Cannot execute query (SELECT station_short_name, latitude_deg, longitude_deg FROM station_information):

3 ways to use NEST

FORM

One can use NEST the classical way, by filling the form online and getting some results after clicking on submit button.

HTTP ADDRESS

Another way to use NEST is to write the different parameters like stations, time, etc. in the http address:

Example 1:
http://www.nmdb.eu/nest/draw_graph.php?formchk=1&stations[]=KERG&stations[]=KIEL&output=ascii&tabchoice=ori&dtype=corr_for_efficiency&date_choice=bydate
&start_year=2009&start_month=09&start_day=01&start_hour=00&start_min=00&end_year=2009
&end_month=09&end_day=05&end_hour=23&end_min=59&yunits=0

Example 2:
http://www.nmdb.eu/nest/draw_graph.php?formchk=1&stations[]=JUNG&output=plot&tabchoice=revori&dtype=corr_for_efficiency&odtype[]=uncorrected&date_choice=
last&last_days=5&last_label=days_label&tresolution=10&envdata[]=measured_relative_humidity&yunits=0

Example 1 will show the original corrected for efficiency data starting from Sep 1st 2009 to Sep 5th 2009, in ascii format, for stations KIEL and KERG

Example 2 will show the revised corrected and uncorrected for pressure data for the last 5 days, in jpg format, for station JUNG, averaged to 10 minutes, together with the measured relative humidity for the same period and station.
With the same example, one should only change "last_label=days_label" to "last_label=hours_label" to get the last 5 hours of data and to "last_label=mins_label" to get the last 5 minutes.

The list of parameters and the corresponding possible values are given below.
Note

WGET / CRON under unix/linux (advanced users only)

A third way to retrieve data is to use the wget utility (see here). This is a way to get data without using a browser. It can be helpful if combined with the cron utility for example (see here) to retrieve data on a regular basis, without any human operation.
Note that these technics are for advanced users. You should read wget full documentation before using them. Similar tools exist for windows or mac, but we have not tested them yet with Nest. Feel free to share your experience with us.

Example 3 for ascii data:
wget -np -q -O output.txt -i address.txt, where address.txt contains something similar to the example 1 above but replacing formchk=1 with wget=1.

Example 4 for ascii data:
edit the crontab and insert: 0 12 * * * wget -np -q -O output.txt -i address.txt, it will retrieve the selected data every day at 12h00 and save it in output.txt

The -np option means 'no parents'. It ensures that wget will not go up in the directory tree.
The -q option means 'quiet'. Error messages and other informations will not be displayed.
The -i option must precede the address filename and -O the output filename.

In the case you want to retrieve plots on a regular basis you need to add a few more arguments and not use the output file option.

Example 5 for plots:
wget -A.png -r -l1 -np -nd -q -i address.txt

In this example, address.txt could contain something similar to example 2. The png file(s) will be copied in your current directory. Such a command could be inserted in the crontab like in example 4.

The -r option means 'recursive'. This means the targets of the links (here images) in the html page will be retrieved
The -A.png option means 'only retrieve png files'. This means you won't get html files or whatever
The -nd option means 'no directory'. This avoid building a local copy of the distant directory hierarchy
The -l1 option means 'one level'. Specify recursion maximum depth level: only one needed here

If the http address is to long this technic might not work. Here is another one in 2 steps:
wget --spider -l1 -np -i address.txt
wget -O myimage.png http://[nest address]/data/upload/chart.png
In this case, the first step creates the image and the second one retrieves the last chart.png created.
--spider means you just connect to the address, but retrieve nothing (i.e. we build the image this way).

Note

The list of available parameters (not complete yet):

