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revision 1.2 by cnh, Wed Jan 28 21:27:45 2004 UTC revision 1.13 by edhill, Tue Oct 12 21:44:59 2004 UTC
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1  % $Header$  % $Header$
2  % $Name$  % $Name$
3    
4  %%  * Introduction  \section{NetCDF I/O Integration: MNC}
 %%    o what it does, citations (refs go into mitgcm_manual.bib,  
 %%      preferably in alphabetic order)  
 %%    o Equations  
 %%  * Key subroutines and parameters  
 %%  * Reference material (auto generated from Protex and structured comments)  
 %%    o automatically inserted at \section{Reference}  
   
   
 \section{MNC: the MITgcm NetCDF Package}  
5  \label{sec:pkg:mnc}  \label{sec:pkg:mnc}
6    \begin{rawhtml}
7    <!-- CMIREDIR:package_mnc: -->
8    \end{rawhtml}
9    
10    The \texttt{mnc} package is a set of convenience routines written to
11    expedite the process of creating, appending, and reading NetCDF files.
12    NetCDF is an increasingly popular self-describing file format
13    \cite{rew:97} intended primarily for scientific data sets.  An
14    extensive collection of NetCDF reference papers, user guides,
15    software, FAQs, and other information can be obtained from UCAR's web
16    site at:
17    \begin{rawhtml} <A href="http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/packages/netcdf/"> \end{rawhtml}
18    \begin{verbatim}
19    http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/packages/netcdf/
20    \end{verbatim}
21    \begin{rawhtml} </A> \end{rawhtml}
22    
23    
24    \subsection{Using MNC}
25    
26    \subsubsection{MNC Configuration and Inputs}
27    
28    As with all MITgcm packages, MNC can be turned on/off at compile time
29    using the \texttt{packages.conf} file or the genmake2
30    \texttt{-enable=mnc} or \texttt{-disable=mnc} switches.
31    
32    For run-time configuration, most of the MNC--related model parameters
33    are contained within a Fortran namelist file called \texttt{data.mnc}.
34    If this file does not exist, then the MNC package will interpret that
35    as an indication that it is not to be used.  If the \texttt{data.mnc}
36    file does exist, then it may contain the following parameters:
37    
38    \begin{center}
39      {\footnotesize
40        \begin{tabular}[htb]{|l|c|l|l|}\hline
41          \textbf{Name}  &  \textbf{T}  &  
42          \textbf{Default}  &  \textbf{Description}  \\\hline
43          &  &  &  \\
44          \texttt{useMNC}  &  L  & \texttt{.FALSE.}  &  
45          \textbf{overall MNC ON/OFF switch}  \\
46          \texttt{mnc\_echo\_gvtypes}  &  L  & \texttt{.FALSE.}  &  
47          echo pre-defined ``types'' (debugging)   \\
48          \texttt{mnc\_use\_outdir}  &  L  & \texttt{.FALSE.}  &  
49          create a directory for output  \\
50          \texttt{mnc\_outdir\_str}  &  S  & \texttt{'mnc\_'}  &  
51          output directory name \\
52          \texttt{mnc\_outdir\_date}  &  L  & \texttt{.FALSE.}  &  
53          embed date in the output dir name  \\
54          \texttt{pickup\_write\_mnc}  &  L  & \texttt{.FALSE.}  &  
55          use MNC to write (create) pickup files  \\
56          \texttt{pickup\_read\_mnc}  &  L  & \texttt{.FALSE.}  &  
57          use MNC to read pickup files  \\
58          \texttt{mnc\_use\_indir}  &  L  & \texttt{.FALSE.}  &  
59          use a directory (path) for input  \\
60          \texttt{mnc\_indir\_str}  &  S  & \texttt{''}  &  
61          input directory (or path) name  \\
62          \texttt{snapshot\_mnc}  &  L  & \texttt{.FALSE.}  &  
63          write \texttt{snapshot} (instantaneous) w/MNC  \\
64          \texttt{monitor\_mnc}  &  L  & \texttt{.FALSE.}  &  
65          write \texttt{monitor} w/MNC  \\
66          \texttt{timeave\_mnc}  &  L  & \texttt{.FALSE.}  &  
67          write \texttt{timeave} w/MNC  \\
68          \texttt{autodiff\_mnc}  &  L  & \texttt{.FALSE.}  &  
69          write \texttt{autodiff} w/MNC  \\\hline
70        \end{tabular}
71      }
72    \end{center}
73    
74    Additional MNC--related parameters are contained within the main
75    \texttt{data} namelist file and in some of the namelist files for
76    individual packages.  These options are:
77    \begin{center}
78      {\footnotesize
79        \begin{tabular}[htb]{|l|c|l|l|}\hline
80          \textbf{Name}  &  \textbf{T}  &  
81          \textbf{Default}  &  \textbf{Description}  \\\hline
82          \multicolumn{4}{|c|}{\ }  \\
83          \multicolumn{4}{|c|}{Main namelist file:
