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19991028: Using snprof

This archive contains answers to questions sent to Unidata support through mid-2025. Note that the archive is no longer being updated. We provide the archive for reference; many of the answers presented here remain technically correct, even if somewhat outdated. For the most up-to-date information on the use of NSF Unidata software and data services, please consult the Software Documentation first.



Lisa,

Thank you for sending the email with the files showing
your input to snprof. 

I see what the problem you are having is.
Your snprof plot is specifying:

SNPARM=THTV;BRBK

the snparm line above is attempting to plot both virtual potential
temperature and the packed wind/direction value. The line you
see going up the left side of your display represents the temperature
values on the order of 300-400, while you are seeing a graph of the BRBK 
value in the range of 40000. As a result of the scales of the plots being 
so different, the THTV graph shows up as nearly a vertical line.

What you really want is:
SNPARM=THTV
WIND=BK1   or WIND=BM1

The BRBK values represent a packed number that contains both speed
and direction (aka ffddd, resulting in the large size of the number). 
Any parameter listed on the SNPARM line will be drawn as a line
graph in the profile, while the WIND parameter will draw the
wind barbs on the right side of the plot.


If you wanted a profile of wind speed and THTV, then you could use:
SNPARM=THTV;SPED or SNPARM=THTV;SPED*10
as an example. The primary point here is that it really doesn't
make since to plot BRBK as a line graph since it is a combination
of both speed and direction.

For the WIND parameter, the BM1 will plot B(arbs) in M(eters/second) 
using color 1. BK1 will plot B(arbs) in K(nots) using color 1 etc.

Steve Chiswell
Unidata User Support






>From: Shoemaker Lisa C Capt AFIT/EN <address@hidden>
>Organization: .
>Keywords: 199910281747.LAA08573

>This message is in MIME format. Since your mail reader does not understand
>this format, some or all of this message may not be legible.
>
>------_=_NextPart_000_01BF216C.46BC66C0
>Content-Type: text/plain
>
>Steve,
>
>I have uploaded a file named all_obs.snd in the incoming file directory.  
>Attached are the text files for the routines that I've been trying to run in
>snprof.  I was able to read them on my PC using Wordpad but not notepad.
>The snprof.txt file has the last run of snprof and all the parameters along
>with the DATTIM that you will need.   I've had success with plotting
>potential temperature and equivalent potential temperature versus pressure
>and height.  However, I cannot get the virtual temp or virtual potential
>temperature plots to work out.  Temperatures displayed are in the tens of
>thousands instead of 200-300K range.
>
>I appreciate your taking the time to help me find a fix to this problem.  I
>know you must have a busy schedule.  Please let me know if you need
>additional information from me.  Thanks again!
>
>Capt Lisa Shoemaker
>Air Force Institute of Technology
>937-255-3636x4512
>
> <<snprof.txt>>  <<thta.txt>>  <<thte.txt>>  <<thtv.txt>> 
>
>------_=_NextPart_000_01BF216C.46BC66C0
>Content-Type: text/plain;
>       name="snprof.txt"
>Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
>Content-Disposition: attachment;
>       filename="snprof.txt"
>
>SNFILE    Sounding data file                /all_obs.snd=0A=
> DATTIM    Date/time                         960130/00=0A=
> AREA      Data area                         vbg=0A=
> SNPARM    Sounding parameter list           THTV;BRBK=0A=
> LINE      Line color/type/width/label       1/1/3=0A=
> PTYPE     Plot type/h:w ratio/margins       lin=0A=
> VCOORD    Vertical coordinate type          PRES=0A=
> STNDEX    Stability indices                 lclp/lfcv=0A=
> STNCOL    Stability index color             1=0A=
> WIND      Wind symbol/siz/wdth/typ/hdsz     BM1=0A=
> WINPOS    Wind position                     1=0A=
> MARKER    Marker color/type/size/width/hw   0=0A=
> BORDER    Background color/dash/width       1=0A=
> TITLE     Title color/line/title            1=0A=
> DEVICE    Device|name|x size;y size|color   XW=0A=
> YAXIS     Ystrt/ystop/yinc/lbl;gln;tck      =0A=
> XAXIS     Xstrt/xstop/xinc/lbl;gln;tck      =0A=
> FILTER    Filter data factor                .25=0A=
> CLEAR     Clear screen flag                 YES=0A=
> PANEL     Panel loc/color/dash/width/regn   0=0A=
> TEXT      Text size/font/width/hw flag      1=0A=
> THTALN    THTA color/dash/width/mn/mx/inc   8=0A=
> THTELN    THTE color/dash/width/mn/mx/inc   23=0A=
> MIXRLN    MIXR color/dash/width/mn/mx/inc   23/3=0A=
>