United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Atmospheric Sciences
Research Laboratory
Research Triangle Park NC 27711
'I-
Research and Development
EPA/600/S3-85/062 Sept. 1985
Project Summary
Preparation, Archiving, and
Documentation of Available
Meteorological and Tracer
Data for Model Evaluation
J. G. Droppo, Jr., C. S. Glantz,
C. R. Watson, and R. K. Woodruff
The aim of this effort was to develop
and test a means for archiving invalu-
able data sets in a timely fashion before
the necessary supporting information
about the data becomes lost forever, rt
was anticipated that no one fixed for-
mat could possibly cope with the vari-
ety of data collected during typical
large-scale micrometeorological and
tracer diffusion field studies. The use of
these data is hampered, as much of it
exists in tabular form in reports. While
the intent was to develop a means for
preserving these data and making
these data more readily available, it
was not the goal of this project to de-
sign a data base management system.
The envisioned need was a procedure
for storing the data that was suffi-
ciently flexible to encompass a variety
of data types and formats. To accom-
plish this, a survey was conducted of
field data available from studies con-
ducted prior to 1980. Based on the find-
ings of the survey, it was determined
that the archived data should include
descriptive information as well as the
data values. The entries in the descrip-
tive portion of the archive would in-
clude, among other items, a data fact
summary, a description of the experi-
ment, and special information regard-
. ing the data. The archived data are de-
scribed using a structure called a data
map. The data map allows the data to
be entered in original formats, while
providing the user with a machine-
readable pathway for accessing the di-
verse data formats. Standard words
are used for mapping variables and
their units within the various data sets.
This feature allows global scanning of
data sets for specific variables. The data
archive procedures are demonstrated
using the Minnesota 1973 micrometeo-
rological field data and the Hanford
1964 tracer diffusion field data.
This Project Summary was devel-
oped by EPA's Atmospheric Sciences
Research Laboratory, Research Triangle
Park, NC, to announce key findings of
the research project that are fully docu-
mented in four separate reports (see
Project Report ordering information at
back).
Introduction
There is a relatively large and diverse
body of data from micrometeorological
and tracer field experiments that has
been and could be used for develop-
ment and evaluation of numerical simu-
lation models. The use of these data is
hampered, as much of it exists in tabu-
lar form in reports. The intent of this
project was to develop a means for pre-
serving these data and of making these
data more readily available to the tech-
nical community. It was anticipated that
no one fixed format could possibly cope
with the variety of data collected. Fur-
thermore, the goal of the project was
not to design a data base management
system. The envisioned need was a pro-
cedure for storing the data that was suf-
ficiently flexible to encompass a variety
of data types and formats.
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Results and Discussion
To become familiar with the data
types and formats likely to be encoun-
tered, a survey was performed of field
experiments conducted prior to 1980.
This survey not only provided informa-
tion about the general character of the
body of data, but also identified data of
potential interest. This survey identified
22 micrometeorological and 41 tracer
diffusion data sets of primary interest
for potential future archiving. The focus
of the survey was on data sets for rela-
tively flat to gently rolling uniform rural
terrain with small to moderate rough-
ness elements. Only diffusion studies
with controller tracer releases were con-
sidered. From these, a subset of five
micrometeorological and five tracer dif-
fusion data sets were recommended for
first archiving. The recommended data
sets include the following:
Micrometeorological
Minnesota 1973
Cabauw 1977-1979
Koorin Expedition
Cooperative Atmospheric Boundary
Layer Experiment (CABLE)
Phoenix Project
Tracer Diffusion
Hanford 1964
Hanford Secondary Series
Cabauw
Karlsruhe 1969-1974
Ocean Breeze
For the purpose of developing and
testing the archive structure, process,
procedures, and documentation, two
data sets were selected: The Minnesota
1973 and the Hanford 1964. The criteria
for selection were flexible and included
such considerations as potential level of
current interest in the data, the compre-
hensiveness of measurements, the
availability of the original data, and the
attributes of the data set to provide a
realistic test of archival process and pro-
cedures. The findings of the survey, in-
cluding the data summaries outlining
the instrumentation nature and extent
of the field studies are presented in the
following report:
"Survey of Meteorological and Tracer
Data for Demonstrating a Data
Archive", by R. K. Woodruff and C. S.
Glantz, EPA/600/3-85/052.
Based on the findings of the survey, it
was decided that an archive of data
should include descriptive information
as well as the data values. The entries in
the descriptive portion of the archive
are data set fact summary, a narrative
description of experiment and data,
special information, references, a de-
scription of archive data files, contacts
(names, addresses, and phone num-
bers), and standard experiment sum-
mary tables. This documentation is not
meant to replace existing documenta-
tion of the experiments. The data
archive narrative information provides
sufficient information to identify rele-
vant data for particular analyses. It also
provides room to advise users of special
considerations that otherwise might go
unnoticed, such as deposition or espe-
cially high quality data.
