Section: Data Formats, Software Tools and Installation | Workshop on the Use of Gridded Satellite Data for Climate Services in Africa, Pretoria, 2018

Section: Data Formats, Software Tools and Installation | Workshop on the Use of Gridded Satellite Data for Climate Services in Africa, Pretoria, 2018 | EUMETSAT

Main course page

General
Welcome to the Training Course on

The Use of Gridded Satellite Data for Climate Services in Africa

Online Phase: 30 July - 10 August 2018

Classroom Phase: 20 - 24 August 2018, Pretoria, South Africa

This 2 weeks online phase is designed for you to:
- study the concept of satellite based climate monitoring
- get an overview of the satellite based climate data we will be working with in the classroom
- to learn where an how to access/download these data
- to prepare your laptop for the classroom by installing software tools will be working with in the classroom
- to get an impression on these software tools by working through the tutorial provided
This is a self learning environment, which allows you to learn at your own speed! However, there are several life chat sessions where you can discuss questions with the instructors and your course mates. Feel free to join in! Besides that you can use the course forum at any time to get in touch with course mates, instructors and discuss questions and comments.

Most of the content provided in this online course is to read and to watch/listen. There are 4 active tasks you are expected to do during this online phase:
1. Task 1: Download CM SAF Data, see section 2 "CM SAF Data"
2. Task 2: Download LSA SAF Data, see section 3 "LSA SAF Data for African Applications"
3. Task 3: Install the software, see section 5 "Data Formats, Software Tools and Installation"
4. Task 4: Submit the idea for you mini project, see section 6 "Your Mini Project for the Classroom Session"
Besides these tasks you can check what you have learned about the concept of satellite based climate monitoring in the Quiz that is provided in section 4. The Quiz will be available from Wednesday, 1. August 2018, approx. 14:00 UCT, as we are still working on it. We will inform you, as soon as it is available.

After you have worked through the content of this online phase, you should be able to:
- explain the difference between weather and climate
- discuss why climate monitoring is important and why satellites play an increasing role
- explain the difference between Environmental Data Records, Fundamental Data Records and Thematic Climate Data Records
- browse through the catalogue of available CM SAF and LSA SAF data
- order and download CM SAF and LSA SAF data
- get help in case of questions on the CM SAF and LSA SAF data
We did our best to provide the material of the online phase in a user friendly way. If you do not have a stable internet connection available, we encourage you to download the PDFs that are provided in the different course sections. They cover the most important course content.

Enjoy the online phase and use it to prepare yourself for the classroom - the better you prepare, the more you will get out of the classroom phase!

We are looking forward to meeting you soon!
- To help us organize the classroom room phase, please answer the following questions as soon as you can!
  
  Not available unless: You belong to The Climate Monitoring SAF - Workshop Group
- Choice
  
  Will you bring your laptop to the workshop? Choice
  
  Not available unless: You belong to The Climate Monitoring SAF - Workshop Group
- Choice
  
  Does the laptop you bring have a LAN plug-in? Choice
  
  Not available unless: You belong to The Climate Monitoring SAF - Workshop Group
- Choice
  
  Which operating system will be installed on the laptop you bring? Choice
  
  Not available unless: You belong to The Climate Monitoring SAF - Workshop Group
- Choice
  
  Which statistical software, if any, have you used? Choice
  
  Not available unless: You belong to The Climate Monitoring SAF - Workshop Group
- Live chats

Data Formats, Software Tools and Installation

Data Formats, Software Tools and Installation
This section provides information on the data formats and software tools used in the classroom. To best prepare for the classroom session and to save as much time for practical work as possible, please work through the content of this section carefully. Follow the instructions and install all software tools described here. If you need support from your local IT administrator (admin rights on the laptop you bring to the course, etc.), please contact this person before you come to the classroom. Software issue related to admin rights cannot be solved during the classroom phase!

Please install the following software tools before coming to the classroom:
- R
- R Studio
- R-Instat
- Panoply
- MSG Toolbox
- QGIS
- ncBrowse
Installation instructions and further information about these tools are provided below.

Please use the forum if you have questions on the installation of the software. In case of issues with admin rights etc. regarding the laptop you will be using at the workshop, please contact your local administrator.

