Here is an example of a netCDF file that Vaisala Lidar Ceilometer CL61 produces.
netcdf file: {
dimensions:
time = UNLIMITED; // (12 currently)
range = 3276;
layer = 5;
variables:
int cloud_base_heights(time=12, layer=5);
:long_name = "heights (range) of the detected cloud bases";
:coordinates = "time layer longitude latitude";
:_FillValue = -99; // int
:units = "m";
:_ChunkSizes = 1U, 5U; // uint
int vertical_visibility(time=12);
:_FillValue = -99; // int
:units = "m";
:long_name = "visibility in the direction of the instrument beam";
:coordinates = "time longitude latitude";
:_ChunkSizes = 1024U; // uint
float p_pol(time=12, range=3276);
:_FillValue = -999.0f; // float
:units = "1/(m?sr)";
:long_name = "parallel-polarized component of the backscattered light";
:coordinates = "time range longitude latitude";
:averaging_time_in_seconds = 5; // int
:_ChunkSizes = 1U, 3276U; // uint
float x_pol(time=12, range=3276);
:units = "1/(m?sr)";
:long_name = "cross-polarized component of the backscattered light";
:coordinates = "time range longitude latitude";
:averaging_time_in_seconds = 5; // int
:_FillValue = -999.0f; // float
:_ChunkSizes = 1U, 3276U; // uint
float beta_att(time=12, range=3276);
:_FillValue = -999.0f; // float
:units = "1/(m?sr)";
:long_name = "attenuated volume backscatter coefficient";
:coordinates = "time range longitude latitude";
:averaging_time_in_seconds = 5; // int
:_ChunkSizes = 1U, 3276U; // uint
float linear_depol_ratio(time=12, range=3276);
:long_name = "linear depolarisation ratio of the backscatter volume";
:coordinates = "time range longitude latitude";
:averaging_time_in_seconds = 10; // int
:_FillValue = -999.0f; // float
:_ChunkSizes = 1U, 3276U; // uint
double time(time=12);
:_FillValue = -999.0; // double
:units = "seconds since 1970-01-01 00:00:00.000";
:long_name = "Time";
:axis = "T";
:standard_name = "time";
:cf_role = "profile_id";
:_ChunkSizes = 512U; // uint
double range(range=3276);
:_FillValue = -999.0; // double
:units = "m";
:long_name = "measurement distance from the instrument in the direction of the transmitted laser beam";
:axis = "Z";
:positive = "up";
int layer(layer=5);
:_FillValue = -999; // int
:units = "layer";
:long_name = "number of the observed cloud layer (1,2,...,5)";
double longitude;
:_FillValue = -999.0; // double
:units = "degrees_east";
:long_name = "longitude";
:standard_name = "longitude";
double latitude;
:_FillValue = -999.0; // double
:units = "degrees_north";
:long_name = "latitude";
:standard_name = "latitude";
int elevation;
:_FillValue = -999; // int
:units = "m";
:long_name = "elevation";
:standard_name = "ground_level_altitude";
:comment = "measurement site height above or below a fixed reference point, most commonly a reference geoid";
double beta_att_sum(time=12);
:_FillValue = -999.0; // double
:units = "1/(10^4?sr)";
:long_name = "scaled integral of the attenuated volume backscatter coefficient";
:_ChunkSizes = 512U; // uint
double beta_att_noise_level(time=12);
:_FillValue = -999.0; // double
