Dataset Description

The FAAM provided weather radar data are provided in a netCDF file. The file is essentially a low-level represention of the raw ARINC708 data, with the exception of the following:

  • Range (nm)

  • Tilt (deg)

  • Gain (dB)

  • Scan angle (deg)

which are all converted from their packed binary representation to floating point or integer values.

A full description of the data format is provided in the FAAM Data Github repository. For convenience, a summary of the data format is provided below.

WxRx NetCDF Specification

Global Attributes

  • Conventions: CF-1.9 ACDD-1.3

  • acknowledgement: Airborne data was obtained using the BAe-146-301 Atmospheric Research Aircraft [ARA] flown by Airtask Ltd and managed by FAAM Airborne Laboratory, jointly operated by UKRI and the University of Leeds

  • comment: <str: derived_from_file>

  • creator_address: Building 146, Cranfield University, College Road, Cranfield, Bedford. MK43 0AL. UK.

  • creator_email: <str: derived_from_file>

  • creator_institution: FAAM Airborne Laboratory

  • creator_name: <str: derived_from_file>

  • creator_type: institution

  • date: <str: derived_from_file>

  • date_created: <str: derived_from_file>

  • flight_date: <str: derived_from_file>

  • flight_number: <str: derived_from_file>

  • geospatial_bounds: <str: derived_from_file>

  • geospatial_bounds_crs: EPSG:4979

  • geospatial_lat_min: <float32: derived_from_file>

  • geospatial_lat_units: degree_north

  • geospatial_lat_max: <float32: derived_from_file>

  • geospatial_lon_min: <float32: derived_from_file>

  • geospatial_lon_max: <float32: derived_from_file>

  • geospatial_lon_units: degree_east

  • geospatial_vertical_min: <float32: derived_from_file>

  • geospatial_vertical_max: <float32: derived_from_file>

  • geospatial_vertical_units: m

  • geospatial_vertical_positive: up

  • id: <str: derived_from_file>

  • institution: FAAM Airborne Laboratory

  • keywords: <str: derived_from_file>

  • keywords_vocabulary: Global Change Master Directory (GCMD)

  • license: UK Government Open Licence agreement - http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence

  • metadata_link: <str: derived_from_file>

  • naming_authority: uk.ac.faam

  • platform: FAAM BAe-146-301 Atmospheric Research Aircraft

  • platform_type: aircraft

  • project: <str: derived_from_file>

  • publisher_email: support@ceda.ac.uk

  • publisher_institution: CEDA

  • publisher_type: institution

  • publisher_url: https://www.ceda.ac.uk

  • references: <str: derived_from_file>

  • revision_date: <str: derived_from_file>

  • revision_number: <int32: derived_from_file>

  • source: <str: derived_from_file>

  • standard_name_vocabulary: <str: derived_from_file>

  • summary: <str: derived_from_file>

  • time_coverage_duration: <str: derived_from_file>

  • time_coverage_start: <str: derived_from_file>

  • time_coverage_end: <str: derived_from_file>

  • title: <str: derived_from_file>

  • uuid: <str: derived_from_file>

  • creator_url: https://www.faam.ac.uk

  • processing_software_doi: <str: derived_from_file>

  • processing_software_url: https://github.com/FAAM-146/faam-wxrx

  • processing_software_version: <str: derived_from_file>

  • project_acronym: <str: derived_from_file>

  • project_name: <str: derived_from_file>

  • project_principal_investigator: <str: derived_from_file>

  • project_principal_investigator_email: <str: derived_from_file>

  • project_principal_investigator_url: <str: derived_from_file>

Dimensions

  • time: unlimited

  • bins: 512

Variables

  • time

    • datatype: <int32>

    • dimensions: time

    • attributes:

      • _FillValue: -9999

      • coverage_content_type: coordinate

      • frequency: 0

      • long_name: Time of scan line estimated from data size

      • units: seconds since 1970-01-01 00:00:00

      • calendar: gregorian

  • latitude

    • datatype: <float32>

    • dimensions: time

    • attributes:

      • _FillValue: -9999.0

      • coverage_content_type: physicalMeasurement

      • frequency: 0

      • long_name: Latitude derived from FAAM core data

      • units: degree_north

      • standard_name: latitude

      • valid_max: 90.0

      • valid_min: -90.0

  • longitude

    • datatype: <float32>

    • dimensions: time

    • attributes:

