Notes on Data Sources - VT SuperDARN

WARNING: All data usage is subject to the Rules of the Road set forth by the respective PI of any given data set. Do not use any data here for scientific publication without first contacting the appropriate PI.


Select the data you wish to plot by entering a data source code. The general format of the data source code looks like this:

  • {module id}:{source}:{arguments}

Here are some examples:

  1. fitacf:20080222.0402.0602.bks.fitacf:7,22
  2. thm-mag:gill:Bx
  3. thm-ivm:d:Vx
  4. step210:a0080222.ktb.txt:By
  5. samba:S08053CER1s.asc:Bz
  6. synth:6,0.007,0

Important Note: The filename of the module is NOT the same as the code used to call the module. This will be fixed in the future to make things more consistant.

Example 1: SuperDARN FITACF Data Loader

fitacf:20080222.0402.0602.bks.fitacf:7,22
This will load beam 7, rangegate 22 from the file "20080222.0402.0602.bks.fitacf".

Example 2: THEMIS Ground-Based Magnetometer Data Loader

thm-mag:gill:Bx
This will load the Bx component of the THEMIS magnetometer at Gillam. Note that Bx can be replaced with one of the following options:

  • Bx (Magnetic Field Component Pointing toward Magnetic North)
  • By (Magnetic field component pointing 90 degrees East of magnetic North)
  • Bz (Magnetic field component pointing vertically down into the Earth
  • mag (Magnitude of the B field)
  • 0-360 (Horizontal magnetic field component represented as a compass direction relative to magnetic North)

All THEMIS data is loaded automatically from the THEMIS servers. Any THEMIS GBO code should be valid here. See http://themis.ssl.berkeley.edu/index.shtml for details.

Example 3: THEMIS ESA Satellite GSM Ion Velocity Loader

thm-ivm:d:Vx
This will load the Vx component of the THEMIS Probe D Electrostatic Analyzer (ESA) instrument in GSM coordinates. Note that Vx can be replaced with one of the following options:

  • Vx
  • Vy
  • Vz

All THEMIS data is loaded automatically from the THEMIS servers. Valid probe ID's include A, B, C, D, and E. See http://themis.ssl.berkeley.edu/index.shtml for details.