ParameterPossible values
stations[] APTY, AATB, ATHN, ARNM etc.
allstations 1 (selects all the stations)
tabchoice revori, ori, 1h
dtype corr_for_efficiency, corr_for_pressure, uncorrected, pressure_mbar
tresolution 0, 2, 5, 10, 30, 60, 120, 360, 720, 1440, 39276, 525969 (0 correspond to "best")
date_choice last, bydate (, bygle, byforbush)
last_days 1 to 9999
last_label days_label, hours_label or mins_label
force 1 or 0
yunits 1 or 0 (% or counts/mbar for a single station query)
yscale 1 or 0
yscalemin -9999 to 9999 or min
yscalemax -9999 to 9999 or max
anomalous 1 or 0
shift 0 to 999
start_day 1 to 31
end_day 1 to 31
start_month 1 to 12
end_month 1 to 12
start_year 1956 to curent year+1
end_year 1956 to current year +1
start_hour 0 to 23
end_hour 0 to 23
start_min 0 to 59
end_min 0 to 59
output plot, ascii, both
asciifrac 1 or 0
odtype[] corr_for_efficiency, corr_for_pressure, uncorrected, pressure_mbar
ridtype ssi, msi
envdata[] measured_temperature_inside, measured_temperature_outside, measured_wind_speed_m_s, measured_relative_humidity



Quick Plots:

With the quick plots, you don't have to go through the whole form to get a plot of last data or last GLE.
Parameters are chosen to match to the most common requests:

Last data

GLE #



Stations List

(click on the stations to get more informations)

New stations: Some new registered stations do not show in the form because they are not sending data yet.
Stations colors: Some stations have the same grey color: these are new stations (in NMDB) which are under test. Using the form, just click on the color box next to the station name to change this station color*
You can also apply the same color to all stations (one color button) or reset all colors (reset colors).
All/online stations : Check all stations with the "all stations" checkbox, or select only the stations which are online (i.e. with a lag lower than 15 minutes)

 AATA=  AATA (R=, Alt= m)
 AATB=  AATB (R=, Alt= m)
 AHMD=  AHMD (R=, Alt= m)
 APTY=  APTY (R=, Alt= m)
 ARNM=  ARNM (R=, Alt= m)
 ATHN=  ATHN (R=, Alt= m)
 BKSN=  BKSN (R=, Alt= m)
 BRBG=  BRBG (R=, Alt= m)
 BURE=  BURE (R=, Alt= m)
 CALG=  CALG (R=, Alt= m)
 CALM=  CALM (R=, Alt= m)
 CLMX=  CLMX (R=, Alt= m)
 DJON=  DJON (R=, Alt= m)
 DOMB=  DOMB (R=, Alt= m)
 DOMC=  DOMC (R=, Alt= m)
 DRBS=  DRBS (R=, Alt= m)
 ESOI=  ESOI (R=, Alt= m)
 FSMT=  FSMT (R=, Alt= m)
 HRMS=  HRMS (R=, Alt= m)
 HUAN=  HUAN (R=, Alt= m)
 INVK=  INVK (R=, Alt= m)
 IRK2=  IRK2 (R=, Alt= m)
 IRK3=  IRK3 (R=, Alt= m)
 IRKT=  IRKT (R=, Alt= m)
 JBGO=  JBGO (R=, Alt= m)
 JUNG=  JUNG (R=, Alt= m)
 JUNG1=  JUNG1 (R=, Alt= m)
 KERG=  KERG (R=, Alt= m)
 KGSN=  KGSN (R=, Alt= m)
 KIEL=  KIEL (R=, Alt= m)
 KIEL2=  KIEL2 (R=, Alt= m)
 LEIK=  LEIK (R=, Alt= m)
 LMKS=  LMKS (R=, Alt= m)
 MCMU=  MCMU (R=, Alt= m)
 MCRL=  MCRL (R=, Alt= m)
 MGDN=  MGDN (R=, Alt= m)
 MOSC=  MOSC (R=, Alt= m)
 MRNY=  MRNY (R=, Alt= m)
 MWSB=  MWSB (R=, Alt= m)
 MWSN=  MWSN (R=, Alt= m)
 MXCO=  MXCO (R=, Alt= m)
 NAIN=  NAIN (R=, Alt= m)
 NANM=  NANM (R=, Alt= m)
 NEU3=  NEU3 (R=, Alt= m)
 NEWK=  NEWK (R=, Alt= m)
 NRLK=  NRLK (R=, Alt= m)
 NVBK=  NVBK (R=, Alt= m)
 OULU=  OULU (R=, Alt= m)
 POL1=  POL1 (R=, Alt= m)
 PSNM=  PSNM (R=, Alt= m)
 PTFM=  PTFM (R=, Alt= m)
 PWNK=  PWNK (R=, Alt= m)
 ROME=  ROME (R=, Alt= m)
 SANB=  SANB (R=, Alt= m)
 SNAE=  SNAE (R=, Alt= m)
 SOPB=  SOPB (R=, Alt= m)
 SOPO=  SOPO (R=, Alt= m)
 TERA=  TERA (R=, Alt= m)
 THUL=  THUL (R=, Alt= m)
 TSMB=  TSMB (R=, Alt= m)
 TXBY=  TXBY (R=, Alt= m)
 UFSZ=  UFSZ (R=, Alt= m)
 YKTK=  YKTK (R=, Alt= m)
 ZUGS=  ZUGS (R=, Alt= m)
*javascript should be enabled on your browser