84            ``\textbf{data}''}  \\\hline
85          \texttt{snapshot\_ioinc}  &  L  & \texttt{.FALSE.}  &  
86          write \texttt{snapshot} ``inclusively''  \\
87          \texttt{timeave\_ioinc}  &  L  & \texttt{.FALSE.}  &  
88          write \texttt{timeave} ``inclusively''  \\
89          \texttt{monitor\_ioinc}  &  L  & \texttt{.FALSE.}  &  
90          write \texttt{monitor} ``inclusively''  \\
91          \texttt{the\_run\_name}  &  C  & ``name...''  &  
92          name is included in all MNC output  \\\hline
93          \multicolumn{4}{|c|}{\ }  \\
94          \multicolumn{4}{|c|}{Diagnostics namelist file:
95            ``\textbf{data.diagnostics}''}  \\\hline
96          \texttt{diag\_mnc}  &  L  & \texttt{.FALSE.}  &  
97          write \texttt{diagnostics} w/MNC  \\
98          \texttt{diag\_ioinc}  &  L  & \texttt{.FALSE.}  &  
99          write \texttt{diagnostics} ``inclusively''  \\\hline
100        \end{tabular}
101      }
102    \end{center}
103    
104    By default, turning on MNC for a particular output type will result in
105    turning off all the corresponding (usually, default) MDSIO or STDOUT
106    output mechanisms.  In other words, output defaults to being an
107    exclusive selection.  To enable multiple kinds of simultaneous output,
108    flags of the form \texttt{NAME\_ioinc} have been created where
109    \texttt{NAME} corresponds to the various MNC output flags.  When a
110    \texttt{NAME\_ioinc} flag is set to \texttt{.TRUE.}, then multiple
111    simultaneous forms of output are allowed for the \texttt{NAME} output
112    mechanism.  The intent of this design is that typical users will only
113    want one kind of output while people debugging the code (particularly
114    the I/O routines) may want simultaneous types of output.
115    
116    This ``inclusive'' versus ``exclusive'' design is easily applied in
117    cases where three or more kinds of output may be generated.  Thus, it
118    can be readily extended to additional new output types (eg. HDF5).
119    
120  \subsection{Introduction}  Input types are always exclusive.
121    
122  The MNC package is a set of convenience routines written to expedite  \subsubsection{MNC Output}
 the process of creating, appending, and reading NetCDF files.  NetCDF  
 is a self-describing file format \cite{rew:97} intended primarily for  
 scientific data.  NetCDF reference papers, user guides, FAQs, and other  
 information can be obtained from UCAR's web site at:  
   
 \begin{itemize}  
 \item http://www.unidata.ucar.edu/packages/netcdf/  
 \end{itemize}  
123    
124    While NetCDF files are supposed to be ``self-describing'', it is
125    helpful to note the following:
126    
127    \begin{itemize}
128    \item The constraints placed upon the ``unlimited'' (or ``record'')
129      dimension inherent with NetCDF v3.x make it very inefficient to put
130      variables written at potentially different intervals within the same
131      file.  For this reason, MNC output is split into a few file ``base
132      names'' which try to reflect the nature of their content.
133      
134    \item All MNC output is currently done in a ``tile-per-file'' fashion
135      since most NetCDF v3.x implementions cannot write safely within MPI
136      or multi-threaded environments.  This tiling is done in a global
137      fashion and the tile numbers are appended to the base names
138      described above.  Some scripts to ``assemble'' output are available
139      (\texttt{MITgcm/utils/matlab}).  More general manipulations can be
140      accomplished with the
141      \begin{rawhtml}
142        <A href="http://nco.sourceforge.net">
143      \end{rawhtml}
144    \begin{verbatim}
145    NetCDF Operators (or ``NCO'') at http://nco.sourceforge.net
146    \end{verbatim}
147      \begin{rawhtml} </A> \end{rawhtml}
148      which is a very powerful and convenient set of tools for working
149      with all NetCDF files.
150      
151    \item On many systems, NetCDF has practical file size limits on the
152      order of 2--4GB (the maximium memory addressable with 32bit
153      pointers) due to a lack of operating system, compiler, and/or
154      library support.  In cases where this limit is reached, it is
155      generally a good idea to reduce write frequencies or restart from
156      pickups.
157      
158    \item MNC does not (yet) provide a mechanism for reading information
159      from a single ``global'' file as can be done with the MDSIO
160      package.  This is in progress.
