Description of the E-Mail Format For the Water Vapor Protocol

The e-mail format for the Water Vapor Protocol is identical to that for the Aerosols Protocol. There are several advantages to using this e-mail format for reporting sun photometer data for the Water Vapor Protocol

  • Once you get used to using it, e-mail entry takes less time than online data entry.
  • It is easy to submit several days' worth of data all at once. You can mix several different protocols in the same e-mail entry. They don't have to be in chronological order.
  • If you have questions about data you have collected, you can send this format directly to me first, for my comments. (I have my own software to read and process data in this format.)
  • If you are working directly with me on a satellite ground validation project, we may have agreed that you should send data reports even on days when you can collect only metadata. GLOBE will not accept such reports, but my software will. However, please do not send just metadata, without voltage values, without consulting with me first.

    Note that GLOBE forwards to me a copy of your data entries, even if you use online data entry, in e-mail format.

    //AA
    Field1: WV
    Field2: School ID
    Field3: Atmosphere Site Number
    Field4: Day of Measurement (UT) ( YYYYMMDD )
    Field5: Water Vapor Instrument Serial Number
    Field6: Satellite overflight time ( UT ) ( HHMMSS ) ( 6 numbers - i.e. 093000 for 9:30 and 0 seconds )
    Field7: Maximum elevation angle of satellite ( degrees )
    Field8: Case temperature before taking measurements, multiply voltage reading by 100. ( degrees C )
    Field9: IR1 Sample #1 Measurement Time ( HHMMSS ) ( If seconds are unknown, fill with 00 )
    Field10: IR1 Channel sample 1 Light Voltage
    Field11: IR1 Channel sample 1 Dark Voltage
    Field12: IR2 Sample #1 Measurement Time ( HHMMSS ) ( If seconds are unknown, fill with 00 )
    Field13: IR2 Channel sample 1 Light Voltage
    Field14: IR2 Channel sample 1 Dark Voltage
    Field15: IR1 Sample #2 Measurement Time ( HHMMSS ) ( If seconds are unknown, fill with 00 )
    Field16: IR1 Channel sample 2 Light Voltage
    Field17: IR1 Channel sample 2 Dark Voltage
    Field18: IR2 Sample #2 Measurement Time ( HHMMSS ) ( If seconds are unknown, fill with 00 )
    Field19: IR2 Channel sample 2 Light Voltage
    Field20: IR2 Channel sample 2 Dark Voltage
    Field21: IR1 Sample #3 Measurement Time ( HHMMSS ) ( If seconds are unknown, fill with 00 )
    Field22: IR1 Channel sample 3 Light Voltage
    Field23: IR1 Channel sample 3 Dark Voltage
    Field24: IR2 Sample #3 Measurement Time ( HHMMSS ) ( If seconds are unknown, fill with 00 )
    Field25: IR2 Channel sample 3 Light Voltage
    Field26: IR2 Channel sample 3 Dark Voltage
    Field27: IR1 Sample #4 Measurement Time ( HHMMSS ) ( If seconds are unknown, fill with 00 )
    Field28: IR1 Channel sample 4 Light Voltage
    Field29: IR1 Channel sample 4 Dark Voltage
    Field30: IR2 Sample #4 Measurement Time ( HHMMSS ) ( If seconds are unknown, fill with 00 )
    Field31: IR2 Channel sample 4 Light Voltage
    Field32: IR2 Channel sample 4 Dark Voltage
    Field33: IR1 Sample #5 Measurement Time ( HHMMSS ) ( If seconds are unknown, fill with 00 )
    Field34: IR1 Channel sample 5 Light Voltage
    Field35: IR1 Channel sample 5 Dark Voltage
    Field36: IR2 Sample #5 Measurement Time ( HHMMSS ) ( If seconds are unknown, fill with 00 )
    Field37: IR2 Channel sample 5 Light Voltage
    Field38: IR2 Channel sample 5 Dark Voltage
    Field39: Case temperature after taking measurements, multiply voltage reading by 100. ( degrees C )
    Field40: Cloud Type (A 10-digit string representing 10 cloud types. Each digit is either a 0 = cloud type not observed, or 1 = cloud type observed.)
          1st character Cirrus
          2nd character Cirrocumulus
          3rd character Cirrostratus
          4th character Altostratus
          5th character Altocumulus
          6th character Stratus
          7th character Stratocumulus
          8th character Nimbostratus
          9th character Cumulus
        10th character Cumulonimbus
    Field41: Number of observed Short Lived Contrails ( Integer )
    Field42: Number of observed Persistent Non-Spreading Contrails ( Integer )
    Field43: Number of observed Persistent Spreading Contrails ( Integer )
    Field44: Cloud Cover (N=No Clouds, C=Clear, I=Isolated, S=Scattered, B=Broken, O=Overcast, OB=Obscured )
    Field45: Contrail Cover ( Integer 1-5 ) ( 1 = None, 2 = 1-10%, 3 = 10-25%, 4 = 25-50%, 5 = 50-100% )
    Field46: Obscurations - If Cloud Cover (Field45) is not Obscured (OB) then enter an "X" for no obscurations. If Cloud cover is reported as Obscured, then enter a 10-digit string representing the 10 obscuration types. Each digit being either 0 (obscuration not observed), or 1 (obscuration observed)
          1st character Blowing Snow
          2nd character Heavy Snow
          3rd character Heavy Rain
          4th character Fog
          5th character Spray
          6th character Volcanic Ash
          7th character Smoke
          8th character Dust
          9th character Sand
        10th character Haze
    Field47: Sky Color ( DB=Deep Blue, B=Blue, LB=Light Blue, PB=Pale Blue, M=Milky )
    Field48: Sky Clarity( UC=Unusually Clear, CL=Clear, SH=Somewhat Hazy, VH=Very Hazy, EH=Extremely Hazy )
    Field49: Current Air Temperature if obtained following GLOBE Protocol ( degrees C )
    Field50: Relative Humidity Measuring Device if obtained following GLOBE Protocol ( S=Sling Psychrometer, D=Digital Hygrometer, O=online or other source)
    Field51: Dry Bulb Temperature (with Sling Psychrometer only) ( degrees C )
    Field52: Wet Bulb Temperature (with Sling Psychrometer only ) ( degrees C )
    Field53: Relative Humidity (%)
    Field54: Current Station Pressure (mbar)
    Field55: Current Sea Level Pressure (mbars)
    Field56: The data Source for pressure Fields 54 or 55 ( 1=Aneroid barometer, 2=Public Broadcast or Online Source, 3=Other ) //ZZ

