学而时习

7Timer!即将有较大改变

7Timer!的诸位用户:

    很抱歉这么晚才宣布这个通知,我应该早一点用中文宣布的。考虑到时间和大家的耐心,我就长话短说了吧。

    经过将近一年的测试,7Timer!小组积累了不少使用GFS数据的经验,其中最重要的就是GFS非常不适合对某个精确地点的预测。GFS(全球预测系统)对很大一片地方的预测非常准确,但对于具体地点的预测则常常出错,所以我花了许多时间回答用户的许多问题,当然其中相当一部分都是抱怨7Timer!的精确度太低的。

    经过考虑,我决定作出以下较大的变动:撤销对某一具体地点的精确预测,改为提供预报图的形式进行预测。也就是说,今后的7Timer!将基本不再提供“面板”一样的预测(当然以前已经申请的将视需要情况处理),而是都用预测地图的方式来提供预测,这样可以充分发挥GFS数据的长处。目前命令文件都已经写好了,但是网页设计方面还是有一段距离,所以这一段时间大家只能从“预测图”栏目下的中国地图来了解预测情况。当建设好之后,我把全中国划分成5个区域来进行预测。

    在完全实行预测图(或者叫7Timer! V3)制度之前,将有段过渡时期。我将在申请7Timer!那里贴出内容大体和这篇一样的告示,提醒新用户制度的转换。当然以后,如果您有需要,还是可以申请“面板”预测的。

    本文和http://csc.lamost.org/yeiht/wordpress/?p=111 (E文)内容大致相同。

    谢谢各位对7Timer!的支持。

7Timer!工作组

2006.04.28

7Timer! V3: Development news (April 17)

Hello all,

  After one day's working, now the main command files have been complete. From April 17 the forecast maps on both China and World-wide will use the new command file (or call ARP 2.1). Now I'll write command for several big area, when completed, we could get forecast maps for these areas.

  However I'm still confuse about the page writing, the java is still not very thorogh yet...

Regards,

Quanzhi

Forecast maps page release delay

Hello all,

  I'm sorry -- after one day's working I still could not finish the forecast maps page creating, so we have to experience longer to see the function. The only work published today is the "Very Important Note" page.

  Though I have finish the command writing (it means the ARP could output the images now), but I take a long time to design and try to complete the java tool on the new forecast map page. I failed, however, so we have to wait.

  Now please use the "world-wide map" to see forecast... sorry about this.

Regards,

Quanzhi

Archive function added

Hello all,

  With Zuqiang's help, the archive function can now be used.

  Please note, as it will take 44M a day if I copy all the images down, I would only supply the archive survey for 24-hour world wide forecast maps.

  The link is here: http://csc.lamost.org/lzq/archive/YYYYMMDD/wwXXXXXNN.png

  Note: YYYYMMDD is the date, while XXXXX could be these two: cloud or trans. "cloud" would output Cloud Cover forecast and "trans" would output Transparency forecast. "NN" for time: 4(Note it is NOt "04") - 15h; 5 - 18h; 6 - 21h; 7 - 00h (Day+1); 8 - 03h; 9 - 06h; 10 - 09h; 11 - 12h.

  Enjoy. And I have determine to do my "switch" project, and the switch plan will be do (done) tomorrow.

Quanzhi

7Timer! may have a big change

Hello all,

  Sorry for this post's delay, I was not able to write it yesterday -- still busy busy and busy.

  I'm now studying the method of seeing. Though I only find a few articles via internet about this topic, I'm still expecting we could have seeing forecast in 7Timer! one day (now I learn it's possible to do that -- the scientists at Mauna Kea successfully use GFS data to produce seeing forecast, I have write them but I haven't receive reply so far).

  But this is not the big change. Now I'm considering if it's necessary to change the operate mode. As you know, now the operate mode is, produce forecast for a pointed position.

  However, after nearly one year's operating, I receive many concern about this kind of mode sometimes go "slightly" wrong. I realize GFS data is good at "global" -- goot at "trend", it's not "Local Forecast System". So, in my consideration, the new mode would be this kind of thing --

  There will not be forecast for any pointed location (however, those which have been existed would be re-consider if it is necessary to keep them running), I will only produce forecast maps for a province, country, etc. Or say, 7Timer! will only predict weather for a large area, instead of local. That would make 7Timer! more useful, I think, because the resolution of GFS data is 1 arc deg, it's waste of 7Timer! to produce "local" forecast.

  So what is going on? Well, in my imagine, firstly we would have a "switch period", at that time I would create some new pages for some big area, and I would encourage new comers to use these "forecast maps" instead of request new 7Timer!s. Before we switch to the new mode, we would experience two months or longer, as now I'm preparing the forthcoming NMT and do not have much time.

  However, I'm now seriously considering this project. If all things go right, I would start it this weekend. If you have any good idea, please let me know -- either mail or post reply here. Thank you!

Best regards,

Quanzhi

Request page upgrade

Hello all,

  I've upgrade the request page, it could reduce problems a littler, I hope.

Regards,

Quanzhi

ARP resume

Hello all,

  I can annouce the ARP is working now -- all the things are back to normal.

Enjoy!

Quanzhi

ARP did not work well these days

Hello all,

  The ARP (auto-run program) did not work well on Feb.16/17, the process was not complete around 12-13h UT. This is because sometimes the server could not connect to the GFS ftp and could not download data. I've checked all the parameters but they seems all right, now GFS ftp is again okay to connect and hope it will be okay today.

  If there's no serious problems today, I'll do request proceed tomorrow, hopefully...

Quanzhi

7Timer! Model and ARP upgrade

Hello all,
After two days' working, I could cheerfully annouce that a new model and a new version of ARP has released.
7Timer! now is using Model-V2e, which is an improve model of previous Model-V2a. I hope it could please everyone of us.
A new ARP also could raise the forecast quality a little, and it could save me time on new request precessing and model upgrading.
I'll stop here now and go on recovering my lessons. A majoy exam will occuer in the following days.
As usual, email me if you have problems/comments/etc.
Best regards,
Quanzhi

Model-V2 improve version development update

Hello all,
Now I've create several candidates and they're under tests. The formal release one will be annouce tomorrow. They'll have these new features:
1. More accurate cloud cover prediction. Though I've checked the output rate in raw GFS data and found there're still something I've no idea on fixing. However I decide to pull-up the predict value, because I think if 7Timer! makes mistakes, a false "overcast" prediction will be better than a false "clear" prediction. Hope this change will pleased most of us.
2. A new ARP (auto-run program) version will be release. Now in this ARP I have to create a 136kB command file for each 7Timer! place. Because now the number of 7Timer!s has exceed 250 and there'is more than 25MB command files, and this number is increasing. Large number command files may cause problems, so I've design a new version of ARP which will save space, the require space would be reduce to less than 700kB.

Most of you may wonder why I don't make changes on transparency. Unfortunately I still don't have a good idea on transparency improving, I must find a way to "save" several elements in earlier data and use them in new forecast preparations. This goal still seems inreachable now. And what's more, several major exam will occur very soon and I'm unable to spend more time on 7Timer!. However, if nothing goes wrong, tomorrow I'll release an improve version of Model-V2, together with a new version of ARP.
Kindly regards,
Quanzhi