SGP/SIRS/E15 - NIP failure

The short_direct_normal (NIP instrument) cable failed during this time period.  Data are 
not recoverable.

Users can derive an estimate of direct normal values using the following formula:
short_direct_normal = (down_short_hemisp - down_short_diffuse_hemisp)/cos(zenith angle)

• Shortwave Direct Normal Irradiance, Pyrheliometer, Maxima(short_direct_normal_max)
• Shortwave Direct Normal Irradiance(short_direct_normal)
• short_direct_normal_std
• Irradiance, shortwave, direct normal, pyrheliometer, mifkba(short_direct_normal_min)

SGP/MET/E11 - Wind speed incorrect

Starting on 05/14 the wind speed values at E11 intermittently flat-lined.  The connections 
were reseated 5/18.

• Wind speed, lower, 1-min avg(wspd_arith_mean)

SGP/SIRS/E6 - Bad upwelling long_wave hemisp

The upwelling longwave hemispheric (up_long_hemisp) values were intermittently missing or 
incorrect.  Sensor was replaced on 7/19 and the problem was resolved.

• inst_up_long_case_temp
• up_long_hemisp_std
• Upwelling longwave hemispheric irradiance, pyrgeometer(up_long_hemisp)
• Upwelling longwave hemispheric net infrared(up_long_netir)
• Upwelling Longwave Hemispheric Irradiance, Unventilated Pyrgeometer, Minima(up_long_hemisp_min)
• inst_up_long_dome_temp
• Upwelling Longwave Hemispheric Irradiance, Pyrgeometer, Maxima(up_long_hemisp_max)

SGP/SIRS/E10 - MUX failure

Starting on 7/18/2010 there were periodic large dropouts in the downwelling shortwave 
hemipsheric data eventually leading to failures in all other SIRS data throughout the 
specified time range.   Subsequent and extensive corrective maintenance was ongoing until 
6/22/2011 when all measurement problems were resolved.  

Due to the extensive data disruption during this time range all data from this station is 
suspect.  

For shortwave datastreams,however, data review reveals that the VAP qcrad1longE10.c1 and 
s1 datastreams have accurately flagged and removed suspect shortwave data and provides the 
user the most accurate values available for short_direct_normal, down_short_diffuse and 
down_short_hemisp. 
The user is referred to the best estimate data in the s1 datastream.

Longwave data after 8/18/2010 1800GMT is known to be biased from 0 to +20 W/m2. The user 
is advised to not use the down_long_hemisp_shaded and up_long_hemisp datastreams in any 
form from 8/18/2010 to 6/22/2011.  The sgpqcradlong1E10 datastreams do not effectively flag 
potentially bad data.

• Upwelling shortwave hemispheric irradiance, pyranometer(up_short_hemisp)
• inst_up_long_dome_temp
• down_long_hemisp_shaded_std
• Irradiance, shortwave, downwelling, diffuse, hemispheric, pyranometer, minima(down_short_diffuse_hemisp_min)
• Irradiance, shortwave, direct normal, pyrheliometer, mifkba(short_direct_normal_min)
• Irradiance, longwave, downwelling, hemispheric, shaded pyrgeometer(down_long_hemisp_shaded)
• short_direct_normal_std
• up_short_hemisp_std
• Shortwave Direct Normal Irradiance, Pyrheliometer, Maxima(short_direct_normal_max)
• Upwelling Longwave Hemispheric Irradiance, Unventilated Pyrgeometer, Minima(up_long_hemisp_min)
• Upwelling Shortwave Hemispheric Irradiance, Pyranometer, Maxima(up_short_hemisp_max)
• Upwelling Shortwave Hemispheric Irradiance, Unventilated Pyranometer, Minima(up_short_hemisp_min)
• down_short_hemisp_std
• Irradiance, shortwave, downwelling, hemispheric, pyranometer, mifkba(down_short_hemisp_min)
• Downwelling Longwave Hemispheric Irrad., Shaded Ventilated Pyrgeometer, Minima(down_long_hemisp_shaded_min)
• Upwelling longwave hemispheric net infrared(up_long_netir)
• Downwelling Shortwave Hemispheric Irradiance, Pyranometer, Maxima(down_short_hemisp_max)
• Downwelling Longwave Hemispheric Irradiance, Shaded Pyrgeometer, Maxima(down_long_hemisp_shaded_max)
• Irradiance, shortwave, downwelling, diffuse, hemispheric, pyranometer(down_short_diffuse_hemisp)
• Downwelling shortwave hemispheric irradiance, pyranometer(down_short_hemisp)
• down_short_diffuse_hemisp_std
• Upwelling Longwave Hemispheric Irradiance, Pyrgeometer, Maxima(up_long_hemisp_max)
• up_long_hemisp_std
• inst_down_long_shaded_dome_temp
• Irradiance, shortwave, downwelling, diffuse, hemispheric, pyranometer, maxima(down_short_diffuse_hemisp_max)
• Shortwave Direct Normal Irradiance(short_direct_normal)
• Downwelling longwave hemispheric net infrared(down_long_netir)
• inst_up_long_case_temp
• Upwelling longwave hemispheric irradiance, pyrgeometer(up_long_hemisp)
• inst_down_long_shaded_case_temp

