Course: Short_course_09: Learn to use an R based toolbox to analyse climate time series

Topic outline

Learn to use an R based toolbox to analyse climate time series - Basics
In this short course you will be introduced to the CM SAF R Toolbox and its functionalities. The CM SAF R Toolbox is a software based on R, specifically developed to analyse satellite based climate data records. Information and support on how to install the CM SAF R Toolbox will be provided. You will be invited to play with the visualization and analysis functionalities provided in the software and to join also a feedback, Q&A session on Monday, 25 January 2021 at 12:00 -13:00 UTC. To prepare yourself for the course, please install the CM SAF R Toolbox on your computer.

with Christine Traeger-Chatterjee, Steffen Kothe and Danny Parsons

Joining the session
For Q&A please go to Slido.com, use #EUMSC9 (no log in required).
Welcome to the course!
Dear participant,
We are happy to have you here. In this section you can find all information about the course and resources. After the course, you the recording of the session will be made available.
Course Outline
- 20 Jan 2021, 12:00 - 12:15 UTC Welcome and Introduction (Christine Traeger-Chatterjee, EUMETSAT)
- 20 Jan 2021, 12:15 - 13:00 UTC The CM SAF R Toolbox and its functionalities (Steffen Kothe, CM SAF / DWD)
- 20 Jan 2021 - 25 Jan 2021 anytime Hands-on analysing time series with the CM SAF R Toolbox (Participants)
- 20 Jan 2021, 14:00 - 14:30 UTC Q & A and Wrap Up (Steffen Kothe, CM SAF / DWD; Christine Träger-Chatterjee, EUMETSAT)
A feedback session will take place on Monday, 25 January 2021 at 12:00 -13:00 UTC. Join here the session. No registration required for this.
- Session recordings
  Recording of the webinar on 20th Jan is now available:
Course preparation
For an optimal learning experience, we recommend to go through the preparation steps listed below prior to the course.
This includes:
Install the CM SAF R Toolbox
The Toolbox requires the installation of R and RStudio.
For details on the software and installation see section 'Working with CM SAF data'.
Technical support during the course will be provided, but can only be limited, thus make sure that the Toolbox is installed and properly working.
Please contact cmsaf.training@dwd.de for technical problems with the Toolbox

Getting data to work with the CM SAF R Toolbox
Register for the CM SAF Web User Interface
To order and download CM SAF data, you have to register once
Order and Download CM SAF data
Order CM SAF data of your preferred region. Choose one ore more variables of your interest. Examples shown during the course will use SARAH2.1 sunshine duration (SDU) and surface incoming shortwave radiation (SIS).
Links to order the data are in the section 'Data record details and ordering' of the DOI website (bottom of the page). The videos below will guide you through the ordering process and provide you with further tips on data ordering:

After you placed the order you will receive a confirmation e-mail. Once the data are ready for download you will receive an e-mail with a download link.
Analysing gridded climate data using the CM SAF R Toolbox
The CM SAF R Toolbox was specifically developed for climatological time series analysis of NetCDF data. An overview of the CM SAF R Toolbox and some functionalities are provided in the section "The CM SAF R Toolbox."
To familiarize with CM SAF CDRs, we encourage you to go through the cheat sheets "Basic Climate Analysis using the CM SAF R Toolbox" provided below.
- The CM SAF R Toolbox
  
  The CM SAF R TOOLBOX is an easy-to-use tool to prepare, analyze and visualize CM SAF NetCDF data. The Toolbox offers a collection of more than 60 operators for analysis and manipulation of CM SAF NetCDF formatted data. The CM SAF R Toolbox is based on a R-shiny graphical user interface, which guides through all options. Thus, no R or scripting experience is needed.
- Basic Climate Analysis using the CM SAF R Toolbox
  A helpful source on working with the Toolbox might be the recently started series of CM SAF R Toolbox Cheat Sheets.
  
  1) from tar to nc (2) calculate a climatological mean (3) calculate an anomaly
- Example: How to create monthly anomalies of sunshine duration
  This tutorial video shows as an example how to create an anomaly of sunshine duration using the CM SAF R Toolbox. This might be an inspiration for your own little project for the hands-on session.
- Example Data
  
  If you want to reproduce the results from the live demo or the tutorial video you can download the data here:
  
  Data from live demo
  
  Data from tutorial video
  
  We recommend to download your own data to get used to the ordering process and to produce results for your region of interest.
- More on the CM SAF R Toolbox
  
  A lot of information material is available to make the start with the CM SAF R Toolbox as easy as possible. Besides the introductive video, there is a manual for the Toolbox as well as for the cmsaf R-package, a Questions & Answers document and a flyer.
  
  Probably the best way to start with CM SAF data and the CM SAF R Toolbox is the COMET e-learning module, which we highly recommend. It takes about 1 hour to complete the COMET module.
- And now have fun playing with the toolbox!
  Try it out, test it, share your results via Padlet, and join us for the feedback session on Monday, 25 January 2021 at 12:00h. Click here to join the feedback session.
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