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<title>NASA Ames File Format Indices (FFI)</title>
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<h1><font color="#333399">NASA Ames File Format Indices (FFI): Summary</font></h1>
<hr>
<table>
<tr><td><b>Contents.</b></td><td width=12></td>
<td colspan=2>Notes</td>
</tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td>
<td colspan=2>Important general rules</td>
</tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td>
<td colspan=2>Remark</td>
</tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td>
<td><a href="#Tab1"><b>Table 1</b>.</a></td>
<td>File structure</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td>
<td><a href="#Tab2"><b>Table 2</b>.</a></td>
<td>Definition of FFIs (including data & header format)</td></tr>
<tr><td></td><td></td>
<td><a href="#Tab3"><b>Table 3</b>.</a></td>
<td>Summary of header format</td></tr>
</table>
<hr>
<br>
<b>Notes</b>
<ul>
<li>Tables 1, 2 & 3 below only display a summary of the different types
of FFIs.
Full instructions about the header and data formats for each FFI are given
in <a href="http://cedadocs.badc.rl.ac.uk/73/3/G-and-H-June-1998.html">Gaines &
Hipskind, 1998</a>.
Data suppliers unfamiliar with NASA Ames Format are advised to refer to
this last document before starting to generate their data files.
The nomenclature and notation system used below are identical to the
conventions adopted by Gaines & Hipskind, 1998.
<li>A <a href="makeheader.f">Fortran programme</a> to write
NASA Ames file headers is available from the BADC.
</ul>
<b>Important general rules</b>
<ul>
<li>All independent variables must be <i>monotonic</i> (<i>i.e.</i> their
values must be ordered by strictly increasing or decreasing order).
The word <i>strictly</i> in the brackets ensures that dependent variables
are functions of the independent variable(s).
A particular implication of this requirement is that any independent
variable cannot be set to the same value more than once within a single
span of its domain.
This rule also applies when the variable is a character string (case of
X2 in FFI 2160), the order here being the alphanumeric order.
<li>For all FFIs, primary variables are real.
</ul>
<b>Remark</b>
<ul>
<li>For all FFIs pertaining to data records including auxiliary variables
(<i>i.e.</i> all except 1001), the auxiliary variables solely depend on
the last (<i>i.e.</i> the most slowly varying) independent variable, which
is also the (only) unbounded** independent variable.
</ul>
<br>
<p>
<a name="Tab1"><b>Table 1.</b> NASA Ames data file structure.</a>
<br><br>
<table cellpadding=4>
<tr bgcolor=#666666>
<th colspan=2><font color=#ffffff>Section</font></th>
<th><font color=#ffffff>Content</font></th>
<th><font color=#ffffff>Format</font></th>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=#dddddd>
<td rowspan=3>Metadata<br>(header)</td>
<td align=center><a href="firstlines.html">Top seven
lines</a></td>
<td>Information about the experiment</td>
<td>Common to all FFIs</td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=#dddddd>
<td align=center>Body</td>
<td>Information about the data</td>
<td>See <a href="#Meta">link in Table 2</a> below</td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=#dddddd>
<td align=center><a href="lastlines.html">Tail</a></td>
<td>Comments</td>
<td>Common to all FFIs</td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=#dddddd>
<td colspan=2>Data</td>
<td>Data</td>
<td>See <a href="#Data">link in Table 2</a> below</td>
</tr>
</table>
</p>
<br><br>
<p>
<a name="Tab2"><b>Table 2.</b> Definition of File Format Indices.</a>
<br>
N.B.
(1) Independent variable values must be ordered so as to be strictly increasing
or decreasing.
(2) For all FFIs, primary variables are real.
(3) For all FFIs pertaining to data records including auxiliary variables
(<i>i.e.</i> all except 1001), the auxiliary variables solely depend on the last
(<i>i.e.</i> the most slowly varying) independent variable, which is also the
(only) unbounded** independent variable.
