Radar field of view plots

The fov_plot function plots the fields of view of SuperDARN radars onto a map. It does not plot any data.

Getting started

fov_plot -x -stereo -coast -fov -st lyr -d 20181001

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All of the above flags are necessary to obtain an informative figure:

  • -x Display the figure in an X-terminal
  • -stereo Use a stereographic projection. One alternative is the orthographic projection (\inlinecode{-ortho})
  • -coast Plot coast outlines
  • -fov Plot the field of view outline for the radar specified by the \inlinecode{-st} flag
  • -st Used to specify which radar to plot (3-letter station name, not the numerical ID code). If omitted, the Goose Bay (gbr) radar is plotted by default
  • -d Read the radar hardware file that was in use on the date YYYYMMDD (if this date is before the radar was operational, the FOV won't be displayed)

Add colour and coordinate grid, output as png

fov_plot -d 20181001 -t 12:00 -rotate \
-st lyr -fov -ffov \
-stereo -grd -latmin 50 \
-coast -fcoast  \
-ffovcol FF0077FF -grdcol FF000000 \
-cstcol FF000000 -lndcol 55000000 -seacol 11000000 \
-png > lyr_fovplot.png

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The -rotate flag rotates the plot so that local noon is at the top of the figure. Since we have specified -t 12:00, the radar is displayed in its position at 12:00 UT.

Plot fields of view of all radars

The fields of view of all radars in the northern or southern hemisphere can be plotted by making use of the -ofov ('other fields of view') and/or -fofov ('fill other fields of view') options. If you want all the radars shaded the same colour, remove the -st, -fov and -ffov flags.

Northern Hemisphere

fov_plot -x -d 20181001 -t 00:00 -rotate \
-st lyr -fov -ffov -ofov -fofov \
-stereo -grd -latmin 20 -lat 90 -lon 0 \
-coast -fcoast \
-ffovcol FF0077FF -fofovcol 88009900 -grdcol FF000000 \
-cstcol FF000000 -lndcol 55000000 -seacol 11000000

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Southern Hemisphere

fov_plot -x -d 20181001 -t 00:00 -rotate \
-st mcm -fov -ffov -ofov -fofov \
-stereo -grd -latmin 20 -lat -90 -lon 0 \
-coast -fcoast \
-ffovcol FF0077FF -fofovcol 88009900 -grdcol FF000000 \
-cstcol FF000000 -lndcol 55000000 -seacol 11000000

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