FTP Instructions and Information

Mauna Loa Solar Observatory
FTP Instructions

The fastest and most efficient way to transfer a large number of images is to use file transfer protocol (FTP) instead of `pointing and clicking' on each image via a web page. This file contains the instructions for obtaining Mauna Loa data and information from our anonymous FTP site.

Table of Contents

FTP Address for MLSO Data

Connect via FTP to this site and follow the instructions below to obtain the data and information that you desire. 
   >  ftp ftp.hao.ucar.edu 122 

   login :     anonymous 
   password :  your_email_address

All directories contain an INDEX and README file. README explains the purpose of the directory. The INDEX file lists the names and a brief description of the files in that directory.

Before you transfer any data files, set the binary option in FTP by typing: 

   ftp >  binary
To transfer one image at a time, type: 
   ftp >  get  filename
If you don't wish to be prompted for approval for the transfer of each file (when using mget ), type: 
   ftp >  prompt
To transfer all images in the directory, type: 
   ftp >  mget *

When you have finished downloading the files of interest, exit FTP by typing: 

   ftp >  quit

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MLSO Daily Solar Activity Listings 

   ftp>  cd /d5/mlso/log/event 

   ftp>  ls
To download the 1980 MLSO Activity Log, type: 
   ftp >  get mlso.events.1980
To get ALL of the MLSO Activity Logs, type: 
   ftp >  mget mlso.events.*
Alternatively, an Activity file (ACSII text) may be obtained by clicking on the desired year below:

The files are updated as we review the data. 1989 and 1990 data are currently being reviewed using new software packages. Any new found mass ejections are added to the event lists.

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Coronal Images - Most Recent [Mark-IV] 

   ftp >  cd /d5/mk4/raw_daily_image 

   ftp >  ls
You will see approximately 10 images covering the period from the current observing day back to the last day, which has not yet been calibrated. All images are in GIF format. 
 
   ftp>  mget *gif  (this copies all raw images)
These may be displayed with the read_gif command in IDL.

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Coronal Images - Calibrated [Mark-IV] 

   ftp >  cd /d5/mk4/daily_images 

   ftp >  ls
Images are available since 18 July 1999. Calibrated data require 7-10 days to be transferred and calibrated. Directories are orgainized by year and month (eg. 1999/07_jul). At this point you must choose a subdirectory containing the year and month of interest. For example, if you wish to obtain the October 1999 data, please type the following: 
   ftp >  cd 1999/10_oct 

   ftp >  ls
You should see a list of available images. To copy them, type: 
   ftp >  get 99d274.mk4.gif  [copies 1 Oct 1999 (DOY 274) image]

   ftp >  mget *              [copies all October images]
An artificial 'vignetting' has been applied to offset the radial density gradient, allowing for better viewing of the corona. All of the coronal images are daily AVERAGED images in GIF format. They can be displayed in X-windows with the xv command, or in IDL with the read_gif command.

To display the data in IDL, type: 

   IDL >  read_gif,'mlso_filename',data,r,g,b 

   IDL >  wset,0 & tv,data,order=1 

   IDL >  tvlct,r,g,b

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Coronal Images - Calibrated [Mark-III] 

   ftp >  cd /d5/mk3/daily_images 

   ftp >  ls
Images are available from January 1982 through September 1999. Calibrated data require 7-10 days to be transferred and calibrated. Directories are orgainized by year and month (eg. 1994/02_feb). At this point you must choose a subdirectory containing the year and month of interest. For example, if you wish to obtain the September 1986 data, please type the following: 
   ftp >  cd 1986/09_sep 

   ftp >  ls
You should see a list of available images. To copy them, type: 
   ftp >  get 86d263.mk3.gif  [copies Sep 20 (DOY 263) image]

   ftp >  mget *              [copies all September images]
An artificial 'vignetting' has been applied to offset the radial density gradient, allowing for better viewing of the corona. All of the coronal images are daily AVERAGED images in GIF format. They can be displayed in X-windows with the xv command, or in IDL with the read_gif command.

To display the data in IDL, type: 

   IDL >  read_gif,'mlso_filename',data,r,g,b 

   IDL >  wset,0 & tv,data,order=1 

   IDL >  tvlct,r,g,b

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Coronal Synoptic Maps [Mark-III]

NOTE: Coronal synoptic maps are not yet available using Mark-IV images.
This work is currently in progress. 

   ftp >  cd /d5/mk3/map 

   ftp >  ls
Mauna Loa coronal synoptic maps are generated from scans at 1.36 and 1.74 solar radii. Calibrated maps are available for Carrington Rotation numbers 1730 to present (calendar years: 1983 to 1996) in binary and postscript formats.