<br><br>
<center>
<table>
<tr bgcolor=#666666>
<th><font color=#ffffff>Number of<br>independent<br>variables</font></th>
<th colspan=3><font color=#ffffff size=+2>1</font></th>
<th colspan=4><font color=#ffffff size=+2>2</font></th>
<th><font color=#ffffff size=+2>3</font></th>
<th><font color=#ffffff size=+2>4</font></th>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=#666666>
<th><font color=#ffffff>FF Index</font></th>
<th><font color=#ffffff>1001</font></th>
<th><font color=#ffffff>1010</font></th>
<th><font color=#ffffff>1020</font></th>
<th><font color=#ffffff>2010</font></th>
<th><font color=#ffffff>2110</font></th>
<th><font color=#ffffff>2160</font></th>
<th><font color=#ffffff>2310</font></th>
<th><font color=#ffffff>3010</font></th>
<th><font color=#ffffff>4010</font></th>
</tr>
<tr valign=top>
<td bgcolor=#666666><br><font color=#ffffff><b>
Independent variables characteristics</b></font></td>
<td bgcolor=#dddddd><br>Unbounded**</td>
<td bgcolor=#dddddd><br>Unbounded**</td>
<td align=center bgcolor=#dddddd><br>Unbounded** with uniform increment
<br><br><br><br><br>
<i>Partly implicit*: only a subset of regularly spaced marks is
recorded.</i>
</td>
<td align=center bgcolor=#dddddd><br>1 real bounded** & 1 real
unbounded**<br><br><br><br>
<i>Both variables are given on a fixed grid.</i></td>
<td align=center bgcolor=#dddddd><br>1 real bounded** & 1 real
unbounded**<br><br><br><br>
<i>The set of values taken by the bounded variable depends on the
unbounded variable values.</i></td>
<td align=center bgcolor=#dddddd><br>1 real bounded** & 1 unbounded**
character string<br><br>
<i>The set of values taken by the bounded variable depends on the
unbounded variable values.</i></td>
<td align=center bgcolor=#dddddd><br>1 real bounded** & 1 real
unbounded**<br><br>
<i>At each unbounded variable mark, the values of the bounded variable are
regularly spaced, but they depend on the unbounded variable value.</i>
<br><br></td>
<td align=center bgcolor=#dddddd><br>2 bounded** & 1 unbounded**</td>
<td align=center bgcolor=#dddddd><br>3 bounded** & 1 unbounded**</td>
</tr>
<tr valign=top>
<td bgcolor=#666666><br><font color=#ffffff><b>
Auxiliary variables characteristics</b></font></td>
<td align=center bgcolor=#dddddd><br>No auxiliary variable</td>
<td align=center bgcolor=#dddddd><br>Real</td>
<td align=center bgcolor=#dddddd><br>Real</td>
<td align=center bgcolor=#dddddd><br>Real</td>
<td align=center bgcolor=#dddddd><br>The 1<sup>st</sup> auxiliary variable is
the number (integer) of values of the bounded** independent variable.
<br><br>
Other auxiliary variables are real.</td>
<td align=center bgcolor=#dddddd><br>The 1<sup>st</sup> auxiliary variable is
the number (integer) of values of the bounded** independent variable.
