10.4 Creating KML/KMZ for Google Earth

Several of the HYSPLIT display programs have an option to create a file that can be opened in Google Earth. If you do not have it already installed, go to the Google Earth Download Page and follow the installation instructions before proceeding with this section.

1. Start with the calculation that created the graphic in the previous section. Assuming the binary output file was not deleted, open the Display / Contour menu and check the KML/KMZ radio-button on the GIS output line. Then execute the display.


2. Once the output file has been created, a message box will indicate that the output file HYSPLITconc.kmz has been created in the working directory. The "KMZ" file suffix is just a zip file containing the contours in HYSPLIT_ps.kml and various logos and label information: logocon.gif, noaa_google.gif, GELABEL_**_ps.gif.


3. The HYSPLIT GUI cannot open Google Earth internally as an application. Go to the \working directory and open the "KMZ" file in Google Earth. On some systems there may be issues in creating the "KMZ" file but in all cases the uncompressed "KML" equivalent file will be available for display.
   

The KMZ file is created in the GUI. If the concentration plotting program is run outside of the GUI, such as in a script as shown in a previous example, then only the KML file will created. This can still be displayed by Google Earth, but without any of the label information. Creating a KMZ file may also be an issue on a MAC unless Ghostscript has been installed.