[ferret_users] ASCII to netCDF via ferret.

["Oostra, Daniel H. (LARC-E302)[SCIENCE SYSTEMS AND APPLICATIONS, INC]" <daniel.h.oostra@xxxxxxxx>]

Hi Ferret users,

I'm trying to use ferret to convert an ASCII Tabular dataset into a netCDF file that I can use in our Live Access Server.

So far I've been able to successfully create plots but they are not coming out correctly.  It seems the data portion is being displayed in the southern hemisphere only.  

I've run into some memory problems and variable assignment issues, but both of those can be solved.

Here's a data sample (first 16 lines):

*******************
Band Name:                    tas
Description:                  (deg. C). NCAR-CCSM3 ensemble average for the IPCC Climate of the 20th Century experiment. This experiment simulates past climate starting from the mid-19th Century and is part of the 4th IPCC Assessment. Data represent averages for 5 ensembles.
Holding name:                 air temperature - Annual
Collection name:              Climate Changes in the 21st Century
Date class:                   time series
Begin date of output          1870-01-01
End date of output            1999-12-31
Time step units:              years
Data units:                   Deg C
Fill value:                   -99

Center Lon,Center Lat,1870,1871,1872,1873,1874,1875,1876,1877,1878,1879,1880,1881,1882,1883,1884,1885,1886,1887,1888,1889,1890,1891,1892,1893,1894,1895,1896,1897,1898,1899,1900,1901,1902,1903,1904,1905,1906,1907,1908,1909,1910,1911,1912,1913,1914,1915,1916,1917,1918,1919,1920,1921,1922,1923,1924,1925,1926,1927,1928,1929,1930,1931,1932,1933,1934,1935,1936,1937,1938,1939,1940,1941,1942,1943,1944,1945,1946,1947,1948,1949,1950,1951,1952,1953,1954,1955,1956,1957,1958,1959,1960,1961,1962,1963,1964,1965,1966,1967,1968,1969,1970,1971,1972,1973,1974,1975,1976,1977,1978,1979,1980,1981,1982,1983,1984,1985,1986,1987,1988,1989,1990,1991,1992,1993,1994,1995,1996,1997,1998,1999
-179.296875,89.296875,-18.2,-17.6,-17.8,-17.5,-17.6,-17.6,-17.8,-17.5,-18.2,-18.0,-17.6,-17.8,-17.9,-18.3,-18.7,-18.8,-18.4,-18.9,-19.1,-19.5,-18.5,-18.9,-19.4,-18.9,-19.1,-19.0,-18.8,-18.7,-18.6,-18.3,-18.0,-18.9,-18.8,-19.5,-19.9,-19.5,-19.6,-19.4,-19.2,-18.5,-19.5,-19.0,-19.2,-19.5,-19.2,-19.0,-18.7,-19.0,-18.6,-18.7,-18.7,-18.4,-18.5,-18.4,-18.3,-18.3,-18.0,-18.8,-18.4,-18.8,-18.9,-18.2,-19.1,-18.2,-18.3,-18.2,-18.5,-17.9,-18.1,-17.9,-18.2,-18.1,-18.2,-18.3,-17.6,-17.8,-18.1,-18.1,-17.4,-17.2,-17.6,-17.6,-17.9,-17.9,-17.9,-17.8,-18.2,-17.0,-17.6,-17.8,-17.4,-17.4,-17.3,-18.0,-17.6,-18.5,-18.0,-17.8,-17.4,-17.1,-16.9,-16.9,-17.1,-17.7,-17.2,-16.9,-17.9,-17.3,-17.1,-17.3,-17.0,-16.8,-16.8,-16.7,-16.7,-16.9,-16.7,-16.4,-16.7,-16.4,-15.6,-16.4,-16.1,-16.4,-15.8,-16.2,-16.4,-15.6,-15.7,-15.3