    For each sample number all fields are required. At least three samples are required.

    Example:

    At atmosphere site number one on May 10, 2005, using a water vapor instrument with serial number WV2-101, the following voltages and times were recorded:

    channelMMDDYYYYHHMMSSV V-dark
    IR1051020051607001.233 0.003
    IR2051020051607301.340 0.004
    IR1051020051808001.255 0.003
    IR2051620051608301.340 0.004
    IR1051020051609001.255 0.003
    IR2051020051609151.347 0.004

    Each set of measurements starts with WV (or wv). A set of measurements may be continued on more than one line if there is not enough space on one line. There were some scattered altocumulus and cirrocumulus clouds observed when these measurements were taken. The sky color was light blue, the sky was somewhat hazy, and the air temperature was 20° C. The station pressure was 1009 mbar and the sea level (weather report) barometric pressure as determined from an online source was 1012 mbar (indicating that this observing site is at an elevation of roughly 30 m). There were 3 short lived contrails that covered less than 10% of the sky. With only 3 sets of voltages recorded, all the values for the last 2 samples must be set to missing. (See the string of 12 X's.) An Earth-observing satellite flew over at 16:08:12 UT with a maximum elevation angle of 67 degrees above the horizon. The case temperature before the first reading was 23.9° C and after the last reading it was 25.1° C. relative humidity was measured with a sling psychrometer, which gave 37% based on a dry bulb temperature of 20° and a wet bulb temperature of 12°.

    Because the sky was not obscured this field is represented by an X. When you report barometric pressure, be sure to report actual pressure at your site as "station pressure" in Field 54. If you get barometric pressure from an online, broadcast, or newspaper source, it is invariably sea level pressure, and should be reported as such in Field 55. Note that because classroom aneroid barometers are typically not very accurate, an online or broadcast weather report is the preferred source for sea level barometric pressure values. A common mistake is to report sea level pressure in the station pressure field. Please be careful!

    The comment at the end of the format indicates the possibility of cirrus cloud contamination during the measurements.

    //AA
    WV ZZZZTEST 1 20050510 WV2-101 160812 67 23.9
    160700 1.233 .003 160730 1.340 .004
    160800 1.255 .003 160830 1.349 .004
    160900 1.255 .003 160915 1.347 .004
    X X X X X X X X X X X X 25.1 0100100000 3 0 0
    SC 2 X LB SH 20 S 20 12 37 1009 1012 2 Ci contamination possible
    //ZZ