SGP/SIRS/E20 - Upwelling LW incorrect

The UIR signal (up_long_hemisp datastream) had connection and cabling problems during the 
time period specified.  Site ops personnel replaced the Multiplexer on 6/15/2011 at 19:00 
resolving the problem.

• Upwelling Longwave Hemispheric Irradiance, Pyrgeometer, Maxima(up_long_hemisp_max)
• Upwelling longwave hemispheric irradiance, pyrgeometer(up_long_hemisp)
• Upwelling Longwave Hemispheric Irradiance, Unventilated Pyrgeometer, Minima(up_long_hemisp_min)
• inst_up_long_case_temp
• inst_up_long_dome_temp
• Upwelling longwave hemispheric net infrared(up_long_netir)
• up_long_hemisp_std

SGP/EBBR/E20 - Sensible and latent heat fluxes overestimated

Net Radiation was too large resulting in overestimated sensible heat and latent heat 
fluxes.

• Net radiation(net_radiation)

• Net radiation(net_radiation)
• Sensible heat flux(sensible_heat_flux)
• Latent heat flux(latent_heat_flux)

SGP/MERGESONDE/C1 - Reprocessing Notice (RID 927)

See below for details of reprocessing that was completed on 20140904.  Original DQR 
category: 4 (Red, Incorrect).

-----------------------------------------------------------

All precip values are incorrectly reported during the period:  

From 20060101-20101231 all precip values are incorrectly reported as missing, or -9999.  

From 20110101-present all precip values are reported as 0 even though the qc_precip 
variable flags the data as missing, or -9999. 

The precipitation data from the co-located surface met station were not actually missing, 
but the MERGESONDE VAP did not properly ingest these data.  While the 0 precip values 
reported after 20110101 in MERGESONDE may be correct on days with no precip, they are not 
actually tied to the measurements from the co-located rain gauge and are due to a VAP 
software error.

To correct this issue, the MERGESONDE software will need to be corrected so the data can 
be reprocessed.  Because precip is a secondary variable in MERGESONDE, this issue is 
considered low priority and the VAP will not be reprocessed until a sufficient number of 
issues in the VAP have been identified.

• Precipitation, total, derived from ETA model(precip)

SGP/XSAPR/I6 - Azimuthal Drift

The azimuth and elevation position were drifting over time.  The position reported in the 
files for the radar is not accurate and has an offset in azimuth at times.  There are 
periods in the data where the offset is constantly changing from scan to scan.

• Mean Doppler Velocity(mean_doppler_velocity)
• Reflectivity(reflectivity)
• Differential propagation phase shift(dp_phase_shift)
• Attenuation corrected reflectivity(reflectivity_corr)
• Lag-0 co-polar correlation coefficient, clutter filtered(copol_coeff)
• Differential reflectivity, clutter filtered(diff_reflectivity)
• Doppler spectral width, clutter filtered(doppler_spectral_width)
• Unfiltered reflectivity(reflectivity_unf)
• Signal quality index(sig_qual_index)
• Specific differential phase, clutter filtered(diff_phase)
• Attenuation corrected differential reflectivity(diff_reflectivity_corr)

SGP/KASACR/C1 - Reprocess: Mean Doppler Velocity sign reversed

The signs of the mean_doppler_velocity field values are incorrect.  The ARM convention for 
this field is that positive velocities indicate motion away from the radar.  However, 
the velocity data in these files have their signs reversed, so that motion TOWARD the radar 
has a positive sign.

• Mean Doppler Velocity(mean_doppler_velocity)

• Mean Doppler Velocity(mean_doppler_velocity)

• Mean Doppler Velocity(mean_doppler_velocity)

• Mean Doppler Velocity(mean_doppler_velocity)

• Mean Doppler Velocity(mean_doppler_velocity)

SGP/RWP/I10 - Instrument noise problem

Instrument showing very high noise ratios on intermittent days, causing questionable data 
for Mode 0 noise values.  Does not affect any other data

• Signal to noise ratio(snr)

• noise

SGP/XSAPR/I4 - Radial Spikes

Spikes in the moments data along multiple radials at times.