Date Selection

All dates are UTC

Last days hours mins OR

Select this option if you want to retrieve the most recent data of NMDB

From     To      OR

Select this option if you want to retrieve data for a specific time period: give the start date and end date

GLE number   OR

Select this option if you want to retrieve the data corresponding to a specific Ground Level Event.
The start-time of the plot is given by the pre-increase period of the GLE. The duration of the event can be modified in the options.

Forbush decrease date: 

Select this option if you want to retrieve the data corresponding to a specific Forbush decrease.
The start-time of the plot is given by the date and time of the onset minus 1 hour.
Note that the current list is restricted to large Forbush decreases (min 8%).



Overplot Main:

Corrected for efficiency
Corrected for pressure
Uncorrected
Pressure

With this option you can plot together, for one station only, multiple time series.
For example, choose uncorrected in the data type form and pressure in the overplot form.
If you choose to overplot pressure, an new axis will be displayed on the right.
If more than one station have been selected, an error message will be displayed.
For each time serie you can define your own prefered color:
Using the form, just click on the color box next to the serie's name*.
You can also use the color transparency (see style options) if some plots overlap.




Overplot Kp / Ri:

Smoothed sunspot number
Monthly sunspot number
Kp 3-hourly index (max 1 year

With this option you can plot time series of the smooth sunspot number, the monthly sunspot number and
the 3-hourly Kp geomagnetic index. Both are drawn on the same plot as the NM values,
and the scale is displayed on the right side. Please limit your queries to a maximum of 1 year
for the geomagnetic index. For the Sunspot number you can change the color of the plot.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Smoothed Sunspot Numbers and Monthly Sunspot Numbers are provided by the Solar Influences
Data Analysis Center (SIDC), Royal Observatory of Belgium.
Kp 3-hourly index is provided by the Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum Postdam (GFZ) in cooperation
with the International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy (IAGA) and the International Service
of Geomagnetic Indices (ISGI)




GOES proton plot:

GOES13 proton plot

Plots limited to 10 days !
Goes data (protons >10MeV, > 50MeV, > 100MeV) is displayed on a separate plot and is available
only from 07/2007. Note that GOES13 is the primary SWPC satellite since 04/2010. You can find more
informations on GOES satellites here: http://www.swpc.noaa.gov/Data/goes.html
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
GOES13 proton flux data is provided by the United States NOAA/National Geophysical Data Center (NGDC)




Environmental data:

Inside temperature
Outside temperature
Relative Humidity
Wind speed (m/s)
Display meta-data

With this option you can plot, for only one station, time series of environmental data associated to the count rates, if any.
Each time serie is displayed on a separate plot. You can also retrieve meta data (i.e. information on data) for this station, if any.
Meta-data usually provide informations about specific meteorological conditions (wind, snow...) or technical modifications, etc.




NMDB tables:

Revised original
Original
1 hour validated

NMDB database is constituted of 3 tables for each station. The 1 hour table holds the validated 1 hour values. Since there is a delay related to the validation, this table may not be updated with the most recent values. However some stations might also fill these 1h values before their validation. Original values table holds the raw data, as it is recorded in real-time. Some automated tests run over the original data and eventual corrections are written in the revised table.




Time resolution:

Time resolution

Modify the time resolution: "best" will give you the best time resolution available in the specified table, usually 1 minute for recent data. This is the default. In the case you decrease time resolution, data will be average from the original resolution.

Note 1
In order to reduce computation time and to display the results in a fast manner, values may be automatically averaged to a lower time resolution and/or could be retrieved from the 1hour table, depending on the query size. Check the plot title or the log file.
Example query 1: 1min time resolution for 1year and 1 single station => 1min values averaged over 30mins.
Example query 2: 1min time resolution for 6months and 8 stations => 1hour values averaged over 2hours.

