WRF Portal (A GUI Front End For WRF)
WRF Domain Wizard(A GUI Front End For WPS)
Presented by Jeff Smith January 18, 2007
WRF Portal A GUI Front End For WRF
Jeff Smith and Mark Govett
What is WRF Portal? -1 A GUI front end to WRF
Simplifies configuring and running WRF Monitors existing runs, giving users valuable feedback
on how their run(s) are progressing Stores information in a mySQL database, making it
easy for users to search through previous runs, compare runs, etc.
Includes an imbedded version of WRF Domain Wizard (more on that later)
Includes visualization capabilities (meteorological charts and graphs—uses customized IDV library)
Platform independent (e.g., Linux, Unix, Windows)
What is WRF Portal? -2 Also A Framework
The WRF Portal code and database was designed to be a generic framework that can support other models in the future with minimal code refactoring
Currently an alpha release tested at ESRL and at DTC (Developmental Testbed Center)
ETA Model Output Files
(Eta212, Eta218)
Realexe
WRFexe
Post Process(several programs)
Visualization(GemPak or
NCAR graphicsOr RIP)
Grib files
Verification(statistics and
graphs)
Postprocessing
WRF 2.1 Work Flow Diagram
Hinterp
WRFSI GUI Domain
Tool (runsgridgen.exe)
Grib files, MOAD
Data Root Dir
Vinterp
SI (Standard Initialization)
ETA218ETALSM
GFSAVN
RUCHRNNRP
NNRPSFCSST
NetCDF or binary (one set of WRF_BDY
WRF_INPUTfiles per nest)
BucketNetCDF or binary
GribprepMultiple runs(for multiple
data sources)
Preprocessing
ETA Model Output Files
(Eta212, Eta218)
Realexe
WRFexe
Post Process(several programs)
Visualization(GemPak or
NCAR graphicsOr RIP)
Grib files
Verification(statistics and
graphs)
Postprocessing
WRF 2.1 Work Flow Diagram
Hinterp
WRFSI GUI Domain
Tool (runsgridgen.exe)
Grib files, MOAD
Data Root Dir
Vinterp
SI (Standard Initialization)
ETA218ETALSM
GFSAVN
RUCHRNNRP
NNRPSFCSST
NetCDF or binary (one set of WRF_BDY
WRF_INPUTfiles per nest)
NetCDF or binary
Data LocatorCustom IDV
Version
GribprepMultiple runs(for multiple
data sources)
Preprocessing
Note: Yellow boxes are currently simplified/automated by WRF Portal Mixed color boxes will be partially simplified/automated by WRF Portal in the future.
WRF Portal Technical Information
Software is written in Java JRE 1.4x (or later) Uses Swing (JFC), JDBC, SSH-2 and SFTP Can be run directly from a web page (or from a
command line 130 Java files, 33,000 lines of code
mySQL 5 database supports flexible querying of namelists, user
preferences, configuration info, runs, etc. Referential integrity support
Architecture And Flow
mySQL
Java Virtual Machineon user’s computer (linux, windows, unix, etc.)
WRF Portal UI(Swing Application)
SQLExecutor - JDBC Framework
TCP/IP on port 3306 (default port)
Database Server
WRF Portal Data Layer(Plain Old Java Objects- POJO)
Firewall(either opens port 3306, or SSH forwarding)
Linux or Unix computer running WRF(supercomputer or workstation)
SSH2 connection WRF config files like namelists,workflow.xml, workflow.logReads config files, scripts,
creates dir, workflow.xml
Optional Ruby Workflow Mgr
workflow.log file
Job 1
Job 2
Job 3
Batch scheduler
Stores all namelists, model configurations, runs, etc.
JSchSSH
libraryRuby Workflow Manager
Reads workflow.xml to determinewhich jobs to run
WRF Domain WizardJava workflow Manager
Visualization Tool Polls workflow.logfor progress info
Optional-Javaworkflow manager
Interested PartiesPotential Beta Testers
Interested Parties Center for Coastal Physical Oceanography in Norfolk Centre for Dev. Of Advanced Computing in India Weather Decision Technologies, in Norman OK National Weather Service in Jacksonville, FL NCAR/DTC NOAA and ESRL
Website: http://www.wrfportal.org
WRF Portal Screen Shot – Model Config
WRF Portal Screen Shot – Run Config
WRF Portal Screen Shot – Monitor Runs
WRF Portal Security mySQL database
WRF Portal user logs in with username/password which grants him the limited database access
does not store any sensitive information such as usernames or passwords to other computers
database traffic sent via TCP/IP to port 3306 (or other port), password is encrypted
Security can be further enhanced by using SSH Port forwarding to encrypt data coming and going
WRF Portal uses SSH2 to connect to remote computer for reading/writing files run and monitor jobs
WRF Portal Future Work – Maybe
Grid enabled version Single sign-on
Create a web based monitoring piece Using Java web services
Ensembles Port WRF Portal to other models
WRF Domain WizardGUI Front End For WPS
Jeff Smith and Paula McCaslin
What is WPS? WRF Preprocessing System (WPS) Developed at NCAR Just released with WRF V2.2 and replaces the previous
WRF SI (standard initialization) WPS is Three Programs
geogrid.exe – localizes the domain defined in namelist.wps and creates a NetCDF output file. It extracts global geographical data (e.g. soil moisture, vegetation, albedo, etc.) and maps it to the domain projection.
ungrib.exe -- decodes and extracts atmospheric parameters from GRIB files in order to initialize WRF
metgrid.exe -- combines the meteorological data from ungrib with the NetCDF output from geogrid in order to produce a series of NetCDF files that are used to initialize WRF.
What is WRF Domain Wizard? Successor to the WRFSI GUI and is the graphical
user interface for WPS. Note: the older WRFSI GUI is not compatible with WPS
Using this GUI, users define the region (and projection) of their domain on map define any nests run the WPS programs
Can run as a standalone application (requiring no database connection) or from within WRF Portal
Writes the domain information to namelist.wps, a standard file defined by NCAR
Domain Wizard Technical Info
Software is written in Java JRE 1.4x (or later) Uses Swing (JFC) for GUI SSH-2 and SFTP to connect to remote computer (if
user is not running WPS locally) Can be deployed either from a web page as a Java
Web Start application or run from the command line
Architecture And Flow
Disk files
Java Virtual Machineuser’s computer (linux, windows, etc.)
WRF Domain Wizard(Swing Application)
SSH2 connection namelist.wps, WPS data
SSH I/O layerLocal I/O layer
geogrid
ungrib
metgrid
WPS Programs
Local or Remote Computer Has WPS Installed On It
WRF Domain Wizard Web Page
Java Web Start Link
Download App Link(user downloads and runs GUI from command line)
http connection
http://www.wrfportal.org/DomainWizard.html
Animated Tutorials On The Website -1
Animated Tutorials On The Website -2
Animated Tutorials On The Website -3
WRF Domain Wizard Future Work – Maybe
Visualize the WPS output files So users could inspect them before initializing WRF
with them
More user interface enhancements Port WRF Domain Wizard to other models
Thank You!
Any Questions?