An Introduction to Atmospheric and Oceanographic Datasets

Preface

Acknowledgments

Comments, Suggestions, Errors

Second Printing: October 1994

Third Printing: December 1994

Fourth Printing: October 1995

Availability of TN-404

1. INTRODUCTION

Common Data Problems and Characteristics

Organizational Sources of Data

Layout of Text; Sample Datasets from NCAR; Acronyms

2. DATA FORMATS USED FOR ATMOSPHERE/OCEAN DATASETS

Scientific Data Formats

3. CONVENTIONAL METEOROLOGICAL STATION DATA

Surface Observations

Climatologies and Gridded Data of Surface Variables

Upper Air Observations

Mean Year-Month Statistics for Raob Data

Other Sources of Upper Air Data

4. OCEANOGRAPHIC DATA

Ocean-Atmosphere Boundary Layer Data

Subsurface Observations

Analyses

Sea-Ice, Sea Level, Topography Data

5. SATELLITE DATA

Measurements and Orbits

Satellite Data Characteristics

Some Satellite Systems and Programs

6. ANALYZED AND MODEL DATA

Brief History of Operational Forecasts

Differences between Operational and Climate Models

Data Assimilation and Analyzed Grids

Reanalysis Datasets

7. ATMOSPHERE-OCEAN COMPOSITION

8. RESEARCH PROJECT DATASETS

9. ANCILLARY DATASETS

Topography

Land-Surface and Runoff Data

Solar Data

10. INTERNET

Finding Documents and Data on the WWW

Meteorology Frequently Asked Questions

Scientific Data Format Frequently Asked Questions

11. Data available at NCAR and Methods of Access

Data Support Section

Climate Analysis Section

Climate Modeling Section

Summary

Bibliography

Appendix A: Addresses of Various Data Centers

Appendix B: Features of Common Scientific Data Formats; Access Information

Appendix C: Packed Binary Example; Binary/Decimal Conversion Table

Appendix D: Acronyms and Abbreviations

Appendix E: Numbering System Used by NCAR's Data Support Section

Appendix F: Complete list of datasets available from NCAR's Data Support Section

Appendix G: Complete list of datasets available from NCAR's Climate Analysis Section