The file `Synoptic_periods' gives a listing of Carrington Rotation number by calendar day and year.

There are four subdirectories in the map directory: 

   INDEX              binary/            old/
   README             ephemeris.h        ps/
   Synoptic_periods   history/
The binary and ps (postscript) directories contain the calibrated maps since 1981. Please read the README_BINARY and README_PS files in the respective directories for additional information. IDL routines are available in the binary directory to assist you in displaying binary maps and to create and display contour maps.

Older, uncalibrated maps are available for display use in the history subdirectory. 

    
   ftp >  cd history  

   ftp >  ls
The following files and subdirectories are contained in the history directory: 
   README        conthist.pro  mk2_synoptic/  mk3_synoptic/  seehist.pro
Please read the README file. The conthist.pro IDL program will create a postscript map of the binary data contained in the mk2_synoptic and mk3_synoptic subdirectories.

To obtain uncalibrated maps of Carrington Rotations 1692 through 1716 (calendar years: 1980 through 1981), please type the following: 

   ftp >  cd mk3_synoptic
Maps taken at 1.36 solar radii are in the `heightL' subdirectory and maps at 1.74 solar radii are in the `heightM' subdirectory. 
   ftp >  cd heightM 
          - OR -
   ftp >  cd heightL
Each rotation contains 6 files. For example, the data from Carrington Rotation 1700 taken at 1.74 solar radii (in the heightM subdirectory) is contained in the files: 
   MK1700.ME     
   MK1700.MEib
   MK1700.MEib.X
   MK1700.MW
   MK1700.MWib
   MK1700.MWib.X

   where:
      MK    = Mauna Loa K-Coronameter
      1700  = Carrington Rotation Number
      .M    = Mid height  (1.74 solar radii)
      E     = East Limb   [ W = West Limb ]
Please copy and use the conthist.pro file mentioned above to create a postscript map of these data.

Uncalibrated data of Carrington Rotations 1496 through 1673 (calendar years: 1965 through 1978) are in the mk2_synoptic directory. Only one height, at 1.36 solar radii, is available. These data are in the same format as the data in the mk3_synoptic directory. Please execute the conthist.pro IDL routine to generate postscript versions of these maps.

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Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) Catalogues [Mark-III]

Coronal Mass Ejection event catalogs are currently available only in Postscript format.
Click on the catalogue listing that you desire:

CME catalogs for other years will appear as they become available.

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Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) Images [Mark-III] 

   ftp >  cd /d5/events 
   ftp >  ls 

Images are contained in the following three subdirectories:

   mk3/1994    - contains the Mauna Loa images
   mk3/1995    - contains the Mauna Loa images
   smm/cme     - contains Solar Maximum Mission images
Mass ejection events are listed by the date they occurred.

All Mauna Loa Mark-III events recorded in 1995 have been posted to this FTP site. We are currently compiling 1994 CME images and measurements.

To get the Mauna Loa 1995 images, type: 

   ftp >  cd /d5/events/mk3/1995 
   ftp >  ls
You will see the following subdirectories: 
   95d023/   95d112/   95d247/  
   95d061/   95d155/   95d290/  
   95d080/   95d230/   95d323/
There are 9 days during which the Mauna Loa K-Coronameter recorded coronal mass ejections. The calendar dates are as follows: 
   95d023 contains Jan 23, 1995
   95d061 contains Mar  2, 1995
   95d080 contains Mar 21, 1995
   95d112 contains Apr 22, 1995
   95d155 contains Jun  4, 1995
   95d230 contains Aug 18, 1995
   95d247 contains Sep  4, 1995
   95d290 contains Oct 17, 1995
   95d323 contains Nov 19, 1995

Select the directory containing the day in which you are interested. GIF versions of direct and subtraction images are available. These data have been scaled for optimal viewing (e.g. the radial density gradient has been `removed' to maximize contrast of coronal structures). 16-bit FITS -formatted images of the calibrated polarization brightness are also available. 

If you want the subtraction images, type:


   ftp >  cd sub 


If you require the direct images type:


   ftp >  cd direct 


If you require the polarization brightness images type:


   ftp >  cd pB 


To transfer one image at a time, type:

   ftp >  get filename 


To transfer all images in the directory, type:

   ftp >  mget *

Note: viewers such as `xv' do not correctly handle 16-bit FITS images. An IDL routine to read in FITS images, rf.pro, is provided in the /events/mk3/1995/idl subdirectory. In addition, there are a number of FITS read and write packages available in the SOHO and YOHKOH software packages.