• Differential propagation phase shift(dp_phase_shift)
• Attenuation corrected reflectivity(reflectivity_corr)
• Differential reflectivity, clutter filtered(diff_reflectivity)
• Mean Doppler Velocity(mean_doppler_velocity)
• Unfiltered reflectivity(reflectivity_unf)
• Lag-0 co-polar correlation coefficient, clutter filtered(copol_coeff)
• Doppler spectral width, clutter filtered(doppler_spectral_width)
• Attenuation corrected differential reflectivity(diff_reflectivity_corr)
• Reflectivity(reflectivity)
• Specific differential phase, clutter filtered(diff_phase)

SGP/KAZR/C1 - Reprocessing Notice (RID 1117)

See below for details of reprocessing that was completed on 20150626.  Original 
DQR category: 4 (Red, Incorrect).

-----------------------------------------------------------

The wrong calibrations were used due to a problem with the software. Mentor discovered the 
reflectivity between long and short pulse did not agree with each other after analyzing 
data. Data will be reprocessed.

• Reflectivity(reflectivity)

• Reflectivity(reflectivity)

SGP/RWP/C1 -  Reprocessed and Corrected: Missing Value Incorrectly Set

DATA REPROCESSED and CORRECTED:

In the moment datastreams (precipmom and wind mom) from the 915 RWP, the snr variable, is 
not set to missing value when the SNR is invalid but the other moments have valid values. 
At these points the SNR has a value of 32767. The ingest was updated and the data were 
reprocessed to fix the issue.

The data were Archived in July 2016. Please retrieve the reprocessed data for use in your 
analysis.

You may find these data using the ARM Discovery tool at the following link:
http://www.archive.arm.gov/discovery/#v/results/s/finst::rwp/fsite::nsa/ffac::nsa.C1
http://www.archive.arm.gov/discovery/#v/results/s/finst::rwp/fsite::sgp/ffac::sgp.C1 


ORIGINAL DQR CATEGORY: Yellow( Suspect)

REPROCESSED and CORRECTED DATA ARCHIVED:2016-07

REPROCESS IDENTIFICATION NUMBER: RID 1320

---------------------------------------------------
--- ORIGINAL DQR DESCRIPTION ---
---------------------------------------------------

Invalid SNR values are not being set to missing_value.

• Signal to noise ratio(snr)

SGP/RWP/I10 - Reprocessing Notice (RID 1322)

See below for details of reprocessing that was completed on 20150918.  Original 
DQR category: 3 (Yellow, Suspect).

-----------------------------------------------------------

Invalid SNR values are not being set to missing_value.

• Signal to noise ratio(snr)

SGP/CSAPR/I7 - Reprocess: Datastream name change

The following changes have been made to the CSAPR datastream names to be consistent with 
other ARM radars.

csaprsec -> csaprppi
csaprvert -> csaprvpt

Reference: BCR-02146

• Unfiltered Mean Doppler velocity(mean_doppler_velocity_unf)
• time
• Unfiltered reflectivity in vertical polarization(reflectivity_vertical_unf)
• Lag-0 co-polar correlation coefficient, clutter filtered(copol_coeff)
• norm_coherent_power
• azimuth
• power_horizontal
• power_vertical
• Unfiltered specific differential phase(diff_phase_unf)
• Unfiltered differential reflectivity(diff_reflectivity_unf)
• Unfiltered reflectivity in horizontal polarization(reflectivity_horizontal_unf)
• Differential reflectivity, clutter filtered(diff_reflectivity)
• altitude
• power_horizontal_unf
• Unfiltered lag-0 co-polar correlation coefficient(copol_coeff_unf)
• Doppler spectral width, clutter filtered(doppler_spectral_width)
• norm_coherent_power_unf
• Unfiltered Doppler spectral width(doppler_spectral_width_unf)
• Reflectivity horizontal(reflectivity_horizontal)
• power_vertical_unf
• Mean Doppler Velocity(mean_doppler_velocity)
• Clutter filtered reflectivity in vertical polarization(reflectivity_vertical)
• Unfiltered differential propagation phase shift(dp_phase_shift_unf)
• Specific differential phase, clutter filtered(diff_phase)
• range
• Differential propagation phase shift(dp_phase_shift)

SGP/MET/E9 - False tips in high winds

The TBRG's were mounted at a height that made them prone to vibrations caused by high 
winds which may have caused false tips.  The end date of this DQR indicates when the rain 
gauge was lowered to mitigate these effects.  

Effects on the total precipitation amounts are assumed to be negligible.

• TBRG precipitation total, corrected(tbrg_precip_total_corr)
• tbrg_precip_total

SGP/MET/E11 - False tips in high winds

The TBRG's were mounted at a height that made them prone to vibrations caused by high 
winds which may have caused false tips.  The end date of this DQR indicates when the rain 
gauge was lowered to mitigate these effects.  

Effects on the total precipitation amounts are assumed to be negligible.

