United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Atmospheric Sciences
Research Laboratory
Research Triangle Park NC 27711
Research and Development
EPA/600/S3-86/053 Jan. 1987
&EPA Project Summary
Development of a
Micrometeorological and
Tracer Data Archive
J. G. Droppo, Jr.
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
becomes lost forever. This archive for
micrometeorological and tracer disper-
sion data was developed by Battelle,
Pacific Northwest Laboratories for the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA). The archive is to be used by EPA
in ongoing model testing, develop-
ment, and verification efforts.
During the course of this project, a
series of reports for the user of the
archive were prepared. Archive survey
and introduction reports contain the in-
formation necessary to access and use
the data archive. The structure and
form of the micrometeorological and
tracer data archive are documented in
this archive introduction report. In addi-
tion, three individual documentation
reports provide detailed information on
the three data sets, which have been
entered into the archive.
This final project report documents
efforts related to the development and
implementation of the archive that
were not covered in previous reports.
The emphasis in this report is on the
activities related to creation of data
archive sets. Starting with the selection
of a computer and software, and ending
with the final quality assurance checks
on the archived data, this information is
presented to provide guidance to those
wishing to add additional data sets to
the micrometeorological and tracer
data archive.
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 is fully docu-
mented in a separate report of the same
title (see Project Report ordering infor-
mation at back).
Introduction
The Meteorology and Assessment Di-
vision of the U.S. Environmental Protec-
tion Agency's (EPA) Atmospheric Sci-
ences Research Laboratory initiated a
project to develop and establish an
archive of original experimental data
and documentation for use by atmos-
pheric dispersion and boundary layer
researchers. The main objective was to
develop and test a means for archiving
invaluable data sets in a timely fashion
before the necessary supporting infor-
mation becomes lost forever. This
archive which has been developed by
Battelle, Pacific Northwest Laboratories
will be useful for evaluating and im-
proving dispersion models, ensuring
the retention of these data for the fu-
ture, and making them more readily
available to the research community.
This report documents project-related
activities for development and imple-
mentation of the micrometeorological
and tracer (M&T) data archive. Earlier
companion reports provide guidance to
the user of archived data; this report
provides guidance on the process of as-
sembling a data set for entry into the
M&T data archive.
Archive
The M&T data archive consists of a
series of data sets archived following a
consistent self-documenting format.
Each data set is assigned an archive
number and is referred to as an archive
data set. Each archive data set includes
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both documentation and data. A data
set documentation report is prepared
for each archived data set.
The archive for each data set is con-
tained in five or more files on magnetic
tape. These files consists of a header
file, three documentation files, and one
or more data files.
The data are entered into the archive
in as close to original form as possible
to maintain a clear link with original
records. The archived data are con-
tained within a well-defined structure
called a data map. The data map allows
data to be entered in original formats
while providing the user with a
machine-readable pathway for access-
ing the diverse data formats.
Three data sets were archived during
this project. A listing of the contents and
documentation for these sets are given
in a separate report with the same
name. Detailed information on these
archiving activities is provided in this
section as guidance for possible future
archiving efforts.
The data sets selected purposely in-
cluded a mixture of data archiving re-
quirements to provide a wider base of
archiving experience. The first data set,
Minnesota 1973, was mainly in the for-
mat of published materials but included
unpublished rawinsonde data. For both
sources, the data were in hard-copy ta-
bles and had to be entered into a com-
puter file format. The second data set,
Hanford 1964, was a data set wherein
both data tapes and FORTRAN pro-
grams used to generate published ta-
bles were available. The third set,
Hanford-67 series, had a data tape with
copies of the published tables.
The first two archive data sets were
small enough in size for convenient
handling during the development of the
archiving procedures. The third set
which was considerably larger, was
archived without major problems using
the lessons learned with the smaller
data sets.
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. The
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., is with Battelle. Pacific Northwest Laboratory. Rich land, WA
99352.
John S. Irwin is the EPA Project Officer (see below).
The complete report, entitled "Development of a Micrometeorological and Tracer
Data Archive," (Order No. PB87-110 490/AS; Cost: $9.95, subject to change)
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
United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Center for Environmental Research
Information
Ciin-inn,ii' OH 452GG
U.S.CFRCIALMAL
Official Business
Penalty for Private Use $300
EPA/600/S3-86/053
0000329
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