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This icon runs the FLEXTRA trajectory model.

The macro language equivalent is flextra_run(). 

Info

From Macro/Python the icon can be called as flextra_run().


Tip

A tutorial about using FLEXTRA in Metview can be found here.

What is FLEXTRA?

FLEXTRA is an atmospheric trajectory model used by a wide scientific community. It can be driven by meteorological input data from a variety of global and regional models including ECMWF analyses and forecasts.

FLEXTRA can compute both forward and backward trajectories using various trajectory types such as: three-dimensional, model level, mixing layer, isobaric and isentropic trajectories. Trajectory computations can be carried out in the three different modes. These are as follows:

  1. In NORMAL mode, a group of trajectories is specified starting from the same point but at different times. Several starting points (thus several groups of trajectories) can be defined for a single FLEXTRA run.
  2. In CET mode, trajectories are generated starting from the points of a user-defined uniform grid in a three-dimensional domain.
  3. In FLIGHT mode, both the starting location and starting time for each trajectory can be set individually. This mode is useful to calculate e.g. trajectories released along the flight track of an aircraft.


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Specifies how the input data path is specified. The possible values are path and icon. When it is set to path we will specify the input data files and the AVAILABLE file by their paths. While in icon mode the input data is specified by a FLEXTRA Prepare icon in FLEXTRA Flextra Input Data. The default value is path.

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Specifies the location of the AVAILABLE file using. The default is SAME_AS_INPUT_PATH, which mean means that the AVAILABLE file is located in the same directory as the input data. Enabled when Flextra Input Mode is path.

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Specifies the run mode for the FLEXTRA simulation.  THe The possible values are as follows:

  • In normal mode, a group of trajectories is specified starting from the same point but at different times. Several starting points (thus several groups of trajectories) can be defined for a single FLEXTRA run.
  • In cet mode, trajectories are generated starting from the points of a user-defined uniform grid in a three-dimensional domain.
  • In filight mode, both the starting location and starting time for each trajectory can be set individually. This mode is useful to calculate e.g. trajectories released along the flight track of an aircraft.

The default value is normal.

Flextra Trajectory Direction

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Specifies the list of trajectory types as numerical IDs when Flextra Run Mode is set to normal. The possible values are as follows:

Numerical IDDescription
13 dimensional
2model level
3mixing layer
4isobaric
5isentropic

The default value is 1 (three-dimensional trajectories).

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Specifies the level types (as numerical IDs) of the trajectory start points when Flextra Run Mode is set to normal. The possible values are as follows:

Numerical IDDescription
1Metres above sea level
2Metres above ground level
3hPa

The default value is 1 (metres above sea level).

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Specifies the list of trajectory type as numerical IDs or strings when Flextra Run Mode is set to cet. The possible values are as follows:


Numerical IDString (case insensitive)
13d
2model level
4isobaric
5isentropic

The default value is 1 (three-dimensional trajectories).

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Specifies the level types (as numerical IDs or strings) of the start grid when Flextra Run Mode is set to cet. The possible values are as follows:

Numerical IDString (case insensitive)Description
1metres aslMetres above sea level
2metres aglMetres above ground level
3hPa

The default value is 1 (metres above sea level).

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Specifies the list of trajectory types a numerical IDs or a string when Flextra Run Mode is set to flight. The possible values are as follows:

Numerical IDString (case insensitive)
13d
2model level
4isobaric
5isentropic

The default value is 1 (three-dimensional trajectories).

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Specifies the level types (as numerical IDs or strings) of the trajectory start points when Flextra Run Mode is set to flight. The possible values are as follows


Numerical IDString (case insensitive)Description
1metres aslMetres above sea level
2metres aglMetres above ground level
3hPa

The default value is 1 (metres above sea level).

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Specifies the interpolation type. The possible values are as follows:

ValueDescription
1
  • horizontal interpolation bicubic
  • vertical interpolation polynomial
  • temporal interpolation linear
>1
  • horizontal interpolation bilinear         
  • vertical interpolation linear
  • temporal interpolation linear

The default value is 1.

Flextra Cfl Spatial

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