Plotfiles

Controlling PlotFile Generation

“Plotfiles” can be written very efficiently in parallel in a native AMReX format or in HDF5. They can also be written in NetCDF.

The following options in the inputs file control the generation of plotfiles. Note that plotfiles can be written at two different frequencies; the names, frequency and content of the two streams are controlled separately.

List of Parameters

Parameter

Definition

Acceptable Values

Default

erf.plotfile_type

AMReX, NETCDF or HDF5

“amrex” or “netcdf / “NetCDF” or “hdf5” / “HDF5”

“amrex”

erf.plot_file_1

prefix for plotfiles at first freq.

String

plt_1_

erf.plot_file_2

prefix for plotfiles at seoncd freq.

String

plt_2_

erf.plot_int_1

how often (by level-0 time steps) to write plot files at first freq.

Integer \(> 0\)

-1

erf.plot_int_2

how often (by level-0 time steps) to write plot files at second freq.

Integer \(> 0\)

-1

erf.plot_per_1

how often in simulation time to write plot files at first freq.

Real \(> 0\)

-1.0

erf.plot_per_2

how often in simulation time to write plot files at second freq.

Real \(> 0\)

-1.0

erf.plot_vars_1

name of variables to include in plotfiles at first freq.

list of names

None

erf.plot_vars_2

name of variables to include in plotfiles at seoncd freq.

list of names

None

Notes

  • The NeTCDF option is only available if ERF has been built with USE_NETCDF enabled.

Examples of Usage

  • erf.plotfile_type = amrex

  • erf.plot_file_1 = plt_run

  • erf.plot_int_1 = 10

    means that native plot files (actually directories) starting with the prefix “plt_run” will be generated every 10 level-0 time steps. If using amrex format, that directory names will be plt_run00000, plt_run00010, plt_run00020, etc. If using HDF5 format, the names will have “.h5” appended; if using NetCDF format, the names will have “.nc” appended.

    In addition, while the amrex plotfiles will contain data at all of the refinement levels, NetCDF files are separated by level.

PlotFile Outputs

Plotfiles can include the quantities of several simulation parameters as output. They are summarized in the list below.

Output Options

Parameter

Definition

x_velocity

Velocity in x direction

y_velocity

Velocity in y direction

z_velocity

Velocity in z direction

density

Total density

dens_hse

Hydrostatic density

pert_dens

Perturbational density

pressure

Total pressure

pres_hse

Hydrostatic pressure

pert_pres

Perturbational pressure

pres_hse_x

Derivative of hydrostatic pressure in x

pres_hse_y

Derivative of hydrostatic pressure in y

dpdx

Pressure gradient in x direction

dpdy

Pressure gradient in y direction

temp

Temperature

theta

Potential temperature

rhotheta

Density * theta

KE

Kinetic energy

QKE

Turbulent kinetic energy * 2

rhoKE

Density * KE

rhoQKE

Density * QKE

scalar

Scalar magnitude

rhoadv_0

Conserved scalar

soundspeed

Sound speed

z_phys

Terrain height

detJ

Jacobian determinant

mapfac

Map scale factor

Kmv

Vertical Eddy Diffusivity of Momentum

Kmh

Horizontal Eddy Diffusivity of Momentum

Khv

Vertical Eddy Diffusivity of Heat

Khh

Horizontal Eddy Diffusivity of Heat

qt

Nonprecipitating water (qv + qc + qi)

qp

Precipitating water (rain + snow + graupel)

qc

Cloud water mixing ratio

qi

Cloud ice mixing ratio

qv

Water vapor mixing ratio

rhoQt

Density * qt

rhoQp

Density * qp

Examples of Usage

In an input file, the user can select parameters to plot by supplying a space-delimited list to erf.plot_vars_1 or erf.plot_vars_2.

  • erf.plot_vars_1 = option1 option2 option3