General & Data

Owned by Kester Scandrett
Last updated: 09 Dec, 2016
3 min read

The General & Data tab contains the Atmospheric Data frame, as well as the Initial Conditions for Temperature frame, BC Time Series for Temperature, and Evaporation Options as shown in Figure 1. These options are fully described in the following sections. 

Figure 1  Temperature Tab

Atmospheric Data

The Atmospheric Data frame provides access to creating and editing the atmospheric data series (ASER.INP) and spatial variation options. This series and weighting may also be edited from the Hydrodynamics | Atmospheric Pressure Forcing and Vegetation tab in models where temperature is not being simulated.

To set the coordinates of the atmospheric series, the user should select the Edit button on the Atmospheric Data frame which will provide the form shown in Figure 2. EE will use the X, Y coordinates in the value column. If the user has not entered the X, Y values then EE will automatically calculate X,Y coordinates based on the lat/long values provided. However, if both are entered it should be noted that EE will use the X, Y coordinates.

Figure 2  Atmospheric Data Series: Station Coordinate Setting.


The solar radiation shading factor can be assigned using the Shade Factors button and/or edited in ViewPlan.

If you are using more than one ASER series you must distribute the atmospheric data series assignments. This is done using the Series Weighting function. The same approach discussed for the WSER series weighting is used for the ASER series weighting assignments (see Wind Data). The atmospheric series weight for each station used must be assigned. In ViewPlan, EFDC_Explorer provides an atmospheric series weighting map for each station or the wind weighting total (as a QC to make sure it adds up to 1.0).

When the user selects the Series Weighting button. To set the station weighting, enter the quality index in the table as shown in Figure 3. Interpolation options can be set in terms of the number of sectors and inverse distance power. An example of weighted stations displayed in ViewPlan is shown in Figure 4.


Figure 3  Atmospheric Series Weightings using Quality Index.



Figure 4  ViewPlan: Atmospheric Series Weightings.


Note that if the user manually edits the value ASER.INP to set the value for solar units conversion SOLRCVT to a value other than one,  when EE is saved this value will be changed back to one.  SOLRCVT is to used convert solar short-wave radiation to joules/s/m2 (watts/m2). The reason for EE reverting this value to one is that EE will apply the conversion factor to the values when EE is saved, and after conversion is applied the conversion factor reverts to the recommended value of 1.

Initial Conditions and Temperature

The user sets the initial conditions for the water column as well as the time series for temperature in this frame. See Apply Cell Properties via Polygons for how to use the Assign button for setting initial conditions.

Evaporation Options

Note that the Evaporation Options (Water Balance Only) frame is only displayed if the appropriate surface heat exchange sub-model has been shown in the Surface Heat Exchange tab.  Evaporation Options will only appear for the following surface heat exchange options:

  1. Full Heal Balance (Legacy)
  2. Full Heat Balance with Variable Extinction Coefficient
  3. Equilibrium Temp (CE-QUAL-W2 Method)

See Forced Evaporation for details on this option.