Assimilation of Radar Data

This documentation outlines how to retrieve, process and assimilate HDF5 radar data

HARMONIE compilation

HIRLAM have made code changes to BATOR to allow the direct reading of HDF5 radar data and conversion to ODB suitable for use in the HARMONIE data assimilation system. If you wish to use these changes you must compile HARMONIE with support for HDF5. This requires the addition of -DUSE_HDF5 to the FDEFS in your makeup config file as well has adding hdf5 to EXTMODS. util/makeup/config.ECMWF.atos.gnu is an example of a makeup config file

Format

The BATOR code assumes the HDF5 radar data being read uses the OPERA Data Information Model (ODIM). See https://www.eumetnet.eu/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/ODIMH5v2.4.pdf for further information.

Data retrieval

Quality-controlled radar data can be retrieved from local archives, the OPERA Nimbus server (contact: Lukas Tuechler (Geosphere)), or the ODE (OPERA Development Environment) server (contact: Günther Haase (SMHI)).

Data processing

The HARMONIE script system requires that the OPERA HDF5 data files be stored in RADARDIR (defined in ecf/config_exp.h ) and have a file name using the format: ${HDFID}_qcvol_${DATE}T${HH}00.h5 where:

HDFID is a 5 digit OPERA radar identifier
DATE is the date
HH is the hour

Common pitfalls

Forgetting to add -DUSE_HDF5 correctly to your config file
Incorrect RADARDIR
Incorrect file names
Incorrect format entered in refdata - BATOR is quite strict about how it reads the information in refdata:

02918zh  HDF5     radarv           20100808 03