[RegCNET] RegCM4.3 and horizontal resolution

[Graziano Giuliani]

On 08/13/2012 10:13 AM, Pir S. Ali wrote:
[...]
> I have run RegCM4.3 with *horizontal resolution ds = 25.0* but ctlinfo
> command in Grads show *0.11 degrees instead of 0.22*
> xdef   892 linear   43.97  * 0.11*
> ydef   502 linear    3.05   *0.11*
>
[...]

The resolution set in the CTL file is NOT the original resolution of the RegCM 
output. The resolution set there are those of a regular lat/lon grid on which to 
INTERPOLATE the RegCM output ONLY FOR SMOOTH GRAPHICAL DISPLAY. The choice to 
set the display resolution to ~ half the original model resolution comes just 
from VISUAL CONSIDERATIONS of the GrADS produced plots, and goes back to regcm3.
In my opinion, the GrADS plotting program should be considered just the SIMPLEST 
tool to use in post-processing the model output, as A NUMBER of other tools are 
available capable of reading netCDF files, and offer a BETTER AND MORE COMPLETE 
ENVIRONMENT to extract statistical numbers out of the raw model output data.
The presence of GrADS helper programs in the PostProc directory is not a 
suggestion or worse requirement to use GrADS in the PostProc: they are there 
only because in the regcm3 days users were using GrADS, and a number of them 
still use it, and we keep on supporting the capability to read output file into 
GrADS.
In my opinion, a LOT OF BETTER ENVIRONMENTS are available, and new users should 
check which one of those has the best tools to ease their scientific work, 
instead of struggling in the usage of the oversimple GrADS plotter.

Ciao!

-- 
Graziano Giuliani - Earth System Physics Section
The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics
Strada Costiera, 11 - I - 34151 Trieste Italy