<br><br>
The next auxiliary variables are real.<br><br>
The last auxiliary variables may be character strings.<br><br></td>
<td align=center bgcolor=#dddddd><br>The first 3 auxiliary variables are the
number of values of the bounded variable (integer), its base value (real)
and the value of its (regular) increment (real).<br><br>
Other auxiliary variables are real.</td>
<td align=center bgcolor=#dddddd><br>Real</td>
<td align=center bgcolor=#dddddd><br>Real</td>
</tr>
<tr valign=middle>
<td bgcolor=#666666><br><a name="Data"><font color=#ffffff><b>
Data format</b></font></a><br><br></td>
<td bgcolor=#dddddd><a href="DF1001.html">Please click</a></td>
<td bgcolor=#dddddd><a href="DF1010.html">Please click</a></td>
<td bgcolor=#dddddd><a href="DF1020.html">Please click</a></td>
<td bgcolor=#dddddd><a href="DF2010.html">Please click</a></td>
<td bgcolor=#dddddd><a href="DF2110.html">Please click</a></td>
<td bgcolor=#dddddd><a href="DF2160.html">Please click</a></td>
<td bgcolor=#dddddd><a href="DF2310.html">Please click</a></td>
<td bgcolor=#dddddd><a href="DF3010.html">Please click</a></td>
<td bgcolor=#dddddd><a href="DF4010.html">Please click</a></td>
</tr>
<tr valign=middle>
<td bgcolor=#666666><br><a name="Meta"><font color=#ffffff><b>
Metadata format</b></font></a><br><br></td>
<td bgcolor=#dddddd><a href="MF1001.html">Please click</a></td>
<td bgcolor=#dddddd><a href="MF1010.html">Please click</a></td>
<td bgcolor=#dddddd><a href="MF1020.html">Please click</a></td>
<td bgcolor=#dddddd><a href="MF2010.html">Please click</a></td>
<td bgcolor=#dddddd><a href="MF2110.html">Please click</a></td>
<td bgcolor=#dddddd><a href="MF2160.html">Please click</a></td>
<td bgcolor=#dddddd><a href="MF2310.html">Please click</a></td>
<td bgcolor=#dddddd><a href="MF3010.html">Please click</a></td>
<td bgcolor=#dddddd><a href="MF4010.html">Please click</a></td>
</tr>
<tr valign=middle>
<td bgcolor=#666666><br><a name="Exam"><font color=#ffffff><b>
Examples</b></font></a><br><br></td>
<td bgcolor=#dddddd><a href="Ex1001.html">Please click</a></td>
<td bgcolor=#dddddd><a href="Ex1010.html">Please click</a></td>
<td bgcolor=#dddddd><a href="Ex1020.html">Please click</a></td>
<td bgcolor=#dddddd><a href="Ex2010.html">Please click</a></td>
<td bgcolor=#dddddd><a href="Ex2110.html">Please click</a></td>
<td bgcolor=#dddddd><a href="Ex2160.html">Please click</a></td>
<td bgcolor=#dddddd><a href="Ex2310.html">Please click</a></td>
<td bgcolor=#dddddd><a href="Ex3010.html">Please click</a></td>
<td bgcolor=#dddddd><a href="Ex4010.html">Please click</a></td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=#666666>
<th><font color=#ffffff>FF Index</font></th>
<th><font color=#ffffff>1001</font></th>
<th><font color=#ffffff>1010</font></th>
<th><font color=#ffffff>1020</font></th>
<th><font color=#ffffff>2010</font></th>
<th><font color=#ffffff>2110</font></th>
<th><font color=#ffffff>2160</font></th>
<th><font color=#ffffff>2310</font></th>
<th><font color=#ffffff>3010</font></th>
<th><font color=#ffffff>4010</font></th>
</tr>
</table>
</center>
<p style="text-indent: -.7em; margin-left: .7em">
* <i>Implicit</i> denotes a variable of which the values are
not recorded in the data file, but are deductible from the information
provided in the data file header.
<i>Explicit</i> applies to a variable of which all the values are explicitly
recorded in the data file.
A variable can be <i>partly implicit</i> (as in FFI 1020) if only a subset
of its values is recorded.
</p>
<p style="text-indent: -1.4em; margin-left: 1.4em">
** In this particular context, a variable is said to be <i>bounded</i> if the
number of its values is explicit*.
If this number is implicit*, the variable is <i>unbounded</i>.
