19990922: Plotting non standard surface parameters

>From: Darren Gallant <address@hidden>
>Organization: .
>Keywords: 199909222116.PAA11161

>Dear Unidata Support,
>
>I created a list of airport locations and have the number of
>descents/ascents made by an Airline for each airport. Using gpmap I was
>able to plot the stations and their IDs. How can I plot the number of 
>descents/ascents made at each airport? 
>
>Thanks 
>
>Darren R. Gallant              UCAR/JOSS
>Programmer/Technician           Joint OfFice Of Science Support
>303-497-2634                    P.O. Box 3000
>address@hidden                Boulder,CO 80307-30000
>


You can create a surface file, where the data parameter represents
ascents and descents- eg:

 PARM = ASCT;DSCT                                                               
      

    STN  YYMMDD/HHMM      ASCT      DSCT
    DEN    990922/1200      4.00      9.00
    LAX    990922/1200     29.00     43.00
    IAD    990922/1200      9.00     15.00


If you plotted the station info in gpmap with STNPLT, then you have a
station table for your airports.

Create an empty surface file with sfcfil, specifying your
airport station table, and sfprmf=asct;dsct. That will
create a surface file and expect your input ascii file to
contain those two parameters.

Use sfedit to read in you SFEFIL ascii file such as shown at
the top, and your SFFILE set to your gempak surface file you just created.

You can now plot the data in sfmap using the SFPARM settings and
position locations as needed, with the STNPLT parameter plotting
the station infformation you desire- just as in gpmap.

Steve Chiswell