MADIS Radiosonde Variables - Numeric
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Code       Name               Max Number       Units      Max          Notes      Database  
                               of Levels               QC Level*                 FSL  AWIPS 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Integrated Sounding              405                    Sig   Man        1      
-------------------                                     ---   ---

DD        wind direction                       deg       1     2         2        X     X
FF        wind speed                           m/s       1     2         2        X     X
U         u wind component                     m/s       1     2         2        X     X
V         v wind component                     m/s       1     2         2        X     X
T         air temperature                      K         2     2         3,4      X     X
TV        virtual temperature                  K         2     2         3,4      X     X
TD        dewpoint temperature                 K         1     1         5        X     X
RH        relative humidity                    %         1     1         5        X     X
Q         specific humidity                    kg/kg     1     1         5        X     X
DPD       dewpoint depression                  K         1     1         5        X     X
AH        absolute humidity                    g/(m**3)  1     1         5        X     X
WVMR      water vapor mixing ratio             kg/kg     1     1         5        X     X
P         pressure                             Pa        1     1                  X     X
HT        geopotential height                  m         1     2         3        X     X
LEVTYPE   level type                           code      0     0         6        X     X


Mandatory Levels                  22                                     1            
----------------

DDMAN     wind direction                       deg       2               2        X     X
FFMAN     wind speed                           m/s       2               2        X     X
UMAN      u wind component                     m/s       2               2        X     X
VMAN      v wind component                     m/s       2               2        X     X
TMAN      air temperature                      K         2               3,4      X     X
TVMAN     virtual temperature                  K         2               3,4      X     X
TDMAN     dewpoint temperature                 K         1               5        X     X
RHMAN     relative humidity                    %         1               5        X     X
QMAN      specific humidity                    kg/kg     1               5        X     X
DPDMAN    dewpoint depression                  K         1               5        X     X
AHMAN     absolute humidity                    g/(m**3)  1               5        X     X
WVMRMAN   water vapor mixing ratio             kg/kg     1               5        X     X
PMAN      pressure                             Pa        1                        X     X
HTMAN     geopotential height                  m         2               3        X     X


Significant Levels               175                                     1           
------------------

TSIG      air temperature                      K         2               4        X     X
TVSIG     virtual temperature                  K         2               4        X     X
TDSIG     dewpoint temperature                 K         1               5        X     X
RHSIG     relative humidity                    %         1               5        X     X
QSIG      specific humidity                    kg/kg     1               5        X     X
DPDSIG    dewpoint depression                  K         1               5        X     X
AHSIG     absolute humidity                    g/(m**3)  1               5        X     X
WVMRSIG   water vapor mixing ratio             kg/kg     1               5        X     X
PSIG      pressure                             Pa        1                        X     X
HTSIG     geopotential height                  m         1               1        X     X


Wind Levels                      200                                     1        
-----------

DDWIND    wind direction                       deg       1               2        X     X
FFWIND    wind speed                           m/s       1               2        X     X
UWIND     u wind component                     m/s       1               2        X     X
VWIND     v wind component                     m/s       1               2        X     X
PWIND     pressure                             Pa        1               1        X     X
HTWIND    geopotential height                  m         1                        X     X


Maximum Wind Levels                4                                     1             
-------------------

DDMXWND   wind direction                       deg       1               2        X     X
FFMXWND   wind speed                           m/s       1               2        X     X
UMXWND    u wind component                     m/s       1               2        X     X
VMXWND    v wind component                     m/s       1               2        X     X
PMXWND    pressure                             Pa        1                        X     X
HTMXWND   geopotential height                  m         1               1        X     X


Tropopause Levels                  4                                     1             
-----------------

DDTROP    wind direction                       deg       1               2        X     X
FFTROP    wind speed                           m/s       1               2        X     X
UTROP     u wind component                     m/s       1               2        X     X
VTROP     v wind component                     m/s       1               2        X     X
TTROP     air temperature                      K         2               4        X     X
TVTROP    virtual temperature                  K         2               4        X     X
TDTROP    dewpoint temperature                 K         1               5        X     X
RHTROP    relative humidity                    %         1               5        X     X
QTROP     specific humidity                    kg/kg     1               5        X     X
DPDTROP   dewpoint depression                  K         1               5        X     X
AHTROP    absolute humidity                    g/(m**3)  1               5        X     X
WVMRTROP  water vapor mixing ratio             kg/kg     1               5        X     X
PTROP     pressure                             Pa        1                        X     X
HTTROP    geopotential height                  m         1               1        X     X


