4.5.3 Plots of time series with profil

Output of time series is enabled by providing a value for the run parameter dt_dots, which specifies the temporal interval at which time series data is output. Output times cannot be defined directly but only via the output time interval, starting from the beginning of the initial 3d run (t=0, but no data is output at that time). The time series data represent sums, averages or extreme values which by default refer to the total model domain. Output of time series for user-defined subdomains is possible with the help of the initialization parameter statistic_regions.

Time series are output into the local file PLOTTS_DATA. This file must be linked with a permanent file via a file connection statement in the mrun configuration file (see e.g. Chapter 3.2). At the end of the run the local file is copied to this file. Such a statement can look like this:

If the respective mrun call is like

then the local file PLOTTS_DATA is copied to the permanent file ~/PLOT/test/test_ts_in . However, the character string “ts” activating the file connection staement (see third column of the statement) must be given in the mrun call as argument of the option -r (and/or -o). If this is forgotten by mistake, the model outputs the data to the local file, but this is not copied to the permanent file and thus the data are not available for the user after the run has finished.

The time series data file always contains all time series available. Which time series are actually plotted can be specified via the parameter data_output_ts.

The created data file can be directly used as input file for the plot routine profil. Beside the data file,  profil needs another file, the so-called parameter file, which specifies the plot layout. This file is created by PALM under the local name PLOTTS_PAR and also needs a file connection statement, e.g.:

If you are in the directory ~/PLOT/test,the data can be plotted by entering

Which time series are actually plotted can be determined with the parameter data_output_ts.

By default plot layout as specified in the parameter file is as follows: the individual time series are plotted into individual coordinate systems (panels) which are arranged one upon the other. Typically several time series are plotted together into one panel. The grouping is fixed PALM-internally (it can be changed by editing the parameter input file). The parameter data_output_ts determines which time series are actually to be plotted. If none of the time series which are assigned to a certain panel is plotted, then this panel is completely omitted in the plot.

The time series are always plotted one page only. or identification, each plot is provided with a title, which contains the model version number, the run identifier (base file name + number of the restart run), the name of the host where the run was executed, the date and time of the beginning of the run as well as the averaging domain (by default: 'total domain'). The x axes of the panels have the label “time in s”, the y axes have no label. The run parameters cross_ts_uymin and cross_ts_uymax can be used to assign the range of values of the y axis individually for each panel. By default, the range of values is calculated from the minimum and maximum values of the time series. Each system has a legend which contains an entry for each time serias. The legend string is taken from file PLOTTS_DATA where the time series contained are noted in the comment lines at the beginning of the file. If a panel contains more than one time series then they are marked by different colors and types of lines.

If a simulation needs restart runs, then one usually would like to have the time series of the complete simulation in one plot. Using the file connection statements shown above, a new cycle of time series data file and of the parameter file is created for each run and thus the time series could only be plotted in pieces. If one wants to have the complete time series in one plot, the configuration file must be changed such that for restart runs the time series data are appended to already existing data (thus all data are output into one file). Then the configuration file has two entries for PLOTTS_DATA:

The first run of the job chain is now

For the restart runs, the "#" in the mrun call is automatically replaced by an "f". At the end of the job chain there will only be one data file containing the complete time series data. The file connection staement for the parameter file PLOTTS_PAR has not changed, thus a new cycle of the respective permanent file is created for each run. The highest cycle of this file can be used as parameter file in order to plot the complete time series.

The default layout of the plots of time series described can be changed by editing the parameter file. For a detailed description of the profil parameters see the profil manual (only in German). 


 Last change: 19/04/05 (SR)