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---------------------  The  SIMBA  Column-Building Framework -------------------
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-- System for Integrating Multi-platform data to Build the Atmospheric column --
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---------- Written By: Stephanie M. Wingo, stephanie.m.wingo@nasa.gov ----------
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README - NOTES ON SETTING UP COLUMN BUILDING FRAMEWORK FROM PACKAGE ARCHIVE
  	 AND GETTING THE SYSTEM RUNNING TO CREATE COLUMN .nc FILES
	 --> SIMBA Package v1.6, as of 19 March 2018
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The SIMBA package is provided as a .tar.gz archive, comtaining both the software
itself as well as example input/output files:		SIMBA_v1.6.tar.gz

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In Main archive/directory:	
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*.pro
	These are the programs that comprise the SIMBA framework.
	
	IMPORTANT: Before running any of the code, must set directory/file
		   paths in primary, top-level procedure:
			build_column.pro
		   These paths tell SIMBA where the following items are
		   located and/or are to be placed once created:
		- input data files:
			For every available data platform, set the path
			to the input data file(s).  If a platform is not
			available, simply comment out (add a leading ";")
			the line(s) defining the input for that platform.
		- out_dir:
			This will be where SIMBA writes the newly generated
			atmospheric column NetCDF file.
		- dir for .params files:
			These files are required for executing Radx to
			grid the ground-based scanning radar data.  SIMBA will
			create the .params for each time RadX must be run, but
			you must set the "params_dir" to have these files saved
			to & read from the correct dir.
		- full grid Radx output files:
			When SIMBA runs Radx, .nc files with a "full"
			grid of the radar's data are created & saved.
			You must set the path where this output is to
			be written as the "full_grid_dir".
		- combined D3R volume files:
			For cases with D3R data: The D3R data is 
			recorded in a single-file-per-sweep format.
			In order to use these files more efficiently,
			SIMBA will combine the list of PPI or RHI
			sweeps to a sinlge volume file.  Set "full_vol_dir"
			as the path to dir where these volumes are to be saved.

README_SIMBAv1.6_pros.txt
README_SIMBAv1.6_strcuts.txt
	These README files contain detailed descriptions about each SIMBA
	routine (_pros.txt) & the format of IDL data structures (_structs.txt)
	passed among these components during SIMBA execution.
	
/dependencies/
	This dir contains additional utilities/functions required for running
	  the .pros in the framework.  These should be placed in your IDL path
	  to ensure that IDL is able to run them effectively when called by the
	  SIMBA routines.
	This also includes a dir/lib for reading GPM/PPS products: /GPM_tools/
	  If you have used a SIMBA version PRIOR TO v1.6: Please update the
	  routines in this library to those included in v1.6.

	NOTE:  If you are NOT using RSL in IDL v1.8 (released on 11 May 2017),
		it is recommended you update to that version OR AT A MINUMUM
		refer to SIMBAv1.3 dependencies for these RSL in IDL add-ons:
			rsl_cfradial_to_radar.pro
			rsl_new_ray.pro
			rsl_radar_to_uf.pro

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/eg_input_data_files/
Example SIMBA Input Data:
	
	These files are included to provide a sample of input data from
	currently supported platforms.  The data are for the 3 Dec 2015 example
	OLYMPEX case.
	
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/eg_output_column_files/
Example SIMBA Output Files:

	Contains an example output column .nc file for 3 Dec 2015 OLYPMEX case.
	Also contains example of the _ncHeader.txt file generated after the .nc
	file is written and the outputs from list_column_inventory.pro for the
	same .nc file.

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-->> To run SIMBA <<-- 
	Update all paths in the top-level build_column.pro to your paths for
	each platform's data file(s) -- can comment out line(s) for a
	particular platform if it is not available to speed up execution.