GUI Overview

Although the model can be configured and run manually from the command line, it is usually much quicker to use the GUI. A summary of the main features in each of the primary GUI menus is reviewed below. More detailed help information can be found with the help button associated with each specific menu.

Meteorology / ARL Data FTP

Forecasts - Links to only the most recent forecast data for a variety of different meteorological models available on the ARL FTP server. The data have already processed to a HYSPLIT compatible format. Appended data are defined as a combination of analysis and short forecasts (e.g. 0h and +3h appended with each new 6h cycle) that are operationally maintained as a rolling archive valid for 48 hours prior to the most recent forecast cycle.

ARL Archive - Provides access to the long-term data archives at ARL for various meteorological data that have already been formatted for use by HYSPLIT. These data include the global GFS, GDAS, and NCAR/NCEP reanalysis. Files inclusive to North America include various versions of NAM, HRRR, and WRF.

Set Server - A generic menu that can be customized to open different backup or user defined FTP servers to download pre-formatted HYSPLIT compatible meteorological forecasts.

Meteorology / Convert to ARL

Many of the scripts linked in this menu will convert various data file formats into the data format used by HYSPLIT. GRIB version 2 is not yet supported. However, conversion software from GRIB-2 to GRIB-1 can be obtained from several different sources (NOAA-NCEP, ECMWF, WMO). All files must be on the local computer. FTP is no longer supported through these menus.

WRF-ARW - Processes fields from NCARs Advanced Research WRF model into the ARL format. The data conversion routines require NetCDF routines currently supported only on UNIX or LINUX platforms.

Global Lat-Lon - Archived GRIB-1 fields from the global model of ECMWF or NOAA may be processed locally into ARL format. The procedure is designed only to work with archive data from their current operational model, where the last four digits of the file name represent the day.

ERA-40 - Archive GRIB-1 fields from the ECMWF ERA-40 reanalysis may be processed locally into ARL format. These files must already be present. The procedure is designed only to work with the ERA-40 data files. Three different file types must be downloaded for this conversion: 3-d fields, 2-d surface fields, and one invariant field.

User Entered - This menu tab is intended to convert user entered meteorological data to the ARL packed HYSPLIT compatible format. The conversion program will create a data file with one or more time periods containing a uniform field in space and height but varying in time. The grid is centered over the location specified in the main menu and covers a 50 by 50 km domain.

Meteorology / Display Data

Check File - A program to list the information in the meteorology file index record as well as the ASCII header portion of each data record.

Contour Map - A simple SVG contouring program that can be used to view the data fields in any ARL packed meteorological data set. The output is always written to a file called contour.html. Multiple time periods may be processed.

Text Profile - This program is used to extract the meteorological data profile interpolated to a user selected latitude-longitude position. The raw data values at the surface and each level are output on the left while temperature converted to potential temperature and winds rotated from grid orientation to true are shown on the right. Output is shown on the screen and is also written to a file called profile.txt.

Grid Domain - Program to generate a map showing the domain of the meteorological data grid with marks at each selected data grid point. Output is written to the file showgrid.ps.

Utilities

Convert SVG - Converts any SVG file to another format using ImageMagick. Enter the name of the SVG file and the desired name of the output file, with the file suffix indicating the desired conversion.

GIS to Shapefile - When the GIS output option is selected in selected display programs an ASCII text file (in generate format) is created that contains the latitude-longitude values of each contour. This GIS text file can be converted to an ERSI Arc View shapefile. This menu tab is available from three different points. From the meteorology tab the conversion is "line", from the trajectory tab the conversion is "points", and from the concentration tab the conversion is "polygon".

Quick Start - menu tab can be used to run any simulation in one-step. The last configuration will be used for the simulation. The menu brings up a global map with the current source location shown as a blue dot which can be moved to a new location. The Run Example menu tab resets the control and namelist files and reruns the example case. This can be used as a starting point for configurations that have been corrupted.

Setup Run - This menu is used to write the CONTROL file that defines all the model simulation parameters. Note that once a simulation has been defined it can be "Saved As" and later " Retrieved." Note that the setup must be "Saved" before proceeding to the "Run Model" step.

Run Model - The selection opens the window for standard output and starts the execution of "hyts_std.exe". Incremental progress is reported on WinNT and later systems, however on LINUX the display remains frozen until the calculation has completed (a beep will sound).

Display - Display options are available to label the time increment along the trajectory and the amount of white space surrounding the trajectory on the map. The HIRES option limits the domain to just fit the trajectory. Output is written to the file trajplot.ps. The plot title can be defined in a file called labels.cfg which should be placed in the \working directory. The special frequency display can be used to plot the spatial frequency distribution of multiple trajectory simulations.

Special Runs - The Ensemble option invokes a special executable that will run multiple trajectories from the same location, with each trajectory using meteorological data slightly offset from the origin point. The Matrix option simultaneously runs a regular grid of trajectory starting locations. Also available are multiple trajectory options in both time and space as well as the daily menu to run a series of automated trajectories for multiple days or months per execution. Multiple trajectories can also be clustered.

