Satellite Raw Data Converter - sat2netcdf
Summary
- Many satellite data sets are provided in formats which have limited support, or no software for data access.
- NCDC has developed the satellite data format converter to allow users to reformat raw satellite data to a format more accessible: netCDF.
- sat2netcdf only performs pixel-by-pixel calibration and navigation. If you require remapping of data for use in other software, try the weather and climate toolkit
Data Formats
The data routine converts the following NOAA data formats to netCDF format:
- GOES Imager (as provided by CLASS):
- McIDAS Area format
- netCDF format [this calibrates the data provided by CLASS]
- AVHRR POES Level 1B:
- GAC data - 10-bit packed format (with or without the TBM header)
Details on sat2netcdf.jar
- Latest version: 0.6
- Screenshot
- Requirements
- Java version 1.6 or greater
- 1 GB of RAM is recommended
- Registration - Please notify us when you download the converter if you want to be informed about new versions of the routine.
- Download - The converter can be downloaded via FTP (9.6 MB).
- Starting - "Double-click" the jar file or start from the command line using:
java -Xmx1024m -jar sat2netcdf.jar
- Command line interface - The converter can be used to convert files from the command line (e.g., in a batch mode) instead of through the default GUI.
- Output netCDF file size - because the raw satellite data are efficiently stored (e.g., bit-packing), the netCDF files will often be much larger than the raw data files.
Caveats
- GOES image size - The memory limit for most machines restricts the size of GOES files which may be converted.. The converter has been designed to convert full resolution visible CONUS images. Files with many pixels (for example, GOES full-disk, full-resolution visible imagery) will not work in the converter.
- Memory issues - 1024M of maximum heap space is the default. If Out of memory: heap space exceptions occur, then increase the maximum heap size by adjusting the -Xmx runtime argument.
- Pre - AVHRR KLM data formats - The current version 0.6 of the sat2netcdf toolkit will only convert AVHRR KLM or NOAA-15 through NOAA-18 data. Conversion of AVHRR data from TIROS-N, NOAA-6 through NOAA-14 are currently unreliable.
Sample code
- Sample code demonstrating the use of the sat2netCDF command line parameters.
AVHRR Links
- CLASS
-
AVHRR POD Guide
- The NOAA Polar Orbiter Data User's Guide (November 1998 version) describes the orbital and spacecraft characteristics, instruments, data formats, etc. of TIROS-N, NOAA-6 through NOAA-14
-
AVHRR POD Guide - KLM
- The NOAA KLM User's Guide (September 2000 revision) describes the orbital and spacecraft characteristics, instruments, data formats, etc. of NOAA-15 through NOAA-18.