The data are entered into the archive
in a form as close to original form as
possible to maintain a clear link with
original records. The archived data are
contained within a well-defined struc-
ture called a data map. The data map
allows data to be entered in original for-
mats, while providing the user with a
machine-readable pathway for access-
ing the diverse data formats. Standard
words are used for mapping variables
and their units within the various data
sets. This feature allows global scan-
ning of data sets for specific variables.
The data structure is designed so that
selected portions may be loaded into
the user's data base system or it may be
accessed using a custom computer
program.
A complete description of the pro-
posed data archive format including a
FORTRAN computer code for accessing
the data is presented in the following
report:
"Introduction to Micrometeorological
and Tracer Data Archive Procedures,"
written by J. G. Droppo, Jr. and C. R.
Watson, EPA/600/3-85/053.
As mentioned earlier, two data sets
were selected to develop, test and
demonstrate the archival procedures.
The narrative documentation is con-
tained in two reports:
(1) "The Minnesota 1973 atmo-
spheric boundary layer experi-
ment. Micrometeorological and
tracer data archive set 001 docu-
mentation report," by R. K.
Woodruff, J. G. Droppo and C. S.
Glantz, EPA/600/3-85/054.
(2) "The Hanford 1964 atmospheric
dispersion experiment. Microme-
teorological and tracer data
archive set 002 documentation re-
port." by C. S. Glantz, R. K.
Woodruff and J. G. Droppo, EPA/
600/3-85-055.
The Minnesota 1973 archive provides i
the data for the 11 daytime experiments
that were conducted in northwestern
Minnesota during late summer. This
was a full-scale measurement program
over flat, smooth terrain to measure tur-
bulent fluxes at multiple levels from a
32-m tower and a tethered balloon. The
meteorological conditions measured
represent fully developed stationary
convective periods with mixing depths
to approximately 2300 m. Measure-
ments include mean profiles of wind
and temperature and fluctuations of
three wind components. A unique as-
pect of these measurements is the high
vertical spatial density of turbulence
measurements in the surface layer and
extending to a height of 1220 m in the
mixed layer. Unique to this archive is
the original Minnesota 1973 rawin-
sonde data that were provided by
Yutaka Izumi of the Air Force Geophysi-
cal Laboratory.
The Hanford 1964 archive provides
the data for the 14 tracer experiments
conducted during the spring and sum-
mer of 1964. These nighttime experi-
ments were conducted during generally
stable atmospheric stability over the rel-
atively flat terrain of the U.S. Govern-
ment's Hanford Reservation in south- ,
eastern Washington. The tracer (ZnS)
was released at an elevation of 121.9 m
from a fixed tower and sampled on a
number of arcs arrayed between 200 m
and 12,800 m downwind of the release
tower. Sampling was conducted at
1.5 m above ground level. Meteorologi-
cal measurements include wind speed
and direction, standard deviation of the
horizontal wind direction, and tempera-
ture measured at eight levels on a
121.9-m tower.
Conclusions and
Recommendations
The results of the survey of meteoro-
logical and tracer field studies con-
ducted prior to 1980 suggest there are
data sets of significant value that would
be worthwhile to preserve. As evi-
denced by the data donated by Yutaka
Izumi, it is important to establish the
archive before the original participants
are no longer available and before the
original notes of the experiments are
lost. The use of the data map to define
the storage format and structure of the
data values proved successful. The data
from two field studies were entered into
the archive in a form that was close to.
the form of the original records. TheJ
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i data map was successfully used to re-
trieve and access these values from the
archive. It is recommended that the ef-
fort be continued. It is anticipated that
the archive procedures developed and
tested are flexible enough to accommo-
date most data sets. The archive proce-
dures require minimal changes to the
data format from that provided in the
original records. The preservation of
field data has obvious benefits to ongo-
ing and future research and model de-
velopment efforts.
J. G. Droppo, Jr., C. S. Glantz, C. R. Watson, andR. K. Woodruff are with Batte/ie,
Pacific Northwest Laboratories, Rich/and, WA 99352.
J. S. Irwin is the EPA Project Officer (see below).
This Project Summary covers the following reports:
"Survey of Meteorological and Tracer Data for Demonstrating a Data Archive,"
(Order No. PB 85-235 190/AS; Cost: $ 10.00, subject to change).
"Introduction to Micrometeorological and Tracer Data Archive Procedures,"
(Order No. PB 85-235 216/AS; Cost: $10.00, subject to change).
"The Minnesota 1973 Atmospheric Boundary Layer Experiment: Micrometeor-
ological and Tracer Data Archive Set 001 Documentation Report, "(Order No.
PB 85-243 152/AS; Cost: $9.95, subject to change).
"The Hanford 1964 Atmospheric Boundary Experiment: Micrometeorological
and Tracer Data Archive Set OO2 Documentation Report," (Order No. PB
85-243 145/AS; Cost: $9.95, subject to change).
The above reports will be available only from:
National Technical Information Service
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, VA 22161
Telephone: 703-487-4650
The EPA Project Officer can be contacted at:
Atmospheric Sciences Research Laboratory
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Research Triangle Park, NC 27711
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