Contents - Index

C2. Receptor Files: File Structure

see also:  Overview, Surface Receptor Data, Soil Receptor Data, Atmospheric Receptor Data 

a) Snapshot file

The structure of the snapshot files is as follows:

<Date> <Time> <Height z(1)> <Data 1> <Data 2> ... <Data N> 

<....> <....> <Height z(2)> <...............> ... <......>

(... other z-levels ...)

The snapshot file holds the state of different variables at the time the file was created.

For the atmosphere file, the z-levels are running from the first grid above ground up to the top of the 3D model. In case of the soil model, the z-levels are running from the first soil layer below the surface down to the deepest layer of the soil model. Here, the heights are counted in [cm] towards the deep soil.

b) Time Series Files

The structure of the time series files is basically the same as in the snapshot Files, but all time steps of the total simulation run are written into the same file:

(First block for time t=0)

  <Date> <Time> <Height z(1)> <Data 1> <Data 2> ... <Data N> 

  <....> <....> <Height z(2)> <............................>

  (... all other z-levels follow...)

(Next block for time t=t+Dt)

  <Date> <t+ Dt ><Height z(1)> <Data 1> <Data 2> ... <Data N>

  <....> <....> <Height z(2)> <............................>

  (... all other z-levels follow...)

(... next Block for next time step ...)

  (... )

(... and so on)

Each time the state of the model is written into the receptor files, a block structure like shown above is produced and added to the file. 

The time interval for logging the model state into the receptor files is selected in the configuration file (**link**).

For more information about the different data visit:

4Data stored in atmospheric receptor files  

4Data stored in surface/flux receptor files

4Data stored in soil receptor files