Old URSI Data Format (formatg6.old)
The following is a copy of the "OLD URSI" data format as published in
World Data Center A for Solar-Terrestrial Physics Report UAG-23, "URSI
Handbook of Ionogram Interpretation and Reduction" November 1972.
....................................................................
HEADER record only have the following parameters assigned to the follow-
ing columns.
Column Value Description
------- ----- -----------------------------------------------
1 - 2 90 Header record
10 - 13 0000 Should always be zeroes
14 - 29 Station Name
30 - 44 Sponsoring Country (if applicable)
48 - 51 Latitude
52 - 56 Longitude
57 - 62 Frequency Range (when known)
63 - 65 Gyrofrequency (when known)
66 - 69 Sweep Time in Seconds (when known)
70 - 74 Time Zone
76 - 80 Station Code (See headers above)
NOTE: The header records illustrated above include more than 80 bytes
per record and are utilized in the NGDC's internal format. Data
described here are all 80 byte records.
.....All alpha characters must be upper case.....
The following is a sample of the February 1991 Boulder corrected header record.
9084091020000BOULDER USA 400N1053W025200140027S0000W BC840
The header record is the first record in each file.
One header record in each station month.
One record = 80 bytes.
One block = 2000 bytes. (9-track magnetic tape)
One station month of data = 1 file.
***** No blanks from 1 - 12 and no leading zeroes from 13 - 72. *****
Data record
Field (card column - see documentation above)***
1 9 = header record (See separate header record documentation ***)
1 = hourly data record
2 = monthly summary record
2 ' '- blank is for a record separator between hourly and monthly
summary data.
1 = hours 00 - 11
2 = hours 12 - 23
3- 5 Three bytes (characters) identify the station computer code.
(Special characters may be encountered for certain stations).
6- 7 Year (last two digits: 88 = 1988)
8- 9 Month (September = 09)
10-11 Day Code: For hourly values, the day code = the day (01,02,etc.)
For monthly summaries, the following are the codes.
40 = median
50 = median count
60 = upper quartile
70 = lower quartile
80 = quartile range
77 = upper decile (no longer calculated)
87 = lower decile (no longer calculated)
NOTE: Day Code: Numbers only valid for archive data, not other
data sets, particularly Canadian data (mid 80's
and older).
12-13 Characteristic - Two letter code identifies ionospheric
characteristic.
Code Characteristic Code Characteristic
* 00 foF2 * 30 foEs
01 fxF2 31 fxEs
02 fzF2 * 32 fbEs
* 03 M(3000)F2 33 fEs
* 04 h'F2 * 34 h'Es
05 hpF2 36 Type Es
06 h'Ox 40 foF1.5
07 MUF(3000)F2 * 42 fmin
*** 08 hc 43 M(3000)F1.5
09 qc 44 h'F1.5
10 foF1 47 fm2
11 fxF1 48 hm
* 13 M(3000)F1 49 fm3
14 h'F1 50 foI
* 16 h'F * 51 fxI
17 MUF(3000)F1 * 52 fmI
* 20 foE 53 M(3000)I
** 22 foE2 54 h'I
* 24 h'E 57 dfs
** 26 h'E2
* - Characteristics normally scaled.
** - Characteristics normally scaled when present.
*** - hc (Dudeney calculated hmF2).
(14-16) Numeric portion, if any, of the data field.
(17-18) Alpha portion, if any, of the data field.
14-18 Data (field of 5; three possible numerics and two possible letters)
The data fields are 14-73 (5 bytes X 12 hours = 60 bytes)
***** For fields 14-73, the values can only be alpha or numeric
***** characters.
19-23 Data (14-18, 19-23, 24-28, ..., 69-73).
