10 Frequently Asked Questions

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What are the restricted datasets held at the BADC ?
Who can access the restricted datasets held at the BADC ?
How much does the restricted data cost ?
How do I proceed to access the data I need ?
Problems with password
Problems with transferring data
Data File Format
I need to access additional datasets. What do I need to do ?
Gaps in datasets?
How to acknowledge data/BADC?

1. What are the restricted datasets held at the BADC ?

Datasets from the Met Office
Datasets from the European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecast ( ECMWF )
Datasets from NERC Thematic Programmes ( HYREX, SOAPEX, GOME, UTLS-Ozone, URGENT, COAPEC, etc... )
HALOE-L2 data and ISAMS-L2 data.
MST data

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2. Who can access the restricted datasets held at the BADC ?

Who can:

All NERC funded researchers (including postgraduate students) who need atmospheric data
All other bona fide academic researchers (Research Fellow, Postgraduate), primarily in atmospheric sciences
UK-only academic researchers for using the ECMWF data. Under ECMWF rules, the ECMWF data is only available from the Meteorological organisation in your own country.

Who can't:

Undergraduates are not given access to the restricted datasets held at the BADC
Schools are not given access to the restricted datasets held at the BADC.
Academic Researchers who intend to use the data for teaching purposes.
Commercial companies for lucrative purposes.
Individuals who would require the data for Private or Personal use.
More details about the Data rules and Policies are available.

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3. How much does the restricted data cost ?

The restricted data is FREE of charge if you are eligible to access the data held at the BADC (see answer to Question 2 above).

If you are not eligible, then you can directly ask the data suppliers (Met Office and ECMWF) but they may charge you for the data.

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4. How do I proceed to access the data I need ?

i. Public datasets:

Most of the datasets held by the BADC are unrestricted and freely available to all, either through the World Web, or anonymous FTP.

Using your Web Browser
Go to the Get Data Archive Facility. Select the public dataset of your choice by clicking on the dataset name and then proceed in the same way down to the data files. To get the public data files, you may use options of your browser (such as "save as") or use the "Fetch facility" at top hand right corner of the Get Data Archive page.

Using Anonymous FTP
Alternatively, if you want to transfer a large amount of data you will probably want to use the anonymous FTP interface. If you are unfamiliar with using FTP, please read our guide to FTP and particularly the example.

ii Restricted datasets (datasets labelled with a key sign ):

A list of Restricted datasets held at the BADC can be browsed.
Provided that you are eligible to access restricted datasets held at the BADC (see Answer to Question 2), then proceed as follows to first register with BADC (Step 1) and then apply for access to restricted datasets (Step 2):

STEP 1: Register with BADC as a new user. To gain access to restricted datasets and BADC services (e.g. trajectory service), you must register with the BADC You do not need to register with the BADC to download public data available from the archive.

Go to the new user registration, available online.
Click on "Register as a user" button.
Type in your details as indicated and submit the application.
Then information relative to your place of work will appear to be confirmed by you.
You will then be proposed an account name that you can change if you wish and you must enter a password of your choice.
The next page will ask you to confirm the details entered by you in the previous stages and to read and accept BADC conditions if you agree to be bound by them.
The next page is inviting you to be part of the BADC's collaboration initiative (encouraging collaboration between scientists interested in atmospheric data - this programme is funded by the CAST initiative.)
If you wish to be part of this initiative, then your details may be disclosed and we will give you access to our BADC users collaborative workspace. We will also enter you in our Who's who system
The final stage of registration is the creation of a web account for you at the BADC. An email is then sent to you automatically with details of your account. You will also receive a welcoming message to the collaboration system at BADC provided you have agreed to be part of the initiatative.

Please note that at this stage, your web account does not yet allow you to access restricted datasets. This is because access to restricted datasets can only be authorised if your application meets the Data Provider's Conditions of Use/License agreement. These vary, depending upon the data supplier.