161    
162    \end{itemize}
163    
 \subsection{Key Routines}  
164    
165    \subsection{MNC Internals}
166    
167    The \texttt{mnc} package is a two-level convenience library (or
168    ``wrapper'') for most of the NetCDF Fortran API.  Its purpose is to
169    streamline the user interface to NetCDF by maintaining internal
170    relations (look-up tables) keyed with strings (or names) and entities
171    such as NetCDF files, variables, and attributes.
172    
173    The two levels of the \texttt{mnc} package are:
174    \begin{description}
175    
176    \item[Upper level] \
177      
178      The upper level contains information about two kinds of
179      associations:
180      \begin{description}
181      \item[grid type] is lookup table indexed with a grid type name.
182        Each grid type name is associated with a number of dimensions, the
183        dimension sizes (one of which may be unlimited), and starting and
184        ending index arrays.  The intent is to store all the necessary
185        size and shape information for the Fortran arrays containing
186        MITgcm--style ``tile'' variables (that is, a central region
187        surrounded by a variably-sized ``halo'' or exchange region as
188        shown in Figures \ref{fig:communication_primitives} and
189        \ref{fig:tiling-strategy}).
190      
191      \item[variable type] is a lookup table indexed by a variable type
192        name.  For each name, the table contains a reference to a grid
193        type for the variable and the names and values of various
194        attributes.
195      \end{description}
196      
197      Within the upper level, these associations are not permanently tied
198      to any particular NetCDF file.  This allows the information to be
199      re-used over multiple file reads and writes.
200    
201    \item[Lower level] \
202      
203      In the lower (or internal) level, associations are stored for NetCDF
204      files and many of the entities that they contain including
205      dimensions, variables, and global attributes.  All associations are
206      on a per-file basis.  Thus, each entity is tied to a unique NetCDF
207      file and will be created or destroyed when files are, respectively,
208      opened or closed.
209    
210    \end{description}
211    
212    
213    \subsubsection{MNC Grid--Types and Variable--Types}
214    
215    As a convenience for users, the MNC package includes numerous routines
216    to aid in the writing of data to NetCDF format.  Probably the biggest
217    convenience is the use of pre-defined ``grid types'' and ``variable
218    types''.  These ``types'' are simply look-up tables that store
219    dimensions, indicies, attributes, and other information that can all
220    be retrieved using a single character string.
221    
222    The ``grid types'' are a way of mapping variables within MITgcm to
223    NetCDF arrays.  Within MITgcm, most spatial variables are defined
224    using two-- or three--dimensional arrays with ``overlap'' regions (see
225    Figures \ref{fig:communication_primitives}, a possible vertical index,
226    and \ref{fig:tiling-strategy}) and tile indicies such as the following
227    ``U'' velocity:
228    \begin{verbatim}
229          _RL  uVel (1-OLx:sNx+OLx,1-OLy:sNy+OLy,Nr,nSx,nSy)
230    \end{verbatim}
231    as defined in \filelink{model/inc/DYNVARS.h}{model-inc-DYNVARS.h}
232    
233    The grid type is a character string that encodes the presence and
234    types associated with the four possible dimensions.  The character
235    string follows the format
236    \begin{center}
237      \texttt{H0\_H1\_H2\_\_V\_\_T}
238    \end{center}
239    where the terms \textit{H0}, \textit{H1}, \textit{H2}, \textit{V},
240    \textit{T} can be almost any combination of the following:
241    \begin{center}
242      \begin{tabular}[h]{|ccc|c|c|}\hline
243        \multicolumn{3}{|c|}{Horizontal} & Vertical & Time \\
244        \textbf{H0}: location & \textbf{H1}: dimensions & \textbf{H2}: halo
245              & \textbf{V}: location & \textbf{T}: level  \\\hline
246        \texttt{-} & xy & Hn & \texttt{-} & \texttt{-} \\
247        U  &  x  &  Hy  &  i  &  t  \\
248        V  &  y  &      &  c  &     \\
249        Cen  &   &      &     &     \\
250        Cor  &   &      &     &     \\\hline
251      \end{tabular}
252    \end{center}
253    A example list of all pre-defined combinations is contained in the
254    file
255    \begin{center}
256      \texttt{pkg/mnc/pre-defined\_grids.txt}.
257    \end{center}
258    
259    The variable type is an association between a variable type name and the
260    following items:
261    \begin{center}
262      \begin{tabular}[h]{|l|l|}\hline
263        \textbf{Item}  & \textbf{Purpose}  \\\hline
264        grid type  &  defines the in-memory arrangement  \\
265        \texttt{bi,bj} dimensions  &  tiling indices, if present  \\\hline
266      \end{tabular}
267    \end{center}
268    and is used by the \texttt{mnc\_cw\_*\_[R|W]} subroutines for reading
269    and writing variables.