Quick Start - menu tab can be used to run any simulation in one-step or rerun the example simulation. It's functionality is similar to the trajectory quick start menu.

Setup Run - The menu is almost identical to the Trajectory Setup menu except for the added tab for "Pollutant, Deposition, and Grids", which is used to customize the concentration computation. Unlike trajectories, which are terminated at the top of the model domain, pollutant particles reflect at the model top.

Run Model - Similar in function to trajectory run menu, executes "hycs_std.exe".

Display - Output is written to concplot.ps. Options on the menu permit concentration contours to be dynamically scaled to the maximum for each map (default) or fixed for all maps based upon the highest value on any one map. Other display programs are available for the color fill of uncontoured gridded data or the horizontal or vertical display of the particle distributions and the computation of plume arrival times. Note that the units label as well as the plot title can be defined in a file called LABELS.CFG which should be placed in the \working directory. Special display programs are available for a source-receptor matrix, ensemble, and statistical simulation outputs.

Convert to ASCII - Writes an ASCII file for each time period of concentration output with one record for every grid point that has a non-zero concentration value. Each record is identified by the ending date and time of the sample and the latitude and longitude of each grid point. The output file name is constructed from the name of the [input file]_[julian day]_[output hour]. Some other output options are available.

Grid to Station - This program is used to extract the time- series of concentration values for a specific location. That location may be specified by a single latitude-longitude through the GUI or multiple stations may be defined by entering the name of a file that contains an integer station number, latitude, and longitude on each record. The output is written to con2stn.txt which can be read by the time series plotting program to produce the file timeplot.ps. Note that the time series plot is always in integer units and therefore may require the specification of a units multiplication factor.

Convert to DATEM - Conceptually similar to Grid-to-Station, this menu is used to convert a binary file to the DATEM format and then compute model performance statistics. A data file with measurement data in DATEM format must already exist, and the conversion program will match each model calculated concentration with a measurement, compute performance statistics, and display a scatter diagram of measured and calculated values.

Merge Binary Files - Multiple binary concentration files may be added together for a sum, or the maximum value is retained at each grid, or one of the input files may be used as a zero mask, resulting in zero concentrations in the other file when the mask file shows a non-zero value.

Daily - Runs a script to rerun the last dispersion model configuration each time with a different starting day and time for days or months. Output files are labeled with the starting time or a sequential number. This script can also be used to create a time dependent Transfer Coefficient Matrix (TCM) when the run length is reduced with each iteration so that all dispersion simulations end at the same time.

Matrix - Runs the matrix pre-processor to create a CONTROL file with a grid of starting locations. The source-receptor conversion option needs to be selected in the advanced menu to create the coefficient matrix required for source attribution applications.

Geolocation - Runs a special pre-processor that reads a file of measured sampling data to automatically configure a CONTROL file for each sample which is then run in a script to create a source attribution function for each measured sample.

Ensemble / Meteorology - An application similar to the trajectory ensemble, in that multiple simulations are run each with a different offset in the meteorological data to create an ensemble showing the sensitivity of the simulation to gradients in the meteorological data fields.

Ensemble / Turbulence - Instead of starting each simulation with the same random number seed, multiple simulations are run, each with a different seed, which then shows the concentration sensitivity to the turbulence.

Ensemble / Physics - The physics ensemble varies different turbulence and dispersion namelist parameters from the base simulation to develop an ensemble showing the sensitivity of the calculation to various model physics assumptions.

Global - The global special run invokes an executable that contains a global Eulerian module to permit particle mass to be transferred to the global model at a specified age. A concentration output grid for each computation is created. One representing local/regional scale plumes, the other the contribution to global background concentrations.

Dust Storm - Invokes a pre-processor that creates a CONTROL file with each location within the selected computational domain that contains a desert land-use designation. This option should be used in conjunction with the advanced menu option to turn on the dust emission module.

Daughter Products - Invokes a pre-processor that creates a DAUGHTER.TXT file containing the daughter nuclides produced by a parent nuclide along with the half-life and branching fractions. In addition a CONTROL file is modified to include the daughter product information. This option should be used in conjunction with the advanced menu option to turn on the daughter product module and set MAXDIM to the number of daughters.

Contains several menus for custom model configurations that can be used to change the nature of the simulation and the way the model interprets various input parameters. These menus would be used to configure matrix, ensemble, global, pollutant transformations, and model initialization options.

Trajectory Configuration - Creates the SETUP.CFG namelist file for trajectory calculations.

Concentration Configuration - Creates the SETUP.CFG namelist file for concentration-dispersion calculations.

Global Configuration - Creates the GEMPARM.CFG namelist file to configure the global Eulerian model subroutines.

Dynamic Sampling - Creates a virtual sampler that can fly through the computational domain, either passively with the wind or with a pre-defined velocity vector.

Emissions File - Opens a simple editor to create a special emission file that can define point sources that vary in space, time, and intensity.

This will cause any changes to the GUI variables to be set back to the sample trajectory and concentration simulation case which uses the oct1618.BIN sample meteorological file. This button loads the sample_conc and sample_traj control files from the working directory.