      • _FillValue: -9999.0

      • coverage_content_type: physicalMeasurement

      • frequency: 0

      • long_name: Longitude derived from FAAM core data

      • units: degree_east

      • standard_name: longitude

      • valid_max: 180.0

      • valid_min: -180.0

  • altitude

    • datatype: <float32>

    • dimensions: time

    • attributes:

      • _FillValue: -9999.0

      • coverage_content_type: physicalMeasurement

      • frequency: 0

      • long_name: GPS Altitude derived from FAAM core data

      • units: m

      • standard_name: altitude

  • control_accept

    • datatype: <int8>

    • dimensions: time

    • attributes:

      • _FillValue: -128

      • coverage_content_type: auxiliaryInformation

      • frequency: 0

      • long_name: Control Acceptance Indicator

      • units: 1

      • valid_max: 3

      • valid_min: 0

  • slave

    • datatype: <int8>

    • dimensions: time

    • attributes:

      • _FillValue: -128

      • coverage_content_type: auxiliaryInformation

      • frequency: 0

      • long_name: Slave Indicator

      • units: 1

      • comment: 0=Master, 1=Slave

      • valid_max: 1

      • valid_min: 0

  • mode_annunciation

    • datatype: <int8>

    • dimensions: time

    • attributes:

      • _FillValue: -128

      • coverage_content_type: auxiliaryInformation

      • frequency: 0

      • long_name: Mode Annunciation, packed

      • units: 1

      • comment: Each bit represents a mode annunciation. See documentation for details.

      • valid_max: 31

      • valid_min: 0

  • faults

    • datatype: <int8>

    • dimensions: time

    • attributes:

      • _FillValue: -128

      • coverage_content_type: auxiliaryInformation

      • frequency: 0

      • long_name: Fault Flags, packed

      • units: 1

      • comment: Each bit represents a fault indication. See documentation for details.

      • valid_max: 127

      • valid_min: 0

  • stabilization

    • datatype: <int8>

    • dimensions: time

    • attributes:

      • _FillValue: -128

      • coverage_content_type: auxiliaryInformation

      • frequency: 0

      • long_name: Stabilization Indicator

      • units: 1

      • comment: 0=Off, 1=On

      • valid_max: 1

      • valid_min: 0

  • operating_mode

    • datatype: <int8>

    • dimensions: time

    • attributes:

      • _FillValue: -128

      • coverage_content_type: auxiliaryInformation

      • frequency: 0

      • long_name: Operating Mode

      • units: 1

      • valid_max: 7

      • valid_min: 0

  • tilt

    • datatype: <float32>

    • dimensions: time

    • attributes:

      • _FillValue: -9999.0

      • coverage_content_type: auxiliaryInformation

      • frequency: 0

      • long_name: Radar tilt angle

      • units: degree

      • valid_max: 15.75

      • valid_min: -16.0

  • gain

    • datatype: <int8>

    • dimensions: time

    • attributes:

      • _FillValue: -128

      • coverage_content_type: auxiliaryInformation

      • frequency: 0

      • long_name: Gain

      • units: dB

      • comment: A value of 0 indicates maximum gain. A value of 1 indicates calibration.

      • valid_max: 1

      • valid_min: -62

  • range

    • datatype: <int16>

    • dimensions: time

    • attributes:

      • _FillValue: -9999

      • coverage_content_type: auxiliaryInformation

      • frequency: 0

      • long_name: Range from aircraft

      • units: 1

      • comment: Represents the maximum range bin

      • valid_max: 320

      • valid_min: 5

  • data_accept

    • datatype: <int8>

    • dimensions: time

    • attributes:

      • _FillValue: -128

      • coverage_content_type: auxiliaryInformation

      • frequency: 0

      • long_name: Data Accept Indicator

      • units: 1

      • valid_max: 3

      • valid_min: 0

  • scan_angle

    • datatype: <float32>

    • dimensions: time

    • attributes:

      • _FillValue: -128

      • coverage_content_type: auxiliaryInformation

      • frequency: 0

      • long_name: Radar Scan Angle

      • units: 1

      • comment: The scan angle is the angle between the aircraft and the center of the radar beam.

      • valid_max: 359.912109375

      • valid_min: 0

  • reflectivity

    • datatype: <int8>

    • dimensions: time, bins

    • attributes:

      • _FillValue: -128

      • coverage_content_type: thematicClassification

      • frequency: 0

      • long_name: Categorized reflectivity data

      • units: 1

      • valid_max: 7

      • valid_min: 0