All polarization brightness images have the same scaling. Scaling parameters were chosen to accomodate the brightest features and to avoid pixel saturation. Users may enhance the contrast of the data by changing the color table or by rescaling the data. For example, you may scale an image in IDL with the TVSCL command or you may change color tables with the IDL command xloadct.

If you wish to obtain mass ejection data that are not yet posted to this directory, please email your request to: mlso_data_requests@ucar.edu)

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H-Alpha images [DPM/PICS] 

   ftp >  cd /d5/dpm/daily_images 
   ftp >  ls

Again, you must choose a subdirectory containing the year and month of interest. This dataset begins in February 1994 when a new digital camera was installed at the observatory. Prior to that date, the H-alpha data were recorded on B/W 35mm film. Digital versions of these older images may be generated (in reasonable quantities) upon request.

GIF format

If, for example, you wished to obtain data for December, 1994, you would type the following: 

   ftp >  cd 1994/12_dec 
   ftp >  ls
You should then see a list of available images in GIF format. The solar limb and disk data have been superimposed to form one image. These composite images are named using the year, day-of-year (DOY), time of the limb image, and the time of the disk image used, i.e. : 
   94d365.2009L.2200D.gif
To download these images, type: 
   ftp>  get   filename 	(copies one image to your directory)
   ftp>  mget *gif 		(copies all December images in gif format)

FITS format

In addition to the gif limb/disk composites, the most recent year of H-alpha data are available in FITS format. Individual limb and disk images in GIF format are also available. The H-alpha limb images have filenames such as: 
   mlso_dpmn_alr_97d175_205842.fts
while the disk images contain `asr' in the filename, i.e.: 
   mlso_dpmn_asr_97d175_204314.fts
The program seedPmon.pro, written by Alice Lecinski, is available to display the images in IDL.
To copy this program, type: 
   ftp >  cd /d5/dpm/daily_images 
   ftp >  ascii 
   ftp >  get seedPmon.pro 
   ftp >  get idldark2.rgb      <--- You'll need this color table

In addition, you can display FITS in IDL using FITS routines available in the Yohkoh and SOHO software packages (as stated above).

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Helium-I Images [CHIP]

Daily coverage of the solar disk and limb in an emission line of neutral Helium at 1083nm began at the Mauna Loa site on April 19, 1996. We provide a few low resolution Helium I images per day on our FTP site. All data are 8 bit images in GIF format. 


   >   ftp ftp.hao.ucar.edu 122 

   login :     anonymous 
   password :  your_email_address 

   ftp >  cd /d5/chip 
   ftp >  ls
You will see the following: 
   MassStore/        bkuplist.old      log/
   backup_daily*     daily_images/     pub/
   bkuplist.new      dpm_MassStore/    raw_daily_image/

where a `/' following a name indicates a subdirectory
Data are stored in the daily_images directory. A partial calibration has been applied that corrects for limb darkening and gain control.

To obtain daily, partially calibrated images, type the following: 

   ftp >  cd /d5/chip/daily_images
Select the year and month of the data you need (between April 20, 1996 and present). For example, if you need May 1997 data, type: 
   ftp >  cd 1997/05_may
There are two versions of each image, one with a color table used to maximize contrast and the other with a grayscale table that utilizes all 256 color levels. The grayscale images give the user more freedom to rescale the image and enhance specific features of interest since more information is saved in the greyscale images. The pre-colorized data have been scaled to enhance the disk but contain less information than the grayscale images. Images containing the word `chip' in the filename have the pre-colorized table applied to maximize contrast. These image filenames have the format: 
   YRdDOY.HHMMSS.chip.gif   [year DOY . hours minutes seconds . chip . gif]
For example, the image taken on May 12, 1996 (day of year=133) at 18:27:52 has the filename: 
   96d133.182752.chip.gif
The images with a grayscale color table have filenames with the format: 
   yr_mo_dd_hh_mm_ss_hsl.gif
The image taken on May 12, 1996 at 18:27:52 has the filename: 
   96_05_12_18_27_52_hsl.gif

   where hsl stands for:
      h - helium  
      s - solar disk  
      l - limb darkening corrected

In the grayscale images, low intensity levels in the range of 0 to ~30 contain the limb information; for a `typical' image the disk information lies in the intensity values from ~180 to 255.

Beginning on October 30, 1996 the grayscale images of the Helium I data have the continuum subtracted to improve the signal-to-noise. These data have filenames containing `res_hsl', where res stands for residual (Helium-I minus continuum)

To exit FTP, type: 

   ftp >  quit

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Inquiries

Questions and suggestions may be directed to:

For further information about the Mauna Loa Solar Observatory, visit the MLSO Home Page.

Authors:
Web Editor:

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