Recipe: IDL program to read data from downloaded file

Problem

We want to read a downloaded data file using IDL.

Solution

For the purpose of this example, we assume that we have already downloaded the file c1440_NR.inst01hr_3d_T_Cv.20060918_0900z.nc4 from the ftp/http server. For more information about file naming conventions, and how to download a file from the ftp server, please follow the links in the #See Also section.

Code

The code below reads the global temperature data from file, computes the maximum and minimum temperatures and plots (using the matplotlib package) the aire temperature at the surface (level=71). It has been tested with IDL v 8.3.

; file
file = 'c1440_NR.inst01hr_3d_T_Cv.20060918_0900z.nc4'

; read data from file
ncid = ncdf_open(file)
ncdf_varget, ncid, 'T', T
ncdf_close, ncid

; max/min of T
print, 'max(T):', max(T)
print, 'min(T):', min(T)

; plot T at the surface
lons = findgen(720)*0.5-180.
lats = findgen(361)*0.5-90.
basemap = map('Cylindrical Equal Area', limit=[-90., -180., 90., 180.])
cntrplot = contour( $
           T[*,*,71], $ ;; level=71 => surface
           lons, $
           lats, $
           grid_units=2, $ ;; degrees
           n_levels=20, $
           rgb_table=34, $
           ;; /fill, $
           /overplot, $
           title='surface air temperature' $
                  )
cntnt = mapcontinents(/countries)
END

Output

Running this IDL script

IDL> .run g5nr_reader.pro

we get the text output

max(T):      315.651
min(T):      180.367

and the plot

Discussions

Modifications to read a subset of the data

The above IDL script can be easily modified to read a subset of the data instead. The modified code, to read temperature data inside the box bounded by latitudes 25^oN, 50^oN and longitudes -130^oW, -65^oW, is

; file
file = 'c1440_NR.inst01hr_3d_T_Cv.20060918_0900z.nc4'

; read data from file
ncid = ncdf_open(file)
; bounding box
;   lons = -130:0.5:-65
;   lats =   25:0.5:50
imin = round((-130. + 180.)/0.5) - 1
imax = round(( -65. + 180.)/0.5) - 1
jmin = round((  25 +  90.)/0.5) - 1
jmax = round((  50 +  90.)/0.5) - 1
; corresponding array sizes
im = imax-imin+1
jm = jmax-jmin+1
lm = 72 ; read all 72 levels
; start and count vectors
offset = [imin, jmin, 0, 0]
count = [im, jm, lm, 1]
ncdf_varget, ncid, 'T', T, count=count, offset=offset
ncdf_close, ncid

; max/min of T
print, 'max(T):', max(T)
print, 'min(T):', min(T)

; plot T at the surface
lons = findgen(im)*0.5-130.
lats = findgen(jm)*0.5+25.
basemap = map('Cylindrical Equal Area', limit=[25., -130., 50., -65.])
cntrplot = contour( $
           T[*,*,71], $ ;; level=71 => surface
           lons, $
           lats, $
           grid_units=2, $ ;; degrees
           n_levels=20, $
           rgb_table=34, $
           ;; /fill, $
           /overplot, $
           title='surface air temperature' $
                  )
m1 = mapcontinents(/countries)

END

Running the modified script, produces the text output

max(T):      305.605
min(T):      191.696

and the plot

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