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 Note that the archive is no longer being updated. We provide the archive for reference; many of the answers presented here remain technically correct, even if somewhat outdated.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.
> Do you know if IDV can produce spatial averages at each time step? For > example, I have a 2D 1000hPa temperature plot at a daily time step for 100 > days for all of North America. What I would like to do is to be able to > calculate an area average of the temperature for a spatial subset of a > specific area, say like for the southeast USA only. > Teddy, Yes, there is a formula, savs(a), you can use to do the area average of some variables. First, load your dataset, and in the Field Selector, select Formulas > Grids > Define a grid diagnostic, and select Color-Shaded Plan view as display type, click create display. When a window popup, type in savs(a). And then another window popup, select the temperature field, and subset the area. You will see a solid color display created. Now in the display control, File > Save > Save data in cache .... Second, go back to the Field Selector, select the cached data, and Probes > Data Probe/Time Series, and create display, you will get the time series chart of the average field. It is a little trick, but it should work. By the way, I read the meeting notes of your trip. What a great job promoting IDV, many thanks. Yuan > I would like the output to be a single value at each time representing the > areal average for my defined spatial subset region. As a result, I ultimately > wish to have 100 average temperature values only; one for each spatial subset > at every time step. > > Does this make sense? I think that IDV does not do things like this, but it > would be a dream if so. I have scoured the formula library and have had no > luck. Any ideas or experience with this? > > In the meantime, I read in a 3D netcdf file (x,y,t) to GrADS where I use the > aave function to calculate spatial averages and then output ASCII data in a > text file. The result is a text file with only 100 values, which is what I > want. Ideally, I would like to do this on the IDV if possible. > > As always, I remain a huge IDV user and advocate! > Thank you, > teddy allen > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Teddy Allen, Ph.D. Student > > The Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science > > Division of Meteorology and Physical Oceanography > > 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway > > Miami, FL 33149 > > USA > > > > Director of Scientific Applications > > The International Environmental Data Rescue Organization (IEDRO) > > www.iedro.org > > > Office: MSC-315 > > Tel : +001-305-421-4275 > > skype: teddy.allen > > web: www.teddyallen.com<http://www.teddyallen.com> > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Ticket Details =================== Ticket ID: UXJ-837158 Department: Support IDV Priority: Normal Status: Open