270    
271    
272    \subsubsection{Using MNC: Examples}
273    
274    Writing variables to NetCDF files can be accomplished in as few as two
275    function calls.  The first function call defines a variable type,
276    associates it with a name (character string), and provides additional
277    information about the indicies for the tile (\texttt{bi},\texttt{bj})
278    dimensions.  The second function call will write the data at, if
279    necessary, the current time level within the model.
280    
281    Examples of the initialization calls can be found in the file
282    \filelink{model/src/ini\_mnc\_io.F}{model-src-ini_mnc_io.F}
283    where these function calls:
284    {\footnotesize
285    \begin{verbatim}
286    C     Create MNC definitions for DYNVARS.h variables
287          CALL MNC_CW_ADD_VNAME('iter', '-_-_--__-__t', 0,0, myThid)
288          CALL MNC_CW_ADD_VATTR_TEXT('iter',1,
289         &     'long_name','iteration_count', myThid)
290    
291          CALL MNC_CW_ADD_VNAME('model_time', '-_-_--__-__t', 0,0, myThid)
292          CALL MNC_CW_ADD_VATTR_TEXT('model_time',1,
293         &     'long_name','Model Time', myThid)
294          CALL MNC_CW_ADD_VATTR_TEXT('model_time',1,'units','s', myThid)
295    
296          CALL MNC_CW_ADD_VNAME('U', 'U_xy_Hn__C__t', 4,5, myThid)
297          CALL MNC_CW_ADD_VATTR_TEXT('U',1,'units','m/s', myThid)
298          CALL MNC_CW_ADD_VATTR_TEXT('U',1,
299         &     'coordinates','XU YU RC iter', myThid)
300    
301          CALL MNC_CW_ADD_VNAME('T', 'Cen_xy_Hn__C__t', 4,5, myThid)
302          CALL MNC_CW_ADD_VATTR_TEXT('T',1,'units','degC', myThid)
303          CALL MNC_CW_ADD_VATTR_TEXT('T',1,'long_name',
304         &     'potential_temperature', myThid)
305          CALL MNC_CW_ADD_VATTR_TEXT('T',1,
306         &     'coordinates','XC YC RC iter', myThid)
307    \end{verbatim}
308    }
309    {\noindent initialize four \texttt{VNAME}s and add one or more NetCDF
310      attributes to each.}
311        
312    The four variables defined above are subsequently written at specific
313    time steps within
314    \filelink{model/src/write\_state.F}{model-src-write_state.F}
315    using the function calls:
316    {\footnotesize
317    \begin{verbatim}
318    C       Write dynvars using the MNC package
319            CALL MNC_CW_SET_UDIM('state', -1, myThid)
320            CALL MNC_CW_I_W('I','state',0,0,'iter', myIter, myThid)
321            CALL MNC_CW_SET_UDIM('state', 0, myThid)
322            CALL MNC_CW_RL_W('D','state',0,0,'model_time',myTime, myThid)
323            CALL MNC_CW_RL_W('D','state',0,0,'U', uVel, myThid)
324            CALL MNC_CW_RL_W('D','state',0,0,'T', theta, myThid)
325    \end{verbatim}
326    }
327    
328    While it is easiest to write variables within typical 2D and 3D fields
329    where all data is known at a given time, it is also possible to write
330    fields where only a portion (\textit{eg.} a ``slab'' or ``slice'') is
331    known at a given instant.  An example is provided within
332    \filelink{pkg/mom\_vecinv/mom\_vecinv.F}{pkg-mom_vecinv-mom_vecinv.F}
333    where an offset vector is used: {\footnotesize
334    \begin{verbatim}
335           IF (useMNC .AND. snapshot_mnc) THEN
336             CALL MNC_CW_RL_W_OFFSET('D','mom_vi',bi,bj, 'fV', uCf,
337       &          offsets, myThid)
338             CALL MNC_CW_RL_W_OFFSET('D','mom_vi',bi,bj, 'fU', vCf,
339       &          offsets, myThid)
340           ENDIF
341    \end{verbatim}
342    }
343    to write a 3D field one depth slice at a time.
344    
345    Each element in the offset vector corresponds (in order) to the
346    dimensions of the ``full'' (or virtual) array and specifies which are
347    known at the time of the call.  A zero within the offset array means
348    that all values along that dimension are available while a positive
349    integer means that only values along that index of the dimension are
350    available.  In all cases, the matrix passed is assumed to start (that
351    is, have an in-memory structure) coinciding with the start of the
352    specified slice.  Thus, using this offset array mechanism, a slice
353    can be written along any single dimension or combinations of
354    dimensions.
355    
 \subsection{References}  

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