[Dart-users] recent updates to the dart subversion repository

[Nancy Collins]

hello dart users,

this is the semi-quarterly posting with some recent updates to the
trunk of the DART subversion repository you might be interested in:


- all the matlab scripts have been revamped to use the snctools toolbox
for the netcdf interfaces.  we no longer require the CISRO add-on or
the netcdf_toolbox.

- added AIRS obs converter for temperature and specific humidity.
see $DART/observations/AIRS

- updated GPS obs converter to do multiple files in one execution.
see $DART/observations/gps

- added additional thinning options to the QuikSCAT converter.
see $DART/observations/quikscat

- souped up the obs_sequence_tool to let it merge files with different
metadata strings, rename metadata, insert and remove copies and qc values,
select by region, read a list of input files from a separate file, plus it
can slice, dice and julienne fry.  see the updated documentation 
($DART/obs_sequence/obs_sequence_tool.html), especially the examples
section.

- initial cut at a model_mod for the POP ocean model.  scripting still
in process, but the dipole grid interpolation is working.

- set 'trace_execution = .true.' in the &filter_nml namelist if you want
more details about what is executing.  helpful for things that seem to be
taking a long time, or for a crash.

- you should get more helpful error messages when trying to open a
non-existing file for reading, or trying to open a file for write when
it cannot be created.

- misc updates to some of the html files, including adding back in
documentation for the time_manager code, which was somehow lost
in the sands of time.  (ironic since it was the original template for all
the other html files).  also updated $DART/index.html for recently added 
files.

- several updates to the wrf model_mod to try to support radar
reflectivity obs better (and remove some over-enthusiastic error checking)

- removed the $DART/converters directory and moved those files into
the more appropriate $DART/observations/var directory.   it has the 
little-r,
gts, and radar 3d-var converters there, hopefully renamed to be more 
helpful,
with a readme.


as always, email directly to one of us, or to 'dart at ucar.edu'  if 
you've got questions.
and just a heads-up that jeff, tim, and i will all be out of the office 
next week
(aug 17-21), so if you don't hear back from us right away, don't worry.

thanks,
nancy