Section: AC SAF Data Formats & Software Tools | Winter School on the Use of Satellite Data for Climate Services in Europe, Krakow, 2019 | EUMETSAT

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  • General

     

                                                                               

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    Welcome to the Training Course on

    The Use of Satellite Data for Climate Services in Europe

    Online Phase: 28 January - 8 February 2019

    Classroom Phase: 25 February - 1 March 2019, Krakow, Poland

    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
    • 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 tutorials and excercises provided
    • define the mini project you will work on during the classroom phase. This will be done in close collaboration with the course instructors.

    This is a self learning environment, which allows you to learn at your own speed! However, there are several life 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 8 active tasks/exercises you are expected to do during this online phase. They are highlighted in red.

    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 8.

    After you have worked through the content of this online phase, you should be able to:

    • 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 data from the following SAF's: Climate Monitoring (CM SAF); Land Surface Application (LSA SAF) and Atmospheric Composition (AC SAF)
    • order and download CM SAF and LSA SAF and AC SAF  data
    • get help in case of questions on the CM SAF and LSA SAF and AC SAF  data
    • present the idea of your mini project, that you will be working on during the classroom phase

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

    Please do not hesitate to contact the course instructors and/or use the course forum in case of questions.

    We are looking forward to working with you!

    Christine (course lead)

    Steffen (CM SAF and CM SAF R Toolbox expert)

    Carla and Célia (LSA SAF experts)

    Anu-Maija  (AC SAF expert)

    Roger and Danny (R-Instat experts)

    Federico (AC SAF and Climate Data Store expert)

     

AC SAF Data Formats & Software Tools

  • AC SAF Data Formats & Software Tools

    Visualising and handling AC SAF data records

    There are several ways to visualise AC SAF data records. The easiest way is to use Panoply, where you can visualise one file at the time. The AC SAF data records are stored as monthly mean files. In  monthly mean netCDF NO2 files there are variables 

    • "latitude": 1d vector (length 720). Values range from -89.75 to 89.75 at 0.25 deg steps
    • "longitude": 1d vector (length 1440). Values range from -179.75 to 179.75 at 0.25 deg step
    • "PRODUCT/NO2trop", Tropospheric NO2 column content,  2d matrix (1440x720). Values are given in molec/cm-2
    • "PRODUCT/NO2trop_err"; error associated with NO2trop, 2d matrix (1440x720)

    In monthly mean  H2O files there are variables 

    • "latitude": 1d vector (length 360). Values range from -89.5 to 89.5 at 0.5 deg steps
    • "longitude": 1d vector (length 720). Values range from -179.5 to 179.5 at 0.5 deg step
    • "PRODUCT/tcwv", Total column water vapour content,  2d matrix (720x360). Values are given in kg/m-2
    • "PRODUCT/tcwv_err"; error associated with tcwv, 2d matrix (720x360)