Note 2
When the user asks for a time resolution lower or equal to 2 hours, data is automatically averaged from the 1 hour values.

Note 3
You can use the "force" parameter to force a better time resolution than what is automatically determined. But:
- This will increase the computation time.
- There is still a limitation. This shall give you a better time resolution but may not give you the best one.

Note 4
1 Carr. rot. = 1 Carrington rotation = 27.2753 days*
Averaging by this amount should correspond to Carrington's
rotations but MySQL results could be weird: use with caution.


Smooth width:

This is the width of the smoothing window. The smoothing is a classical
unweighted sliding-average smooth, i.e. each value V of the time serie
is replaced by the average of 2n+1 (= width) values: n values before and n values after V.
The width should be positive and lower than 100. If a width value is even, then
width+1 will be used instead.

Important notice
The width of the window is a number of points, not a duration.
i.e. if you get 10 min averaged data and Smooth width is set,
the 10 min averaged data points will be smoothed (not the 1min data)




Data type:

Pressure and efficiency corrected
Pressure corrected
Uncorrected
Pressure
For more information about data correction, see the NMDB website.




Scaling Options:

Include outliers:
Select this option to include the most extreme values for the scaling of the plot.
Otherwise the scale is computed using the MAD (Median Absolute Deviation) which discards these outliers.
 
Relative scale:
This option will either:
  • Display the variations in % relative to the mean instead of counts/s (one station)
  • or display time series in parallel, with a fixed offset between them (multiple stations)
In the first case, the mean value is computed from values in [median + n*MAD, median - n*MAD]
where MAD is the Median Absolute Deviation (i.e. we compute the mean after excluding possible outliers).
In the second case the same mean value "M" is computed for each time series "T".
What you get on the plot is:
 n * offset + level * ( T / M ),
where "offset" represent the distance between parallel plots (set to 4 by default, but user-adjustable),
"n"=0,1,2,3... and "level" is set to 20 by default. Note that these parameters have no physical meaning.
They are adjusted to represent multiple times series in a convenient way.


Example for 3 stations:
Tkiel plot = 0 + 20*Tkiel/Mkiel
Toulu plot = 4 + 20*Toulu/Moulu
Tkerg plot = 8 + 20*Tkerg/Mkerg
 
Interval between parallel plots:
The offset defined above.
 
Specify your own Y axis scale:
Define your own limits for the Y axis, the min and the max. You can define
either min or max or both. The option "ignore anomalous values" will not be taken into account in this case.
 
Define your own baseline interval
If you want to compare 2 or more stations, it might be useful to set up
a common baseline interval, the same way baseline intervals are defined for GLEs.
Time series will be scaled using the mean value within this interval (you might also set the offset define above to 0).
The chosen interval must be within the time range defined in "date selection".
Note that this will only be possible in relative scale and that it will disable some navigation options.
 



Event Options:

Adjust pre-increase level:
In the case you want to plot a specific GLE or FD, this option will adjust time series from all stations to a
common level (pre-increase level). The values are then given as the increase in % above this level. This option
is not compatible with "ignore anomalous values for scaling".
By default the GLE duration is set to 10 hours. By "duration" we mean time after the end of the baseline interval,
a GLE usually starts within the next hour.
The baseline for FD is given by the hour before the event. The default duration is arbitrarily computed as
2.5*tmin+5 (tmin=time from the onset to FD minimum).
 
Normalize flux to 1
Every time serie is scaled so that the maximum equal 1.
 
Specify the event duration:
You can set the duration parameter to any integer between 1 hour and 99 hours.



Style options (under construction!)

Ascii options (under construction!)

Fractional year
the date timestamp in the ascii file will be eg 1996.4285 instead of 1996-06-05 20:00:00
The leap years are taken into account in the calculation.
 
Display null values
If there is no data (neither corrected, uncorrected or pressure) for a given timestamp and a given station,
there is no entry in NMDB database for this timestamp. When retrieving ascii data from NMDB, the default
is to display only what is in the DB. If you want to see data gaps filled with null values, check this option
(which may slow down your request).

Note: A side effect is that gaps are not drawn on the plot (by default a connecting line is displayed over the gap).