How to load netcdf file

[bry46an]

Hello All, I am new to the forum and to McIDAS, just complete training in Beijing, China. I get satellite images in tdf format via the Terascan system and have converted the file into netcdf, but I can not get it to load onto mcidas-v. I have attached a converted file, can someone please check if it in the correct format and say how I can load these files.

Regards
bry46an

[tommy.jasmin]

Hi bry46an -

Your sample attached file is filled entirely with nothing but missing values (32768).
Both channels, 2 and 3.
So there is some problem in your conversion process from Terrascan to NetCDF.

[bry46an]

Hello Tommy.jasmin

Thank alot, I would check the system.

Regards
bry46an

[jayh]

Hi Bryan-

Sorry for the delayed response. I've had a few different programmers look at your netCDF file and I've learned a bit on how to use toolsUI and a CF compliance checker to look at netCDF files.

In diagnosing the CF compliance, the unit on your brightness temperatures is incorrect. It should be "degC" and not temp_deg_C. This was fixed with a ncml editor in toolsUI and I attached the output file with the new units.

However, after that the file still has issues with the projection. The projection was not recognized as Mercator since it is not specified in a CF-compliant manner. Another programmer also ran into the same issue with the projection.

One last note... within the ToolsUI program there is an option to view the data, and upon doing this I did find that there is "data" in your file. I attached a jpeg of this below. However, we still don't have a way to figure out the projection.

I hope this information helps.

Thanks, Jay

[bry46an]

Hi Jay

Thanks a lot for the effort.

Regards
bry46an

[kaba]

While at the 2013 GOES users conference at Research Park, MD, I ran into Bryan and we had a very inspiring conversation as a follow up to his test file.
In addition to the CF compliance issues already addressed by Tommy, there was no navigation information in this netCDF file that V could easily understand.

From the conversation, my understanding was that , Bryan generated this sample file out of a .tdf file, which is the output they get from their
SeaSpace Antenna out in Trinidad and Tobago. He is interested in finding a routine means on converting these files into a standard
netCDF file so they can use McIDAS-V as a visualization and analysis tool in the Caribbean islands.

I think an NCML wrapper could be used to get these files into V, but the fact that most of the file is empty, for a routine process with
possibility of long term archiving, I think it might be better to re-write the files, cookie- cut the desired domain along with the navigation
information and output a new CF compliant netCDF file.