TIDE Data Analysis Software

1. Overview
   

   The data analysis software package is capable of producing many types of plots and text output files:

   • Chromograms (suitable for data taken before December 7, 1996)
   • Spectrograms
   • Velocity distributions
   • Moments of the distribution
   • Several types of "housekeeping" plots (of interest to instrument operator)

   There is a "core" package of software that consists of:

   • a set of data analysis routines written in C
   • a set of IDL plotting routines
   • several types of calibration files

   There are other files you will need, some unique to each run:

   • an input file (optional, but useful)
   • a parameter file (generated by software included in the package)
   • a mask file (to subtract out that sunpulse signature)
   • level zero TIDE data, orbit data, and attitude data files
   • EFI spacecraft potential files

   The IDL "driver" routine (RUN_TIDE) has no widgets. It accepts as inputs,

   • the start and stop date/time to be covered by the plot
   • the name of the "parameter" file (this is the mechanism to select the many software options)
   • a flag indicating whether to plot to a window, postscript, and/or GIF file
   • color table number 1=rainbow(bcgyr),2=bproy,3=black-white,4=white-black
   • the name of a directory in which to write output files (optional)
   • a unique label to be included in the output file name (optional)
   • the name(s) of the TIDE level zero file name
   • the name(s) of a CDF format orbit file (optional)
   • the name(s) of a CDF format attitude file (optional)
   • the name of the mask file (optional)
   • the name(s) of the EFI spacecraft potential file (optional)
   • the name of energy / spin angle peak range file (optional)

   The inputs to RUN_TIDE may be fed via an input file (convenient in the case of long path and file names) or by answering prompts from the program. See run_tide.input.template for more details on the input file format.

   The parameter file contains all program options. Since many plots generated have an indentical format, with only the time period changing, the same parameter files may be used again and again. A program, lz_parm, is provided to generate the parameter file via a series of user prompts.

2. Installation

   You can get the latest version of the software by downloading one of the following files:

   • tide_lz_v6.1.3.tar - UNIX/LINUX workstations.

     You will need to compile the C code on your workstation using 'make' to build tide_lz.so and 'make -f Mparm' to build lz_parm.

     The file software.version.history is a detailed list of changes and additions to the software.

     If you plan to use the C code (source code is provided only in the UNIX version) separate from the IDL shells, you will also need to install the CDF interface library appropriate for your workstation. The CDF library is included with IDL, but for compiling and linking your own custom programs outside the framework of IDL you will need to install NSSDC's CDF library in an appropriate place within your local software library. The CDF libraries, and installation instructions, can be found at http://cdf.gsfc.nasa.gov/.