Station Identification
----------------------

SONDET    sonde type                           code      0               7        X


MADIS Radiosonde Variables - Character
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Code       Name                                Character               Notes
                                               Size
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 
RELTIME   release time                         9                         8        X


Notes
-----

1.  The user can choose to retrieve the different radiosonde level types
    individually, or can select an integrated sounding that will return all 
    levels combined and sorted in ascending order by height.

    - The number of levels in the integrated sounding varies, with values 
      typically between 50 and 125.

    - Mandatory levels include the 21 mandatory isobaric levels plus the surface 
      level.

    - Pressures returned for wind levels reported by height have been calculated 
      using a log(P) interpolation.  

    - The heights returned for significant, winds-reported-by pressure, maximum wind, 
      and tropopause levels have been calculated using the hypsometric equation (if 
      temperature is available) or a log(P) interpolation (if temperature is missing).

    - If the user wants to easily identify pressure or heights that have been 
      interpolated, without identifying the type of level, he can check for the 
      character "I" in the QC data descriptor.

    For more information on the radiosonde level types and variables, see 
    Federal Meteorological Handbook 3 (FMH-3).  An HTML version of FMH-3 is 
    available at http://www.ofcm.gov/fmh3/text/default.htm.

2.  Wind speed and direction are reported and stored in the database.  The user 
    can optionally select u & v wind components and those will be calculated and 
    returned.  The QC results from speed and direction will be used In either 
    case, and if one of the map projections has been selected via the MSETDOM call, 
    the winds will be rotated to match the projection.

3.  The hydrostatic check applied to mandatory level heights and temperatures 
    can, under certain circumstances, decide that a reported value is wrong, and 
    offer a corrected value, which the user is encouraged to use instead of the 
    reported value.  The API default is to return the reported value.  The 
    MSETCOR call is used to indicate whether or not to use recommended
    corrections.

4.  Air temperature is the temperature variable stored in the database.  The user
    can optionally select virtual temperature, which will then be calculated by 
    the MADIS API.  The QC results from air temperature will apply in either 
    case.  Also note that if virtual temperature cannot be calculated (missing 
    or bad dewpoint or pressure), and the air temperature passed all QC checks, 
    the air temperature will be returned instead, and a QC data descriptor value
    of "T" will be assigned.

5.  Dewpoint depression is the moisture variable reported and stored in the 
    database.  The user can optionally select dewpoint temperature, relative 
    humidity, specific humidity, absolute humidity, or water vapor mixing ratio.  
    These values will then be calculated by the MADIS API.  The QC results from 
    dewpoint depression will apply to any of the calculated variables.

6.  Level type codes:

       Value      Meaning
       -----      -------
         1        surface
         2        mandatory
         3        significant
         4        wind
         5        maximum wind
         6        tropopause

7.  The coded values for the sonde type are too extensive to list in
    this document.  The code table for sonde types is WMO BUFR code
    table 002011.  A relatively recent version can be found at:
    http://www.northern-lighthouse.com/tables/BUFRtabF.htm#C02

8.  Not all stations report release time, and the release time for those that do
    report this value are generally +- 70 minutes from the "synoptic time".  The 
    synoptic time is what's reported in the observation time array by the 
    MRAOBSTA subroutine, and this is generally used as the nominal time of the 
    data for most applications (e.g., most times reported for the 00 hour file 
    will also be hour 00).

    All times reported in the MADIS API are in Universal Coordinated Time,
    with the format of "YYJJJHHMM", where:

    YY  = 2-digit year (good from 1980 - 2179)
    JJJ = Julian date of the year (1-366)
    HH  = Hour (0-23)
    MM  = Minute (0-59)

    If the release time is missing, the 9-character field will be
    set to all blanks, e.g., "         ".

    Users of the MADIS API raobdump program will get the time output in their 
    chosen format, either YYJJJHHMM or YYYYMMDD_HHMM.

* The QC information is only available with the FSL database.

