Data Formats

This document describes the data formats supported by the Profiler package.

Supported File Types

MATLAB Files (.mat)

Used primarily for: - Spray glider data - Solo float data - EM-APEX float data - Triaxus data

Required Structure:

For binned data:

{
    'bindata': {  # or 'ctd' for non-field data
        'time': [...],    # Unix timestamps
        'lat': [...],     # Latitudes
        'lon': [...],     # Longitudes
        't': [...],       # Temperature
        's': [...],       # Salinity
        'p': [...],       # Pressure
        'depth': [...]    # Depth
    }
}

For raw data:

{
    'data': {
        'time': [...],
        'lat': [...],
        'lon': [...],
        't': [[...], ...],  # List of arrays
        's': [[...], ...],
        'qual': {
            't': [...],     # Quality flags
            's': [...]
        }
    }
}

NetCDF Files (.nc)

Used primarily for: - VMP data - Slocum glider data

Required Variables:

dimensions:
    time
    depth

variables:
    time(time)
    lat(time)
    lon(time)
    temperature(time, depth)
    salinity(time, depth)
    pressure(time, depth)

Quality Control Flags

Standard Flags:

CTD_SENSOR_OFF = 9     # Sensor not recording
CTD_BAD = 7           # Bad data
CTD_QUESTIONABLE = 3  # Questionable data
GPS_GOOD = 0         # Good GPS fix

Data Array Types

Profile Arrays

Arrays indexed by profile number:

time
lat
lon
dist
offset

Depth Arrays

Arrays indexed by depth level:

depth
p (pressure)

Profile-Depth Arrays

2D arrays indexed by both profile and depth:

t (temperature)
s (salinity)
theta (potential temperature)
sigma (potential density)
SA (absolute salinity)
rho (in-situ density)

ADCP Arrays

For instruments with ADCP capability:

udop
vdop
udopacross
udopalong

File Naming Conventions

Spray Gliders

NNNN.mat where NNNN is the glider number

Solo Floats

NNNN.mat where NNNN is the float number

EM-APEX Floats

FNNNN.mat where NNNN is the float number

VMP

Standard naming: vmp_YYYYMMDD.nc