CODES
F2 layer | 00=foF2, 01=fxF2, 02=fzF2, 03=M(3000)F2, 04=h'F2, 05=hpF2,
07=MUF(3000)F2, 08=hc(Dudeney calculated hmF2),92=hmF2(zmF2)
F1 layer | 10=foF1, 11=fxF1, 13=M(3000)F1, 14=h'F1, 16=h'F, 17=MUF(3000)F1,
91=hmF1(zmF1)
E layer | 20=foE, 22=foE2, 24=-h'E, 26=h'E2, 90=hmE(zmE)
Es layer | 30=foEs, 31=fxEs, 32=fbEs, 33=fEs, 34= h'Es
Other | 40=foF1.5, 42=fmin, 43=m(3000)F1.5, 44=h'F1.5,
Spread | 50=foI, 51=fxI, 52=fmI
TEC | 70=I(2000), 71=I, 72=I(xxx)
VALUES - EXAMPLES
Code Characteristic Data Value Numeric Value Measurement
00 foF2 079 or 79 7.9 MHz
03 M(3000)F2 295 2.95
04 h'F2 245 245 km
08 hc 247 247 km
10 foF1 350 3.5 MHz
13 M(3000)F1 410 4.10
16 h'F 220 220 km
20 foE 245 2.45 MHz
24 h'E 099 or 99 99 km
30 foEs 094 or 94 9.4 MHz
32 fbEs 037 or 37 3.7 MHz
34 h'Es 095 or 95 95 km
42 fmin 026 or 26 2.6 MHz
51 fxI 087 or 87 8.7 MHz
52 fmI 079 or 79 7.9 MHz
90 hmE(zmE) 106 106 km
91 hmF1(zmF1) 169 169 km
92 hmF2(zmF2) 247 247 km
When qualification and Descriptive letters are not used with the data,
it must be clear that their absence does not indicate full weight values.
The IIWG has developed a code to designate this condition properly, as
indicated in the table below.
|----------------------------------------------------|
|Scaling Method | Editing | QD entry |
|----------------------------------------------------|
| | Edited | |
| Manual | (QD entered) | "QD" |
| |------------------------------------|
| | Edited | "/ " |
| | (no QD entered) | "/ " |
|----------------------------------------------------|
| | Edited | |
| Automatic | (no QD entered) | "/ " |
| |------------------------------------|
| | Non-Edited | |
| | (no QD entered) | "//" |
|----------------------------------------------------|
| NOTE: QD = Qualification and Descriptive Letters |
|----------------------------------------------------|
Listed below are a brief description of the Qualification and Descriptive
letters.
Qualification Letters
A = Less than (used only in case of total blanketing)
D = Greater than
E = Less than
I = interpolated
J = deduced from x component
M = mode uncertain
O = deduced from o component
T = smoothed from sequence
U = uncertain
Z = deduced from z component
Descriptive Letters
A = blanketing
B = absorption
C = non ionospheric (equipment)
D = above upper freq. range
E = below lower freq. range
F = Spread echoes
G = ionization density too small
H = stratification
K = night E layer present
L = insufficiently defined cusp
M = mode uncertain
N = superimposed layers
O = measurement refers to o component
Q = Range spread
R = attenuation near critical freq.
S = interference
T = interpolated
V = forked trace
W = above height range
X = measurement refers to x component
Y= lacuna (tilt)
Z = measurement refers to z component
Listed below are Boulder foF2 and M(3000)F2 ionospheric data for February 1991.
9084091020000BOULDER USA 400N2547E 0000
1184091020100124 121 100 87 72 62 60 56 51 47 44UW 47
1284091020100 48 49 61 101 124 132 132 132 132 134 126 132
1184091020200130 118 101 86 67 59 50 48 F 52 49 50 45
1284091020200 37 36 F 55 F 87 108 126 132 134UR132 128 130 118
1184091020300110 106 86 71 57 53 51 51 52 53 F 53 48UF
1284091020300 39UF 38UF 56 F 90 104 116 124 127 126 126 124 120
1184091020400110 102 90 75 55 50 46 42 40 39 40 41
1284091020400 43 50 55 80 102 118 130 131 128 126 125 118
1184091020500110 100 80 68 56 46 46 47 47 43 41 37
1284091020500 38 37 57 84 100 114 118 122 120 124 120 116
1184091020600113 104 91 71 59 51 51 45 43 41 39 37
1284091020600 38 38 59 94US110UH120 126 132 132 128 130 120
1184091020700112 106 80 67 53 50 46 45 45 46 47 41
1284091020700 39 39 57 87 101 112 120 122 120 116 115 114
1184091020800110 104 85 71 53 43 41 39 37 37 39 38
