SEACOOS CDL v2.0
December 9, 2004
9
Table 5.1. SEACOOS CDL Format Categories
Format Category
Independent Variables
Dependent Variables
Cartesian
netCDF
Cartesian
netCDF
fixed-point
(buoy, tower)
t = t1,t2,t3
x0, constant
y0, constant
z0, constant(s)
time(time)
lon(lon)
lat(lat)
z(z)
T(x0, y0, z0, t)
u(x0, y0, z0, t)
v(x0, y0, z0, t)
T(time)
u(time)
v(time)
fixed-profiler
(wind profiler,
ADCP)
t = t1,t2,t3
x0, constant
y0, constant
z = z1, z2, z3
time(time)
lon(lon)
lat(lat)
z(z)
T(x0, y0, z, t)
u(x0, y0, z, t)
v(x0, y0, z, t)
T(time,z)
u(time,z)
v(time,z)
fixed-map
(HF Radar, Satellite
Imagery)
t = t1,t2,t3
x = x1,x2,x3
y = y1,y2,y3
z0, constant
time(time)
lon(lon)
lat(lat)
z(z)
T(x, y, z0, t)
u(x, y, z0, t)
v(x, y, z0, t)
T(time,x,y)
u(time,x,y)
v(time,x,y)
moving-point-2D
(ship, floating
drifter)
t = t1,t2,t3
x = x(t)
y = y(t)
z0, constant(s)
time(time)
lon(time)
lat(time)
z(z)
T(x(t), y(t), z0, t)
u(x(t), y(t), z0, t)
v(x(t), y(t), z0, t)
T(time)
u(time)
v(time)
moving-point-3D
(aircraft, towed
undulating vehicle,
sea glider,
lagrangian drifter)
t = t1,t2,t3
x = x(t)
y = y(t)
z
= z(t)
time(time)
lon(time)
lat(time)
z(time)
T(x(t), y(t), z(t), t)
u(x(t), y(t), z(t), t)
v(x(t), y(t), z(t), t)
T(time)
u(time)
v(time)
moving-profiler
(ship- mounted
ADCP, CTD
surveys)
t = t1,t2,t3
x = x(t)
y = y(t)
z = z1, z2, z3
time(time)
lon(time)
lat(time)
z(z)
T(x(t), y(t), z, t)
u(x(t), y(t), z, t)
v(x(t), y(t), z, t)
T(time,z)
u(time,z)
v(time,z)
Data providers should provide their data in file structures that fall into one of the six formatting
categories listed in Table 5.1. This also helps the data provider determine if they need to create
multiple files while limiting the number of possible configurations. CDL examples for each
format category are given in Appendix A. Each file should contain variables that describe and
provide data for the four independent variables whether they are used as a coordinate variable or
are a function of time (t).
There is a special provision for fixed-point and moving-point-2D, to accommodate data from
sensors mounted at different heights in one netCDF file for the platform. For example, some
buoy stations have wind sensors mounted above at 5 or more meters above the buoy while other
atmospheric sensors are located on the buoy frame only 1 meter above the sea surface and in-
water packages measure at 1 or 2 meters below the sea surface. For these cases, in the netCDF, a
fully-described vertical (z) independent variable is provided with the three different instrument
