Level 2 Help for NCEP_PROFILE

INP

      The variable INP specifies the names of the two NCEP global data files
to be used in the interpolation.  The first file should be for the snapshot
immediately preceeding the desired time, and the second file should be for
the snapshot immediately after the desired time.  The input files should be
VICAR labelled, and in the JPL abridged format.  This format is halfword data
in BSQ format, 181 lines by 360 samples.  The number of channels varies with
the date of assimilation.  The upper left corner is 90 degrees North, 0 
degrees East/West.  The attributes assigned to each channel are described on
the following pages.
Prior to October 1, 2000:

Channel  Attribute                      Units        Scaling Factor
 1-16    Geopotential height            meters         1.0
17-32    Temperature                    deg C        100.0
33-39    Relative Humidity              percent        1.0
   40    Surface Pressure               millibars     10.0
   41    Geopotential height at surface meters         1.0
   42    Pressure reduced to MSL        millibars     10.0
   43    Pressure at tropopause         millibars     10.0
   44    Temperature at tropopause      deg C        100.0
   45    Precipitable water in column   mm            10.0
46-61    Zonal Wind                     m/sec        100.0 (after 3/31/99)
62-77    Meridional Wind                m/sec        100.0 (after 3/31/99)
October 1, 2000 and later:

Channel Attribute                                             Units   Factor
------- ----------------------------------------------------  ------  ------
1-26    geopotential height at 26 isobaric levels 1000-10 mb   m         1.0
27-52   temperature at 26 isobaric levels 1000-10 mb           deg C   100.0
53-78   zonal wind at 26 isobaric levels 1000-10 mb            m/s     100.0
79-104  meridional wind at 26 isobaric levels 1000-10 mb       m/s     100.0
105-125 relative humidity at 21 isobaric levels 1000-100 mb    %         1.0
126     surface pressure                                       mb       10.0
127     surface geopotential height                            m         1.0
128     surface temperature                                    deg C   100.0
129     temperature at 2 meters above surface                  deg C   100.0
130     relative humidity at 2 meters above surface            %         1.0
131     pressure at tropopause                                 mb       10.0
132     geopotential height at tropopause                      m         1.0
133     temperature at tropopause                              deg C   100.0
134     precipitable water                                     cm     1000.0
135     pressure reduced to MSL                                mb       10.0
136     Land / Sea Mask                                        none      0/1
137     Ice Concentration                                      none      0/1
138     Cloud Cover                                            %         1.0
139     Snow Depth                                             kg/m^2    1.0
140     geopotential height anomaly at 500 meters              m         1.0
141     geopotential height anomaly at 1000 meters             m         1.0


TABLE

      If the parameter TABLE is used, a table in the format appropriate for
use as input for or TIMSCAL2 (parameter RSTABLE in TIMSCAL2) is generated,
and stored with this file name.


TIME

      The variable TIME specifies the time (in hours and fraction of hours
past midnight) for the desired interpolation.  The time should be expressed
as GMT/UT, not as local time.


LAT

      The variable LAT specifies the latitude (in degrees and fraction of
degrees North) for the desired interpolation. The range of valid values is
from -90.0 (South Pole) to +90.0 (North Pole).


LONG

      The variable LONG specifies the longitude (in degrees and fraction of
degrees East longitude) for the desired interpolation.  Note that all 
locations in the Western Hemisphere have negative values.  The valid range
of values is +/- 180.0


DATE

This optional parameter allows the user to supply a date to be placed in the
output profile's header text.  It is not used in the computation of the profile,
and it is the responsibility of the user to assure that the date given is
consistent with the input files.


ELEV

This optional parameter allows the user to specify the desired surface 
elevation, in meters.  This elevation will be used to compute the first
layer in the interpolated profile. If ELEV is defaulted, then the elevation
of the first layer will be the computed interpolated elevation that 
corresponds to the 1000 millibar level.


MODEL

      If a tablar output file is generated, relative humidities for
the upper layers and a top of atmosphere layer must be supplied from another
source.  This parameter allows the user to specify any of the 6 MODTRAN model
atmospheres to complete the profiles. The meanings of the valid keywords are
as follows:

           MLS  - Midlatitude Summer
           MLW  - Midlatitude Winter
           SAS  - Subarctic Summer
           SAW  - Subarctic Winter
           TROP - Tropical
           USS  - 1976 United States Standard Atmosphere


PRINTALL

      If this keyword is invoked, the 8 original profiles that are used to
compose the interpolated profile are also printed.