1284091020800 42 43 62 Y 89 104 116UH120 126 132 132 133 126
1184091020900120 110 90 78 61 50 47 45 44 46 47 50
1284091020900 48 43 63 91 105 104 120 122 126 132 130 124
1184091021000114 114 92 82 71 52 38 33 33 32 35 37
1284091021000 38 38 59 88 104 112 120 128 124 130 130 124
1184091021100116 101 81 38 53 42 43 45 45 45 42US 41ZS
1284091021100 40 38 61 90 104 114 122 132 132 134 132 126
1184091021200116 112 94 80 71 63 60 48 51UF 46 F 47 F 47UV
1284091021200 46 46 62 90 110 120 132 134UR134UR134 131 130
1184091021300116 106 90 80 56 56UH 49UH 45 F 48 F 50 F 48 F 49UF
1284091021300 41 H 40 H 60 H 91 114 123 124 126 128 126 130 126
1184091021400116 104 92 81 63US 49 F 48 H 46UF 47 F 45 F 46UF 43 F
1284091021400 45UF 46UF 65UF 93 120 128 133 138 134 134 132 130
1184091021500125 114 93 85 77UR 61 52 F 45 41 F 44UF 47UF 51 H
1284091021500 48 43 65 93 111 126 132 134UR133 132 132 131
1184091021600125 116 93 80 59 54 F 53 48 F 45UF 46 F 47UF 48
1284091021600 51 H 48 67 94 112 120 132 132 132 128 128 124
1184091021700124 114 91 74UR 66 60 51 51 53 52 49 47
1284091021700 39 37 66 93 115 124 130 132 128 130 126 126
1184091021800120 115 101 81 70 63 56 48 47 45 46 47
1284091021800 44 42 70 97JS116 126 132 131 132 131 126 125
1184091021900116 115 102 84 71 67 56 49 47 47 47 47
1284091021900 48 45 71 107 126 132UR134 136UR134 135UR134UR133
1184091022000128 120 104 84US 77 70 63 56 50 49 50 50
1284091022000 49 46 73 108 124 134 134UR134UR134UR134UR134UR126
1184091022100124 114 105 93 90 76JS 72 66 61 58 53 C
1284091022100 C C C C126 140 140 136UR134 130 130 126
1184091022200120 112 93 92 80 73 63 49 47UW 47UW 47UW 47UW
1284091022200 49 50 73US106 124 132UR138 134UR124 131 126 123
1184091022300124 116 105 90 72 66 60 54UW 52UW 56 59 57
1284091022300 47 47 71 93 120 138 134 132 132 H126 122 124
1184091022400120 116 94 82 69 60 61 59 57 55 54 53
1284091022400 53 54 80 114 130 134UR134UR133UR132 132 130 126
1184091022500124 116 102 90 83 73 63 55 57 53 55 48
1284091022500 49 53 84 116 H128 134 140 142 134UR134UR134 130
1184091022600126 118 106 93 75JS 69US 65 F 63US 64UF 65 63 61
1284091022600 59 61 90 116 130 134 142 144 134 138 134 132
1184091022700130 126 106 96 84 73 65 61 58 55 56 53
1284091022700 52 52 82 118 130 134UR140 142 138UR142 140 134
1184091022800130 118 114 93 86UR 80 69 54UW 62 61 60 63
1284091022800 62 62 83 116 128 141 134UR134UR134UR132UR128 130
1 84091023500
2184091024000120 114 93 82 68 60 53 48 47 47 49 47
2284091024000 47 45 63 93 115 124 132 132 132 131 130 126
2184091025000 28 28 28 26 24 25 27 24 23 26 22 22
2284091025000 25 25 25 25 27 23 25 19 23 24 26 28
2184091026000125 116 102 90 72 67 63 53 53 53 54 51
2284091026000 49 50 72 108 126 134 134 132 132 133 132 130
2184091027000115 106 90 75 57 50 47 45 44 45 46 41
2284091027000 40 39 59 90 104 116 123 126 126 127 126 124
2184091028000 10 10 12 15 15 17 16 8 9 8 8 10
2284091028000 9 11 13 18 22 18 11 6 6 6 6 6
2184091027700130 120 106 93 84 73 65 60 60 58 60 59
2284091027700 53 54 83 116 130 139 140 142 134 136 134 132
2184091028700110 102 81 68 53 46 43 41 39 39 39 37
2284091028700 38 37 56 87 102 112 120 122 122 125 122 118
1184091020103280 295 295 305 300 305 295 290 295 275 250UW260
1284091020103255 280 305 330 335 310 300 285 290 290 275 280
1184091020203295 285 285 295 280 295 275 270 F285 285 300 305
1284091020203290 290 F315 F335 315 310 300 305UR295 290 290 300
1184091020303300 300 310 310 295 290 285 285 290 310 F305 310UF
1284091020303310UF290UF325 F340 330 320 305 300 295 290 295 300
1184091020403295 300 310 320 310 295 295 300 290 295 300 300
1284091020403300 315 320 350 310 320 315 300 300 295 295 305
1184091020503300 305 315 315 300 295 290 295 300 315 280 300
