.ASCII12.20120229.152701_160253.CPP-V2H2.nc 236M WCR.ASCII12.20120229.160252_163844.CPP-V2H2.nc 191M WCR.ASCII12.20120229.163845_170752.CPP-V2H2.nc 191M WCR.ASCII12.20120229.170751_173657.CPP-V2H2.nc 314M WCR.ASCII12.20120229.173659_182452.CPP-V2H2.nc ................................................................................ rf16_feb29 total 1.8 GB 282M WCR.ASCII12.20120229.223756_225347.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 795M WCR.ASCII12.20120229.225348_233833.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 681M WCR.ASCII12.20120229.233834_001655.CPP-H1H2V2.nc ................................................................................ rf17_mar01 total 1.9 GB 336M WCR.ASCII12.20120301.013948_015841.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 666M WCR.ASCII12.20120301.015842_023610.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 626M WCR.ASCII12.20120301.023611_031124.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 306M WCR.ASCII12.20120301.031125_032838.CPP-H1H2V2.nc ................................................................................ rf18_mar03 total 4.0 GB 341M WCR.ASCII12.20120303.175530_181439.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 700M WCR.ASCII12.20120303.181441_185403.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 661M WCR.ASCII12.20120303.185404_193117.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 536M WCR.ASCII12.20120303.193118_200128.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 630M WCR.ASCII12.20120303.200130_203656.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 692M WCR.ASCII12.20120303.203657_211555.CPP-H1H2V2.nc 534M WCR.ASCII12.20120303.211556_214558.CPP-H1H2V2.nc ................................................................................ The files listed below can be seen via: http://www-das.uwyo.edu/wcr/projects/ascii12/PROCESSED_DATA/ 22K ASCII12.20110812.cdl Processing cdl file 10K wcr2conf_ascii12.pro WCR configuration file 681K WCR_UserNotes.pdf WCR data user manual ................................................................................ ================================================================================ ASCII12 WCR Processed Data Files Release Notes ================================================================================ * All WCR data product files (processed data) are in NetCDF 3.5 and are cataloged above. Additional information about the variables and attributes in the files is provided in the netcdf prototype file ASCII12.20110812.cdl. Detailed information about the radar configuration and calibration is given in wcr2conf_ascii12.pro. Short user manual about the radar processed data is available in WCR_UserNotes.pdf * The data files are saved in directories (rfXX_mmmDD) representing the research flight number and month and date of the flight using the WCR. ATTENTION: If you are reading these notes via the WCR project web page the processed data directories/files are available for download via the web. The access may be password protected. Contact the PI(s) for user/password information. * Quick looks of radar reflectivity and radial Doppler velocity corrected for the radar platform motion contribution are avialbale at: http://www-das.uwyo.edu/wcr/projects/ascii12/QUICKLOOKS/ The quick looks are located in directories named the same as the processed data directories (rfXX_mmmDD). The quick look images show only pixels for targets with reflectivity exceeding 3 standard deviations above the mean noise. The up- and down-pointing beam images, whenever both are availabe, are combined in a single image. The data is interpolated to represent the target in a vertical plane in altitude, but the velocities are not corrected for contamination from the horizontal wind (if any). The flight level is marked as black dotted line in the image. The area around the flight level without any siganl represents the radar "blind" zone, which is about 100 m, depending on the transmitted pulse width. The sub-terrain pixels (when shown) are plotted in black. The immediate 75 m (150 m) above the surface for the down (down-slant) beam image are void of showing any targets. This is done to emphasize the possibility of ground clutter in the return from this near surface layer. Other markings are also possible. Currently, when requested, we mark pixels (with diamonds) in the reflectivity image affected by a reciever saturation. Areas where the down and/or up beam deviate from vertical more than 10 degrees are highlighted along the flight level trace with black squares (frequently it plots as a thick black line). This happens when the aircraft is flying with large pitch and/or is in turn. * Revision history: = RevisionDate: 15 March 2012 = RevisionNumber = 1 = Revision_1: Reflectivity, Doppler velocity = ProcessAuthor: Samuel Haimov (haimov@uwyo.edu, atsc-cc@uwyo.edu) * Known specifics of the data in this revision General: = There is an elevated noise (interference) in the first few range gates of the returns from the up(side)-pointing beam; typically the maximum radar range affected is less than 180 m. The cause is unknown and it occures only in flights. It is present frequently. The intensity varies and most of the time its mean value is less than 5 dB above the signal mean noise. Reflectivity in these range gates has an added uncertainty of a few additional dBs. Reflectivity factor: = Reflectivity absolute accuracy is estimated at better than 3 dB. The precision for the full received power dynamic range of the radar is expected to be less than 1 dB. The received power from the up-pointing antenna has been calibrated with a corner reflector. The down and down-slant channels are calibrated relative to the up-antenna channel using weather targets. The additional uncertainty for the down antenna and down-fore antennas antennas w.r.t. the up antenna is about 0.5 and 1.5 dB, respectively. = The receiver stability is better than 0.5 dB/hour when the ambient temperature does not change more than 5 degC/hour. = The transmitter leak to the first few range gates of the received signals is small (estimated to less than 0.3dB above the mean noise) or not detectable. = The received signal from the up and down antennas can get saturated by weather targets stronger than about +22 dBZ in the first 200-300 m from the radar/aircraft. Surface return for up to 5.5 km AGL may have pixels(data points) in the saturation range (0 to ~+3 dBm). The percentage of saturated data points decreases with range and is small at large ranges. = Cross-antenna talk is possible. Strong down-fore antenna targets may leak to the up antenna return and strong down antenna targets may leak into the down-fore antenna return. The most frequent cross-talk contamination is from surface returns from the down antenna, but is typically below 3 standard devitions of the noise. = Reflectivity in a few range gates above the surface returns (if any) may be cluttered by the surface or near surface targets (typically this is less than 150 m for the down- slant beam and 75 m for the down beam). The clutter is more pronounced for the slant beam. = Reflecitvity is not corrected for attenuation due to absorption and scattering. It could be significant in the presence of cloud liquid water and precipitation. Velocity: = Corrected Doppler velocity from the down-pointing beams may have bias of up to +- 1.0 m/s and uncertainty of up to +-1.0 m/s. Typical bias and uncertainty are less than +-0.5 m/s. It is our belief that the bias is mainly due to changes in the antennas pointing angles caused by flexing of the aircraft fuselage not represented in the IRS data. In addition the fuselage expands with altitude and this also changes slightly the antenna pointing directions. Errors in the IRS(navigation) data have an effect as well. = Corected Doppler velocity accuracy from the up-pointing antenna is not quantified with a known reference target. The analysis of appropriate weather targets suggests a maximum bias of ~1 m/s. = The errors in the beam pointing angles for the up and down beams as well as some other errors lead to possible discontinuity in the mean vertical Doppler velocity profile at the flight level. The discrepancy is generally less than 0.3 m/s and typically within 0.1 m/s. It is not established which beam is contributing more to this error. Given that the aircraft flexes/expands differently at the up/side antenna location and the 2 down antenna locations as well as the dependence of these distortions on the altitude and attitude of the aircraft there is no single optimal correction (optimal set of beam angles) for all conditions. = The Doppler data occasionally exhibit folded velocity regions (mostly in the slanted beam return). We do not make an attempt to unfold due to difficulties of automating this process. Typically unfolding any specific data segment is not difficult. For help on this you may contact Samuel Haimov (haimov@uwyo.edu). * Known corrupted data not fixed in this revision: = nothing known in this revision except the slight interference in the first few range gates of the up-beam reflectivity ================================================================================