:long_name = "a unitless number describing the noise level of the attenuated volume backscatter coefficient";
:_ChunkSizes = 512U; // uint
short tilt_correction(time=12);
:_FillValue = -999S; // short
:long_name = "tilt correction";
:comment = "on/off (1/0)";
:_ChunkSizes = 2048U; // uint
float tilt_angle(time=12);
:_FillValue = -999.0f; // float
:units = "°";
:standard_name = "zenith_angle";
:long_name = "instrument tilt angle from the vertical";
:_ChunkSizes = 1024U; // uint
short height_offset(time=12);
:_FillValue = -999S; // short
:long_name = "instrument height offset to reference level";
:comment = "positive, if the instrument is placed e.g. on the roof of a building. Negative, if the instrument is placed below the ground level altitude e.g. in a pit. This value will be added to the cloud base height results.";
:units = "m";
:_ChunkSizes = 2048U; // uint
short sky_condition_total_cloud_cover(time=12);
:_FillValue = -99S; // short
:units = "oktas";
:long_name = "total amount of cloud cover";
:comment = "aggregated across layers";
:coordinates = "time longitude latitude";
:_ChunkSizes = 2048U; // uint
short sky_condition_cloud_layer_covers(time=12, layer=5);
:_FillValue = -99S; // short
:units = "oktas";
:long_name = "amount of cloud cover in different cloud layers";
:comment = "for up to 3 layers";
:coordinates = "time layer longitude latitude";
:_ChunkSizes = 1U, 5U; // uint
int sky_condition_cloud_layer_heights(time=12, layer=5);
:_FillValue = -99; // int
:units = "m";
:long_name = "height of different cloud layers";
:comment = "for up to 3 layers";
:coordinates = "time layer longitude latitude";
:_ChunkSizes = 1U, 5U; // uint
group: status {
// group attributes:
:Timestamp = "1640186884.550009";
:Device_controller_temperature = "OK: 0";
:Device_controller_electronics = "OK: 0";
:Device_controller_overall = "OK: 0";
:Optics_unit_accelerometer = "OK: 0";
:Optics_unit_electronics = "OK: 0";
:Optics_unit_overall = "OK: 0";
:Optics_unit_memory = "OK: 0";
:Optics_unit_tilt_angle = "OK: 0";
:Receiver_electronics = "OK: 0";
:Receiver_overall = "OK: 0";
:Receiver_memory = "OK: 0";
:Window_blocking = "OK: 0";
:Window_condition = "OK: 0";
:Servo_drive_electronics = "OK: 0";
:Servo_drive_overall = "OK: 0";
:Servo_drive_memory = "OK: 0";
:Servo_drive_control = "OK: 0";
:Servo_drive_ready = "OK: 0";
:Transmitter_electronics = "OK: 0";
:Transmitter_light_source = "OK: 0";
:Transmitter_light_source_power = "OK: 0";
:Transmitter_overall = "OK: 0";
:Transmitter_memory = "OK: 0";
:Maintenance_overall = "OK: 0";
:Device_overall = "OK: 0";
:Recently_started = "OK: 0";
:Measurement_status = "OK: 0";
:Datacom_overall = "OK: 0";
:Measurement_data_destination_not_set = "Reporting destination URL for output data set: 0";
}
group: monitoring {
// group attributes:
:internal_pressure = 1017.99896f; // float
:internal_temperature = 6.75f; // float
:laser_temperature = 21.29001f; // float
:laser_power_percent = 101.81151f; // float
:window_condition = 96.429214f; // float
:background_radiance = 0.0f; // float
:Timestamp = "1640186884.550009";