-177.890625,89.296875,-18.2,-17.7,-17.8,-17.5,-17.6,-17.7,-17.8,-17.5,-18.3,-18.0,-17.6,-17.8,-17.9,-18.3,-18.8,-18.8,-18.4,-18.9,-19.1,-19.5,-18.5,-18.9,-19.4,-18.9,-19.1,-19.0,-18.8,-18.7,-18.6,-18.3,-18.0,-18.9,-18.8,-19.5,-19.9,-19.5,-19.7,-19.4,-19.2,-18.5,-19.5,-19.0,-19.2,-19.5,-19.3,-19.0,-18.8,-19.0,-18.6,-18.7,-18.7,-18.4,-18.5,-18.4,-18.3,-18.3,-18.0,-18.8,-18.4,-18.8,-18.9,-18.2,-19.1,-18.2,-18.3,-18.2,-18.5,-18.0,-18.1,-17.9,-18.2,-18.1,-18.2,-18.3,-17.6,-17.8,-18.1,-18.1,-17.4,-17.2,-17.6,-17.6,-17.9,-18.0,-17.9,-17.8,-18.3,-17.0,-17.6,-17.8,-17.5,-17.4,-17.3,-18.0,-17.6,-18.6,-18.1,-17.8,-17.4,-17.1,-16.9,-16.9,-17.1,-17.8,-17.2,-16.9,-17.9,-17.3,-17.1,-17.3,-17.0,-16.8,-16.8,-16.7,-16.8,-17.0,-16.7,-16.4,-16.7,-16.5,-15.7,-16.4,-16.2,-16.4,-15.8,-16.2,-16.4,-15.6,-15.7,-15.4
-176.484375,89.296875,-18.2,-17.7,-17.9,-17.5,-17.6,-17.7,-17.8,-17.5,-18.3,-18.1,-17.7,-17.8,-18.0,-18.4,-18.8,-18.9,-18.4,-19.0,-19.1,-19.5,-18.5,-18.9,-19.4,-18.9,-19.1,-19.0,-18.8,-18.7,-18.6,-18.4,-18.0,-18.9,-18.8,-19.6,-19.9,-19.5,-19.7,-19.4,-19.2,-18.6,-19.5,-19.0,-19.2,-19.5,-19.3,-19.1,-18.8,-19.0,-18.6,-18.8,-18.8,-18.4,-18.5,-18.4,-18.3,-18.4,-18.1,-18.9,-18.4,-18.9,-18.9,-18.2,-19.1,-18.2,-18.3,-18.2,-18.5,-18.0,-18.1,-17.9,-18.2,-18.1,-18.3,-18.3,-17.7,-17.8,-18.1,-18.1,-17.5,-17.2,-17.6,-17.6,-17.9,-18.0,-17.9,-17.8,-18.3,-17.0,-17.6,-17.8,-17.5,-17.4,-17.3,-18.0,-17.6,-18.6,-18.1,-17.8,-17.5,-17.1,-16.9,-16.9,-17.2,-17.8,-17.2,-16.9,-17.9,-17.3,-17.1,-17.3,-17.0,-16.8,-16.8,-16.7,-16.8,-17.0,-16.7,-16.5,-16.7,-16.5,-15.7,-16.4,-16.2,-16.4,-15.8,-16.2,-16.5,-15.6,-15.7,-15.4
-175.078125,89.296875,-18.2,-17.7,-17.9,-17.5,-17.6,-17.7,-17.8,-17.5,-18.3,-18.1,-17.7,-17.8,-18.0,-18.4,-18.8,-18.9,-18.5,-19.0,-19.1,-19.6,-18.5,-18.9,-19.4,-18.9,-19.1,-19.0,-18.8,-18.7,-18.6,-18.4,-18.0,-18.9,-18.8,-19.6,-19.9,-19.6,-19.7,-19.4,-19.3,-18.6,-19.5,-19.1,-19.2,-19.5,-19.3,-19.1,-18.8,-19.0,-18.6,-18.8,-18.8,-18.4,-18.5,-18.4,-18.3,-18.4,-18.1,-18.9,-18.4,-18.9,-18.9,-18.2,-19.1,-18.2,-18.4,-18.2,-18.6,-18.0,-18.1,-17.9,-18.2,-18.2,-18.3,-18.3,-17.7,-17.8,-18.1,-18.1,-17.5,-17.2,-17.7,-17.6,-17.9,-18.0,-17.9,-17.8,-18.3,-17.0,-17.6,-17.8,-17.5,-17.5,-17.3,-18.0,-17.6,-18.6,-18.1,-17.8,-17.5,-17.1,-17.0,-16.9,-17.2,-17.8,-17.2,-16.9,-18.0,-17.3,-17.2,-17.4,-17.0,-16.9,-16.8,-16.7,-16.8,-17.0,-16.7,-16.5,-16.7,-16.5,-15.7,-16.4,-16.2,-16.5,-15.9,-16.2,-16.5,-15.6,-15.7,-15.4
*************


