19990825: Satellite and radar imagery file format

>From: Li-Chuan Chen <address@hidden>
>Organization: Iowa Institute of Hydraulic Research
>Keywords: 199908252152.PAA02736

>Dear Sir or Madam,
>
>       What is the file format for satellite and radar images in GEMPAK if I
>want to overlay a satellite or radar image with a surface map?  Is there
>any way to convert a gif file (satellite image) into GEMPAK format?
>       Your help is appreciated.
>-- 
>
>
>Li     
>
>*****************************************
>Li-Chuan Chen
>
>Iowa Institute of Hydraulic Research
>The University of Iowa
>300 S. Riverside Dr.
>Iowa City, IA52242
>
>tel: (319)335-6168
>fax: (319)335-5238
>e-mail: address@hidden
>http://www.icaen.uiowa.edu/~lchen
>*****************************************
>

Li,

Gempak displays satellite data from McIDAS AREA files and NOAAport
GINI format, and radar data in either from NIDS files or from
McIDAS AREA files.

In order to display satellite and radar data, you need navigation
information for the image (which is available in the file formats
mentioned above). Since a gif file is just a picture, there is no
navigation information which would allow a package to project surface
data onto the image.

If you have Satellite or Radar data from the Unidata IDD data streams,
these are viewable in Gempak, as is the surface data when stored
in a Gempak surface data file.

Steve Chiswell