:internal_humidity = 17.362f; // float
}
// global attributes:
:title = "CL61, Ceilometer CL61, A";
:institution = ;
:source = ;
:conventions = "CF-1.8";
:history = "1.1.0";
:comment = ;
:unit = "m";
:temporal_span_of_this_file_in_minutes = 1.0; // double
:time_between_consecutive_profiles_in_seconds = 5; // int
data:
cloud_base_heights =
{
{86, -99, -99, -99, -99},
{-99, -99, -99, -99, -99},
{-99, -99, -99, -99, -99},
{-99, -99, -99, -99, -99},
{81, -99, -99, -99, -99},
{81, -99, -99, -99, -99},
{81, -99, -99, -99, -99},
{86, -99, -99, -99, -99},
{86, -99, -99, -99, -99},
{81, -99, -99, -99, -99},
{81, -99, -99, -99, -99},
{81, -99, -99, -99, -99}
}
vertical_visibility =
{-99, -99, -99, -99, -99, -99, -99, -99, -99, -99, -99, -99}
p_pol =
{
{8.1808787E-7, 7.196612E-7, 7.6596643E-7, ... 1.9492056E-6, 3.3532885E-6},
{8.6130206E-7, 7.419825E-7, 7.705374E-7, ... 1.2308351E-5, 1.2614914E-5},
{9.196278E-7, 7.776576E-7, 7.893953E-7, ... 3.2520134E-6, 2.9151818E-6},
{9.572715E-7, 8.0411735E-7, 8.094215E-7, ... -1.7989412E-6, -2.6651007E-6},
{8.1808787E-7, 7.196612E-7, 7.6596643E-7, ... 1.9492056E-6, 3.3532885E-6},
{8.6130206E-7, 7.419825E-7, 7.705374E-7, ... 1.2308351E-5, 1.2614914E-5},
{9.196278E-7, 7.776576E-7, 7.893953E-7, ... 3.2520134E-6, 2.9151818E-6},
{9.572715E-7, 8.0411735E-7, 8.094215E-7, ... -1.7989412E-6, -2.6651007E-6},
{8.1808787E-7, 7.196612E-7, 7.6596643E-7, ... 1.9492056E-6, 3.3532885E-6},
{8.6130206E-7, 7.419825E-7, 7.705374E-7, ... 1.2308351E-5, 1.2614914E-5},
{9.196278E-7, 7.776576E-7, 7.893953E-7, ... 3.2520134E-6, 2.9151818E-6},
{9.572715E-7, 8.0411735E-7, 8.094215E-7, ... -1.7989412E-6, -2.6651007E-6}
}
x_pol =
{
{8.1808787E-7, 7.196612E-7, 7.6596643E-7, ... 1.9492056E-6, 3.3532885E-6},
{8.6130206E-7, 7.419825E-7, 7.705374E-7, ... 1.2308351E-5, 1.2614914E-5},
{9.196278E-7, 7.776576E-7, 7.893953E-7, ... 3.2520134E-6, 2.9151818E-6},
{9.572715E-7, 8.0411735E-7, 8.094215E-7, ... -1.7989412E-6, -2.6651007E-6},
{8.1808787E-7, 7.196612E-7, 7.6596643E-7, ... 1.9492056E-6, 3.3532885E-6},
{8.6130206E-7, 7.419825E-7, 7.705374E-7, ... 1.2308351E-5, 1.2614914E-5},
{9.196278E-7, 7.776576E-7, 7.893953E-7, ... 3.2520134E-6, 2.9151818E-6},
{9.572715E-7, 8.0411735E-7, 8.094215E-7, ... -1.7989412E-6, -2.6651007E-6},
{8.1808787E-7, 7.196612E-7, 7.6596643E-7, ... 1.9492056E-6, 3.3532885E-6},
{8.6130206E-7, 7.419825E-7, 7.705374E-7, ... 1.2308351E-5, 1.2614914E-5},
{9.196278E-7, 7.776576E-7, 7.893953E-7, ... 3.2520134E-6, 2.9151818E-6},
{9.572715E-7, 8.0411735E-7, 8.094215E-7, ... -1.7989412E-6, -2.6651007E-6}
}
beta_att =
{
{8.1808787E-7, 7.196612E-7, 7.6596643E-7, ... 1.9492056E-6, 3.3532885E-6},
{8.6130206E-7, 7.419825E-7, 7.705374E-7, ... 1.2308351E-5, 1.2614914E-5},
{9.196278E-7, 7.776576E-7, 7.893953E-7, ... 3.2520134E-6, 2.9151818E-6},
{9.572715E-7, 8.0411735E-7, 8.094215E-7, ... -1.7989412E-6, -2.6651007E-6},
{8.1808787E-7, 7.196612E-7, 7.6596643E-7, ... 1.9492056E-6, 3.3532885E-6},
{8.6130206E-7, 7.419825E-7, 7.705374E-7, ... 1.2308351E-5, 1.2614914E-5},
