Access is Limited for Early ARM Data

15 June 2005

Background

The information generated by ARM during the early operation of ARM sites has an unusually high amount of uncertainty. This includes many changes in file names and information structures (the name and definition of data fields). The measurements also have unidentified uncertainties associated with limited understanding of instrument calibration and the long-term operations of field-based installations. The documentation from these early periods is also sketchy because of the rapidly changing procedures.

Decision

The ARM Program has decided to "preserve" the information from this period "as is" so that the Program's resources can be focused on resolving problems in the later periods where the issues are more clearly understood and can be solved. Access to early ARM data is not possible with the Archive User Interface. This prevents researchers from unwittingly experiencing the unusual frequency and diversity of problems with data from the early operations.

How to Request Early ARM data

If you need access to early ARM data, please contact the ARM Archive staff by sending email to armarchive@ornl.gov or call 1-865-241-4851. This information can be provided if necessary. Information will also be provided about the known, potential problems for the requested information. Technical contacts (when possible) will also be provided. The first table below provides an overview of the quantity and types of data recorded as user-formatted files (NetCDF format) before July 1993 at the SGP site. Information about the existence of files in other formats (RAW, ASCII, etc.) can be obtained by contacting the Archive (armarchive@ornl.gov).

* These data streams were inconsistently named and represent data collected in 1992.

** Dates could not be determined for these data streams.