Here is my ferret script, I'm processing the first 5 years 1870-1874 (of 130 years):


**********************
set memory/size=512 

def axis/modulo/x=-180:179/npoints=360/units="degrees_east" xax
def axis/y=-90:89/npoints=180/units="degrees_north" yax

define axis/t="01-jan-1870":"31-dec-1870":1/units=years tax1
def grid/x=xax/y=yax/t=tax1 my_grid1
file/skip=13/var="longitude,latitude,r1870,r1871,r1872,r1873,r1874,r1875,r1876,r1877,r1878,r1879"/grid=my_grid1 "12890ncar_ccm3_tas_EA1-5_20C3M-annual.txt"
let air_temp = r1870
set variable/title="Monthly, Annual Average Air Tempurature" air_temp 
set variable/units="Degrees C"/bad=-99 air_temp 
save/file=air_temp_1870.nc/clobber air_temp


define axis/t="01-jan-1871":"31-dec-1871":1/units=years tax1
def grid/x=xax/y=yax/t=tax1 my_grid2
file/skip=13/var="longitude,latitude,r1870,r1871,r1872,r1873,r1874,r1875,r1876,r1877,r1878,r1879"/grid=my_grid2 "12890ncar_ccm3_tas_EA1-5_20C3M-annual.txt"
let air_temp = r1871
set variable/title="Monthly, Annual Average Air Tempurature" air_temp 
set variable/units="Degrees C"/bad=-99 air_temp 
save/file=air_temp_1871.nc/clobber air_temp

define axis/t="01-jan-1872":"31-dec-1872":1/units=years tax1
def grid/x=xax/y=yax/t=tax1 my_grid3
file/skip=13/var="longitude,latitude,r1870,r1871,r1872,r1873,r1874,r1875,r1876,r1877,r1878,r1879"/grid=my_grid3 "12890ncar_ccm3_tas_EA1-5_20C3M-annual.txt"
let air_temp = r1872
set variable/title="Monthly, Annual Average Air Tempurature" air_temp 
set variable/units="Degrees C"/bad=-99 air_temp 
save/file=air_temp_1872.nc/clobber air_temp


define axis/t="01-jan-1873":"31-dec-1873":1/units=years tax1
def grid/x=xax/y=yax/t=tax1 my_grid4
file/skip=13/var="longitude,latitude,r1870,r1871,r1872,r1873,r1874,r1875,r1876,r1877,r1878,r1879"/grid=my_grid4 "12890ncar_ccm3_tas_EA1-5_20C3M-annual.txt"
let air_temp = r1873
set variable/title="Monthly, Annual Average Air Tempurature" air_temp 
set variable/units="Degrees C"/bad=-99 air_temp 
save/file=air_temp_1873.nc/clobber air_temp


define axis/t="01-jan-1874":"31-dec-1874":1/units=years tax1
def grid/x=xax/y=yax/t=tax1 my_grid5
file/skip=13/var="longitude,latitude,r1870,r1871,r1872,r1873,r1874,r1875,r1876,r1877,r1878,r1879"/grid=my_grid5 "12890ncar_ccm3_tas_EA1-5_20C3M-annual.txt"
let air_temp = r1874
set variable/title="Monthly, Annual Average Air Tempurature" air_temp 
set variable/units="Degrees C"/bad=-99 air_temp 
save/file=air_temp_1874.nc/clobber air_temp
***********************

Any insights, advice, criticism is welcome!  Thanks ahead.

Bests,

Daniel Oostra (SSAI)
NASA/LaRC Atmospheric Sciences Data Center
2 South Wright Street
Hampton, VA 23681-2199
Ph: 757.864.6157
daniel.h.oostra@xxxxxxxx