{9.196278E-7, 7.776576E-7, 7.893953E-7, ... 3.2520134E-6, 2.9151818E-6},
{9.572715E-7, 8.0411735E-7, 8.094215E-7, ... -1.7989412E-6, -2.6651007E-6},
{8.1808787E-7, 7.196612E-7, 7.6596643E-7, ... 1.9492056E-6, 3.3532885E-6},
{8.6130206E-7, 7.419825E-7, 7.705374E-7, ... 1.2308351E-5, 1.2614914E-5},
{9.196278E-7, 7.776576E-7, 7.893953E-7, ... 3.2520134E-6, 2.9151818E-6},
{9.572715E-7, 8.0411735E-7, 8.094215E-7, ... -1.7989412E-6, -2.6651007E-6}
}
linear_depol_ratio =
{
{0.21420485, 0.17058994, 0.12048329, ... 1.021156, 0.952593},
{0.21420485, 0.17058994, 0.12048329, ... 1.021156, 0.952593},
{0.21420485, 0.17058994, 0.12048329, ... 1.021156, 0.952593},
{0.21420485, 0.17058994, 0.12048329, ... 1.021156, 0.952593},
{0.21420485, 0.17058994, 0.12048329, ... 1.021156, 0.952593},
{0.21420485, 0.17058994, 0.12048329, ... 1.021156, 0.952593},
{0.21420485, 0.17058994, 0.12048329, ... 1.021156, 0.952593},
{0.21420485, 0.17058994, 0.12048329, ... 1.021156, 0.952593},
{0.21420485, 0.17058994, 0.12048329, ... 1.021156, 0.952593},
{0.21420485, 0.17058994, 0.12048329, ... 1.021156, 0.952593},
{0.21420485, 0.17058994, 0.12048329, ... 1.021156, 0.952593},
{0.21420485, 0.17058994, 0.12048329, ... 1.021156, 0.952593},
}
time =
{1.640186886033E9, 1.640186890919E9, 1.640186896032E9, 1.640186901047E9, 1.640186905973E9, 1.640186911053E9, 1.640186916055E9, 1.640186920758E9, 1.640186925974E9, 1.640186930877E9, 1.640186936075E9, 1.640186941011E9}
range =
{0.0, 4.8, 9.6, ... 15715.2, 15720.0}
layer =
{1, 2, 3, 4, 5}
longitude = 64.2
latitude = 24.6
elevation = 0
beta_att_sum =
{12.676630493901454, 11.963449728784887, 11.758387273891177, 13.38413042211819, 15.025900580184715, 14.927933812508114, 17.323201550107125, 15.68775262897133, 15.414092167236513, 16.80869399145431, 18.79932434840589, 17.38548745227421}
beta_att_noise_level =
{41.28067396748121, 54.77361843069384, 52.75878232463023, 49.07445047015669, 48.80510728010196, 57.04194084693743, 47.93769764434323, 49.35536192047626, 53.582720995137045, 57.49766685100461, 46.805902240568955, 51.07191906017475}
tilt_correction =
{1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1, 1}
tilt_angle =
{4.0, 3.9, 4.0, 3.9, 3.9, 3.9, 4.0, 4.0, 3.9, 4.0, 3.9, 3.9}
height_offset =
{0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0}
sky_condition_total_cloud_cover =
{4, 4, 4, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3, 3}
sky_condition_cloud_layer_covers =
{
{1, 4, -99, -99, -99},
{1, 4, -99, -99, -99},
{1, 4, -99, -99, -99},
{1, 3, -99, -99, -99},
{1, 3, -99, -99, -99},
{1, 3, -99, -99, -99},
{1, 3, -99, -99, -99},
{1, 3, -99, -99, -99},
{1, 3, -99, -99, -99},
{1, 3, -99, -99, -99},
{1, 3, -99, -99, -99},
{1, 3, -99, -99, -99}
}
sky_condition_cloud_layer_heights =
{
{70, 170, -99, -99, -99},
{70, 170, -99, -99, -99},
{70, 170, -99, -99, -99},
{70, 170, -99, -99, -99},
{70, 170, -99, -99, -99},
{70, 170, -99, -99, -99},
{70, 170, -99, -99, -99},
{70, 170, -99, -99, -99},
{70, 170, -99, -99, -99},
{70, 170, -99, -99, -99},
{70, 170, -99, -99, -99},
{80, 170, -99, -99, -99}
}
}