Section: 3.3.4 Time Matching Radar and Satellite imagery

3.3.4 Time Matching Radar and Satellite imagery

You can use time matching feature in the IDV to create a time synchronized display with both radar and satellite imagery.

First, load up a couple of satellite images.

If other displays and data are already loaded, select the Edit→Remove All Displays and Data menu item or the icon in the toolbar to clear them out.
Open the Data Choosers. Click on the Images node in the chooser tree.
Choose adde.ucar.edu server and CCS039 dataset, click the Connect button.
From the Image Type: selector, choose the 1 km GOES-8 Visible type.
Select the 2 images at 1998-06-29 21:15:00Z and 1998-06-29 22:15:00Z.
Click the Add Source button.
In the Times panel, select the Set As Time Driver menu item.
Click the Create Display button to load in those two images.

Next, let's select some radar imagery using the driver times from the satellite imagery.

First, let's keep the satellite projection for now. Uncheck the Projections→Auto-set Projection menu item.
Open the Level III Data Source Chooser

Open the Data Choosers.
In the Data Source Chooser click on the Radar tab. Then click on the NEXRAD Remote tab to see the Level III radar data remote chooser panel.
In the catalog selector drop-down, select the motherlode catalog that is included.
If it is not in the list, type it into the catalog selector area and press enter. In the collections drop-down, select Level III Radar for Case Study CCS039
- Zoom in the map and select the station DVN.
- Click on the Match Time Driver button on the bottom left.
- Click the Add Source button.
Select the Reflectivity field and create a Radar Sweep View in 2D display.

Let's check the time matching result by bring up the animation timeline: click on View→Animation Timeline, and compare the time selection from two difference data source.
Remove all displays and data.

Try the following time matching exercises on your own using the real time satellite and radar data.

First, load in the latest 5 GOES East/West IR Composite and set the Satellite imagery as time driver.
Second, find the location of interesting weather.
Then, load in the a few level III radar stations which are close to the area identified in the second step, and check on the Match Time Driver button.
Check the View→Animation Timeline for the matching result.
Remove all displays and data.