Input data versions

To keep track of the input data used in your modelling, we are introducing different version numbers in the observational climate input data sets. The version number can be found in the NetCDF global attributes, for instance "version=v3". Please report this version number to us with your model results included in the NetCDF meta data. To put them there, you may use the command:

where VERSION should be replaced with 1, 2, 3 etc.

Please note:

• All input files of one data set (WATCH, WATCH-WFDEI, PGFv2, GSWP3) include the same version tag.
• On the DKRZ server, there is only the most recent version available. Currently this is v2 for WATCH, v3 for WATCH-WFDEI and v1 for PSGFv2 and GSWP.
• The PSGFv2 and GSWP files do not include the global attribute version yet (since they are still the first version). Thus, if there is no tag in these data, it is version 1.
• For WATCH and WATCH-WFDEI, if there is no global attribute version available, the version number is 2, except if you have downloaded the WATCH or WATCH-WFDEI data prior to 19.12.2014. Then, we kindly ask you to download the data again and redo your simulations (see remark from 04.12.2014).
• In case you did not download the WATCH-WFDEI data yet, or you want to include the smaller islands and coast lines neglected in version 2 (see remark from 14.01.2015), please use WATCH-WFDEI version 3. However, if you have used version 2 for your simulations you don't need to rerun your simulations with version 3.
• If you download only parts of a new version, make sure to report the highest version number in the input data set.