1284091020503275 285 305 340 325 310 300 300 295 290 295 305
1184091020603300 305 320 310 290 290 290 285 295 285 290 275
1284091020603265 280 310 360US315UH305 305 315 300 300 295 305
1184091020703305 310 310 305 290 300 295 275 280 290 300 300
1284091020703290 280 305 330 325 310 305 310 295 295 290 295
1184091020803300 310 320 325 320 295 285 295 275 265 265 265
1284091020803265 275 280 Y320 305 310UH295 290 300 295 300 300
1184091020903305 300 310 310 305 300 295 290 275 275 280 280
1284091020903310 275 320 335 325 310 300 300 290 300 300 305
1184091021003300 310 305 310 320 315 295 280 275 270 270 275
1284091021003280 285 310 345 325 325 310 305 300 305 305 315
1184091021103315 315 315 290 310 280 275 280 285 290 270US260ZS
1284091021103270 275 320 355 325 320 300 310 300 310 300 305
1184091021203310 305 305 310 300 305 310 285 300UV300 F270 F275UV
1284091021203285 305 325 340 320 315 315 310UR315UR310 310 300
1184091021303315 300 310 320 300 295UH300UH280 F290 F300 F300 F310UF
1284091021303290 H270 H320 H330 330 320 310 305 295 295 300 300
1184091021403310 300 310 320 330US305 F295 H290UF305UH285UH290UF290 F
1284091021403280UF290 H F340 325 320 315 310 300 300 300 360
1184091021503305 305 310 310 320UR315 300 F295 265 F F275UF295 H
1284091021503315 290 315 335 320 310 315 320UR300 300 295 300
1184091021603300 320 315 325 305 305 F300 310 F290UF280 F280UF290
1284091021603305 H310 320 335 315 310 310 315 300 295 290 295
1184091021703300 305 305 305UR305 310 290 265 280 295 300 305
1284091021703310 305 330 330 325 320 305 305 295 295 290 295
1184091021803305 310 310 305 305 310 310 275 275 275 275 290
1284091021803300 305 330 340JS320 310 310 290 295 295 285 290
1184091021903310 295 305 300 305 310 300 280 275 275 280 280
1284091021903300 310 330 320 320 320UR305 300UR285 285UR295UR290
1184091022003295 300 295 305US300 285 305 290 265 260 255 270
1284091022003290 280 315 325 315 305 310UR295UR290UR290UR290UR280
1184091022103290 295 285 295 300 S295 280 275 270 245 C
1284091022103 C C C C310 305 295 295UR285 275 275 280
1184091022203285 285 285 305 295 300 310 265 240UW240UW240UW245UW
1284091022203265 260 295US310 305 305UR300 290UR285 280 275 275
1184091022303280 295 285 295 300 285 275 254UW240UW255 260 280
1284091022303260 250 290 320 310 310 305 285 285 H280 275 280
1184091022403290 300 290 295 290 275 280 285 285 280 275 270
1284091022403275 290 320 315 320 310UR300UR R285 280 275 280
1184091022503 285 275 285 300 315 300 280 265 270 280 265
1284091022503250 260 300 320 H300 300 290 285 285UR275UR280 280
1184091022603285 305 285 290 S275US285 F270US280UF275 280 275
1284091022603270 280 310 320 310 310 300 285 295 280 270 280
1184091022703285 285 285 305 300 310 295 290 275 260 270 265
1284091022703265 260 310 315 315 305UR290 280 280UR275 280 285
1184091022803280 285 285 280 295UR290 290 240UW245 255 245 260
1284091022803275 280 295 320 300 305 300UR290UR280UR275UR270 270
1 84091023503
2184091024003300 300 305 305 300 300 295 285 278 275 280 280
2284091024003280 280 315 330 320 310 305 300 295 295 290 295
2184091025003 27 28 28 26 24 25 27 24 22 25 22 22
2284091025003 25 26 25 25 27 23 25 19 23 24 26 28
2184091026003305 305 310 310 305 310 300 290 290 293 300 295
2284091026003300 290 320 340 325 320 310 310 300 300 300 303
2184091027003290 295 285 295 298 290 285 280 275 270 270 270
2284091027003265 275 305 320 310 310 300 285 290 285 275 280
2184091028003 15 10 25 15 7 20 15 10 15 23 30 25
2284091028003 35 15 15 20 15 10 10 25 10 15 25 23
2184091027703310 310 315 320 315 315 310 298 295 300 300 303
2284091027703310 310 330 345 330 320 315 315 300 308 300 305
2184091028703280 285 285 290 290 285 275 268 265 260 250 263
2284091028703260 260 295 315 305 305 295 285 285 278 275 280