• TBRG precipitation total, corrected(tbrg_precip_total_corr)
• tbrg_precip_total

SGP/MET/E13 - False tips in high winds

The TBRG's were mounted at a height that made them prone to vibrations caused by high 
winds which may have caused false tips.  The end date of this DQR indicates when the rain 
gauge was lowered to mitigate these effects.  

Effects on the total precipitation amounts are assumed to be negligible.

• tbrg_precip_total
• TBRG precipitation total, corrected(tbrg_precip_total_corr)

SGP/MET/E15 - False tips in high winds

The TBRG's were mounted at a height that made them prone to vibrations caused by high 
winds which may have caused false tips.  The end date of this DQR indicates when the rain 
gauge was lowered to mitigate these effects.  

Effects on the total precipitation amounts are assumed to be negligible.

• tbrg_precip_total
• TBRG precipitation total, corrected(tbrg_precip_total_corr)

SGP/DL/DLPROF/C1 - Instrumental artifact in vertical velocity variance profiles

Long-term averages of vertical velocity variance profiles developed from vertical staring 
data show a height-dependent sinusoidal modulation superimposed on the atmospheric 
variance profile. This modulation causes a wiggle in the variance profile. The period of the 
wiggle is about 350 m, and the effect is most obvious during hot afternoon periods in the 
summer months. The exact cause of this problem is not known, but we suspect that it may be 
caused by temperature sensitivity in beam alignment.

• Noise corrected vertical velocity variance(w_variance)

SGP/SEBS/E21 - Reprocess: Net Radiation and Surface Energy Balance Delayed One Half Hour

The net radiation and surface energy balance measurements are delayed one half hour in the 
data during this period.

• Surface energy balance(surface_energy_balance)
• net radiation

SGP/MERGESONDE/C1 - Inconsistencies at day boundaries.

Please be aware that there are often inconsistencies at the boundaries between UTC days. 
The severity is dependent on the data variable and the number of sonde launches per day. 
Relative humidity, dew point, wind speed and wind direction are most affected. 

The contribution from sonde data is highest near the sonde times, then decreasing 
strongly. (Example of sonde 
contribution to value at 1 km height: )

Relative humidity at NSA can have large discontinuities at the UTC date boundaries due to 
only having two sonde launches per day. When weather or instrument malfunction reduce the 
number of launches the discontinuity can increase. (Example  at SGP at 1 km and Example at NSA at 1km )

Wind speed Example  at 1 km 
height: 

Temperature values are not affected as severely as other variables (Example  at NSA and Example at SGP 1 km height.)

• Temperature, air, 60-m height, 30-min intervals(temp)
• Wind speed, S-to-N component, at altitude, derived from ETA model(v_wind)
• sonde_fraction
• Wind direction, at 10-m height, 30-min intervals(wdir)
• Wind speed, surface, 1-min avg(wspd)
• Precipitation, total, derived from ETA model(precip)
• Barometric Pressure(bar_pres)
• Temperature, dewpoint, at altitude(dp)
• vapor_source
• Pressure, vapor, at 2-m height, 30-min intervals(vap_pres)
• rh_scaled
• potential_temp
• Pressure, associated geometric height, at altitude, NGM model output(height)
• Wind speed, W-to-E component, at altitude(u_wind)
• sonde_fraction_rh
• Humidity, relative, on hybrid-b grid, derived from RUC model(rh)
• sh

SGP/CSAPR/I7 - Missing Sectors

Periodically, there would be missing sectors or elevations in the data.

• norm_coherent_power_unf
• Doppler spectral width, clutter filtered(doppler_spectral_width)
• Unfiltered Mean Doppler velocity(mean_doppler_velocity_unf)
• Unfiltered lag-0 co-polar correlation coefficient(copol_coeff_unf)
• Unfiltered Doppler spectral width(doppler_spectral_width_unf)
• power_vertical_unf
• Reflectivity horizontal(reflectivity_horizontal)
• Unfiltered reflectivity in vertical polarization(reflectivity_vertical_unf)
• Mean Doppler Velocity(mean_doppler_velocity)
• Lag-0 co-polar correlation coefficient, clutter filtered(copol_coeff)
• Unfiltered differential propagation phase shift(dp_phase_shift_unf)
• Clutter filtered reflectivity in vertical polarization(reflectivity_vertical)
• norm_coherent_power
• Specific differential phase, clutter filtered(diff_phase)
• power_vertical
• power_horizontal
• Unfiltered specific differential phase(diff_phase_unf)
• Unfiltered differential reflectivity(diff_reflectivity_unf)
• Differential propagation phase shift(dp_phase_shift)
• Unfiltered reflectivity in horizontal polarization(reflectivity_horizontal_unf)
• Differential reflectivity, clutter filtered(diff_reflectivity)
• power_horizontal_unf