STEP 2: Apply for access to restricted datasets.
Now that you are a registered user at the BADC, you can use your web account name and password to apply for access to restricted datasets. To do this, search for the dataset you need using our searching Datasets catalogue facility or you may list all datasets currently archived at the BADC then follow the link "Apply for access".
You may also go to the dataset web pages, which include information about the selected dataset. On the dataset web page, you will find a link to "apply for access" to this dataset. Simply follow the link and instructions online.
Online registration is now possible for ALL restricted datasets - i.e. after providing details of research description (i.e. what will you use the data for?) and how it is funded, you will agree online to be bound by the data licensing agreement.
Please note that some restricted datasets are project participants access only.

At the end of the dataset online application process, the BADC and/or Project Granting Officer will check if the applicant is entitled to access the selected dataset. This may take a few days. Provided the application is complete and fully meets the data suppliers' conditions, your web account will be activated to allow you access to restricted datasets and a confirmation email message including details of where to find the data and related documentation will be sent to the user.
Once your web account has been activated, you can retrieve restricted data held at the BADC off the web using the Get Data Archive Facility.
Note that users who wish to manipulate data directly on the BADC file server (login.badc.rl.ac.uk), using an SSH client, may ask for an account to be set up on the machine. In this case, please contact the BADC with your request.
Additional Notes
1 - Please ensure that anybody who will be using the data also register with BADC and sign the data providers' agreements. The restricted data is licensed per user per project.
2 - If you have been set up an account on login.badc.rl.ac.uk, then you will either be able to retrieve the data off the web using the Get Data archive facility or retrieve the data using FTP. If you are unfamiliar with FTP, please read our FTP guide or seek advice from your local Computer Helpdesk.

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5. Problems with password

Please go to the Change password Help section.

6. Problems with transferring data

Using your web browser, when you click on a filename, the contents of the file will be displayed in your browser if it is in a format that can be displayed. You can then download the file by using the Save as... facility on your browser (usually found under the File drop-down menu). You should normally save the file as type Text.
Using your web browser, when you click on a filename where the contents are in binary format then your browser should automatically ask you if you want to download the file to your computer.
You may also use the BADC Fetch Files facility available from the Browse Archive facility. Details of how to use the Fetch button is available from the Browse Archive Help file.
To get data using FTP, please refer to our FTP Guide.
If you still have problems, please contact your local system administrator or Computing Help desk.
If you contact the BADC Helpdesk, explain clearly the problem you have, stating which dataset you are looking at, which file you are trying to transfer, what are the error messages, etc...

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7. Data File Format

All information relative to dataset file formats is usually found under the section "Access to data - File Format" or "Data File Format" of each dataset documentation web page.

For example, to find the data file format information for the Global Radiosonde dataset, go to the Global Radiosonde Documentation page (from the Browse Archive facility then go down to ukmo-rad and then go to doc and click on BADC_Global_Radiosonde_documentation.html) and in the section "Data File Format" you will find a direct link to the data file format.

More information about Where to find dataset documentation and standard file format is available.

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8. I need to access additional datasets. What do I need to do ?

Since you are already a registered user with the BADC, simply go to the Dataset Index and follow the "Apply for access" link corresponding to the retricted dataset of your choice.

Alternatively, go to the dataset documentation web page and follow the link to Apply for access to this dataset. Then follow the instructions online. More information about Where to find dataset documentation is available.

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9. Gaps in datasets?

Met Office MIDAS station data
The BADC is aware that the online Met Office MIDAS data has some data gaps. This is partly due to failed data extraction jobs but also because data is actually missing from the master Met Office database from which we extract the data. However, the Met Office continuously update their database and therefore it is often only a matter of re-extracting the data. If you find gaps in the Met Office MIDAS data held at the BADC, please report it to the BADC Helpdesk (badc@rl.ac.uk) stating the station name, parameters and period of time missing.
Other datasets (e.g. ECMWF)
If problems are encountered with datasets held at the BADC, please contact the BADC Helpdesk, clearly stating the anomaly.

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10. How to acknowledge data/BADC?

Please go to the Acknowledgement Help section for details.

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