</p>
<br>
<p>
<a name="Tab3"><b>Table 3.</b> Summary of metadata format (header) for
all FFIs.</a>
<br><br>
<table>
<tr bgcolor=#666666>
<td></td>
<th width=60><font color=#ffffff>1001</font></th>
<th width=60><font color=#ffffff>1010</font></th>
<th width=60><font color=#ffffff>1020</font></th>
<th><font color=#ffffff>2010</font></th>
<th><font color=#ffffff>3010</font></th>
<th><font color=#ffffff>4010</font></th>
<th width=60><font color=#ffffff>2110</font></th>
<th width=60><font color=#ffffff>2310</font></th>
<th><font color=#ffffff>2160</font></th>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=#dddddd>
<td align=center valign=middle bgcolor=#666666><font color=#ffffff><b>
Top</b></font></td>
<td colspan=9 align=center>NLHEAD FFI<br>
ONAME<br>
ORG<br>
SNAME<br>
MNAME<br>
IVOL NVOL<br>
DATE RDATE
</td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=#dddddd>
<td rowspan=6 align=center valign=middle bgcolor=#666666><font color=#ffffff>
<b>Body</b></font></td>
<td colspan=7 align=center>[ DX<sup>s</sup> s=1,NIV ]</td>
<td align=center>DX<sup>NIV</sup></td>
<td align=center>DX<sup>1</sup></td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=#dddddd>
<td colspan=2 bgcolor=#888888></td>
<td align=center>NVPM</td>
<td colspan=3 align=center>[ NX<sup>s</sup> s=1,NIV-1 ]<br>
[ NXDEF<sup>s</sup> s=1,NIV-1 ]<br>
[ X<sup>s</sup>(i) i=1,NXDEF<sup>s</sup> ] s=1, NIV-1</td>
<td colspan=2 bgcolor=#888888></td>
<td align=center>LENX</td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=#dddddd>
<td colspan=9 align=center>
[ XNAME<sup>s</sup> ] s=1,NIV<br>
NV<br>
[ VSCAL<sub>n</sub> n=1,NV ]<br>
[ VMISS<sub>n</sub> n=1,NV ]<br>
[ VNAME<sub>n</sub> ] n=1,NV
</td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=#dddddd>
<td bgcolor=#888888></td>
<td colspan=8 align=center>NAUXV</td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=#dddddd>
<td bgcolor=#888888></td>
<td colspan=7 align=center valign=middle>
[ ASCAL<sub>a</sub> a=1,NAUXV ]<br>
[ AMISS<sub>a</sub> a=1,NAUXV ]<br>
</td>
<td align=center valign=middle>
NAUXC<br>
[ ASCAL<sub>a</sub> a=1,NAUXV-NAUXC ]<br>
[ AMISS<sub>a</sub> a=1,NAUXV-NAUXC ]<br>
[ LENA<sub>a</sub> a=NAUXV-NAUXC+1,NAUXV ]<br>
[ AMISS<sub>a</sub> ] a=NAUXV-NAUXC+1,NAUXV
</td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=#dddddd>
<td bgcolor=#888888></td>
<td colspan=8 align=center>[ ANAME<sub>a</sub> ] a=1,NAUXV
</td>
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=#dddddd>
<td align=center valign=middle bgcolor=#666666><font color=#ffffff><b>
Tail</b></font></td>
<td colspan=9 align=center bgcolor=#dddddd>
NSCOML<br>
[ SCOM<sub>k</sub> ] k=1,NSCOML<br>
NNCOML<br>
[ NCOM<sub>k</sub> ] k=1,NNCOML
</tr>
<tr bgcolor=#666666>
<td></td>
<th width=60><font color=#ffffff>1001</font></th>
<th width=60><font color=#ffffff>1010</font></th>
<th width=60><font color=#ffffff>1020</font></th>
<th><font color=#ffffff>2010</font></th>
<th><font color=#ffffff>3010</font></th>
<th><font color=#ffffff>4010</font></th>
<th width=60><font color=#ffffff>2110</font></th>
<th width=60><font color=#ffffff>2310</font></th>
<th><font color=#ffffff>2160</font></th>
</tr>
</table>
</p>
<p>
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