If you have trouble downloading the software, due to poor internet connection - don't worry, we will bring hard disks to the classroom with everything you need.
- The data formats HDF5 and NetCDF
  
  please click on the link below to learn about the data formats HDF5 and NetCDF, in which the LSA SAF and CM SAF data are provided, respectively.
- Page
  
  The Data Formats HDF5 and NetCDF and Data Viewers Page
  
  View
- CM SAF R Toolbox
  
  To work with CM SAF data in netCDF format, CM SAF developed the so called CM SAF R Toolbox.
  
  Click on the link below to read a short explanation on what the CM SAF R Toolbox is.
- Page
  
  CM SAF R TOOLBOX Page
  
  View
- This video tutorial presents the steps to install the CM SAF R Toolbox and the basic features from data preparation to data analysis and data visualization.
  
  cmsaf-r-toolbox-tutorial.flv
  
  If you are unable to watch this presentation, download the PDF version below.
  
  CM SAF R Toolbox tutorial (pdf)
- Installing R and R Studio
  
  To be able to work with the CM SAF R Toolbox, R and R-Studio need to be installed on your computer. The link below guides you to the installation instructions.
- Page
  
  Installing R and R-Studio Page
  
  View
- R-Instat
  
  This presentation introduces R-Instat, showing its general features for organising and describing data, as well as the specific facilities for analysing historical climatic data and satellite based data.
  
  If you are unable to watch this presentation, download the PDF version below.
  
  Introduction to R-Instat Presentation (PDF)
- Installing R-Instat
  
  The link below guides you to the installation instructions of R-Instat.
- Page
  
  Install R-Instat Page
  
  View
- R-Instat Tutorial
  
  To get a first impression of the software R-Instat, please work through the tutorial provided below.
- Page
  
  R-Instat Tutorials Page
  
  View
- LSA SAF MSG Toolbox software
  
  MSG Toolbox is a free software intended to prepare operational LSA SAF products for further analysis and use in GIS and Remote Sensing software.
- Page
  
  Introduction to MSG Toolbox Page
  
  View
- Installing the LSA SAF MSG Toolbox
  
  The link below guides you to the installation instructions of the LSA SAF MSG Toolbox
- Page
  
  Install MSG Toolbox Page
  
  View
- LSA SAF MSG Toolbox Tutorial
  
  To test the functionalities of the LSA SAF MSG Toolbox, please work through the tutorial provided below.
- Page
  
  Test MSG Toolbox Page
  
  View
- QGIS and LSA SAF data
  
  QGIS is a user friendly Open Source Geographic Information System (GIS) that allows to vizualize and analyse geospatial information data. LSA SAF data, after format conversion from its original HDF5 format to geotiff, can be ingested in QGIS for futher analysis.
- Installing QGIS
  
  The link below guides you to the installation instructions of the QGIS.
- Page
  
  Install QGIS Page
  
  View
- Prepare your QGIS environment
  
  Follow the link bellow to prepare your QGIS environment for LSA SAF data display and analysis.
- Page
  
  Prepare your environment Page
  
  View
- QGIS Tutorial
  
  To get a first impression on how to manipulate LSA SAF data in QGIS, please first download the contents of the following folder (scripts to download) and then work through the tutorial provided below.
- Folder
  
  Scripts to download Folder
  
  View
- Page
  
  QGIS Tutorial Page
  
  View
- Task 3: Prepare your Laptop!
  
  To help us maximizing the time for practical hands-on-session at the workshop, please install the software tools introduced above!
  
  Do not hesitate to use the course forum, in case of questions! Or refer to:
  
  For questions on the CM SAF R Toolbox: contact.cmsaf@dwd.de
  
  For questions on R-Instat: danny@aims.ac.za
  
  For questions on the LSA SAF MSG Toolbox: LSA SAF helpdesk (upon registration)
  
  For questions on QGIS: QGIS Support
  
  If you run into issues with admin rights during the software installation we strongly advice you to contact your local administrator well before the classroom phase! These issues cannot be solved in the classroom!
- Folder
  
  Content of this section as pdf's to download Folder

Section: Data Formats, Software Tools and Installation | Workshop on the Use of Gridded Satellite Data for Climate Services in Africa, Pretoria, 2018 | EUMETSAT

General

To help us organize the classroom room phase, please answer the following questions as soon as you can!

Live chats

Data Formats, Software Tools and Installation

Data Formats, Software Tools and Installation

The data formats HDF5 and NetCDF

CM SAF R Toolbox

R-Instat

LSA SAF MSG Toolbox software

QGIS and LSA SAF data

Task 3: Prepare your Laptop!