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Mosaic Model Output Information

Mosaic Retrospective Run
Domain: Continental United States
Spatial Resolution: 1/8th Degree on regular Lat/Lon grid, 464 X 224
Temporal Resolution: Hourly, Official Retrospective Period From 9/30/96 To 9/30/99.
Experimental Beta Data Available From 9/30/99 To Present.
Grid Boundaries: 25N, 53N, -125W, -67W
File Format: Hourly GRIB Files.
FTP ACCESS 1996-2007 (Tarred hourly files. "A" Files Contain Days 1-15, "B" Files Contain Rest Of Month):
Anonymous FTP to hsbserv.gsfc.nasa.gov
HTTP ACCESS 2008 - Present (Individual Hourly Files):
HTTP Download location
 
Information and software needed to work with the GRIB data format can be found below:
 
readgrib.mosaic.tar.z to decode and read GRIB files is available HERE
A sample GrADS control file can be found HERE
More GRIB decoding software is available from NCEP at: http://www.nco.ncep.noaa.gov/pmb/codes/GRIB1/
An NCEP GRIB manual can be found HERE
A GSFC-LDAS GRIB interpolation guide is also available
You can download WGRIB, an excellent GRIB manipulation and decoding tool from HERE
GRID BOX CENTERPOINTS  
Position GRID Column Grid Row Longitude Latitude
Lower Left 1 1 -124.9375 25.0625
Lower Right 464 1 -67.0625 25.0625
Upper Right 464 224 -67.0625 52.9375
Upper Left 1 224 -124.9375 52.9375
File Contents  
GRIB Record # GRIB ID #, KPDS5 Variable Units Positive Sign Convention Time Height
1 111 Net Short Wave Radiation W/m2 Upward Average Surface
2 112 Net Long Wave Radiation W/m2 Upward Average Surface
3 121 Latent Heat Flux W/m2 Upward Average Surface
4 122 Sensible Heat Flux W/m2 Upward Average Surface
5 155 Ground Heat Flux W/m2 Upward Average Surface
6 229 Snow Phase Change Heat Flux W/m2 Solid To Liquid Average Surface
7 204 Downward Solar Radiation Flux W/m2 Always Average Surface
8 205 Downward Longwave Radiation Flux W/m2 Always Average Surface
9 131 Snowfall (Frozen Precipitation) Kg/m2 Always Accumulation Surface
10 132 Rainfall (Unfrozen Precipitation) Kg/m2 Always Accumulation Surface
11 57 Total Evaporation (All Sources) Kg/m2 Upward Accumulation Surface
12 235 Surface Runoff Kg/m2 Exit Grid Box Accumulation Surface
13 234 Subsurface Runoff Kg/m2 Exit Grid Box Accumulation Bottom Of Column
14 99 Snow Melt Kg/m2 Solid To Liquid Accumulation Surface
15 138 Average Surface Temperature K Always Instantaneous Surface
16 84 Surface Albedo % Always Instantaneous Surface
17 65 Snowpack Water Equivalent Kg/m2 Always Instantaneous Surface
18 223 Plant Canopy Surface Water Storage Kg/m2 Always Instantaneous Surface
19 85 Deep Soil Temperature K Always Instantaneous Deep Soil
20 86 Total Column Soil Moisture Kg/m2 Always Instantaneous 0-200cm
21 86 Root Zone Soil Moisture Kg/m2 Always Instantaneous 0-40cm
22 86 Top 1 Meter Soil Moisture Kg/m2 Always Instantaneous 0-100cm
23 86 Layer 1 Soil Moisture Kg/m2 Always Instantaneous 0-10cm
24 86 Layer 2 Soil Moisture Kg/m2 Always Instantaneous 10-40cm
25 86 Layer 3 Soil Moisture Kg/m2 Always Instantaneous 40-200cm
26 207 Total Soil Column Wetness % Always Instantaneous 0-200cm
27 207 Root Zone Wetness % Always Instantaneous 0-40cm
28 200 Canopy Surface Water Evaporation W/m2 Upward Average Surface
29 210 Canopy Transpiration W/m2 Upward Average Surface
30 199 Bare Soil Evaporation W/m2 Upward Average Surface
31 173 Snow Evaporation W/m2 Upward Average Surface
32 174 Aerodynamic Conductance M/S Always Instantaneous Surface
33 181 Canopy Conductance M/S Always Instantaneous Surface
34 87 Vegetation Greenness % Always Instantaneous Surface
35 182 Leaf Area Index (LAI) -- Always Instantaneous Surface
36 66 Snow Depth M Always Instantaneous Surface
37 238 Snow Cover % Always Instantaneous Surface
38 11 Two Meter Temperature K Always Instantaneous 2 Meters
39 51 Two Meter Specific Humidity Kg/Kg Always Instantaneous 2 Meters
40 33 U Wind Component M/S Eastward Instantaneous 10 Meters
41 34 V Wind Component M/S Northward Instantaneous 10 Meters
42 1 Surface Press (Not Adjusted To Sea Lvl) Pa Always Instantaneous Surface
43 63 Convective Precipitation Kg/m2 Always Accumulation Surface


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Developed and Maintained at NASA/GSFC		 Matthew Rodell: Matthew.Rodell@gsfc.nasa.gov
Brian Cosgrove: Brian.Cosgrove@gsfc.nasa.gov		 GSFC webpage