Configuring HydroClass

HydroClass application includes a configuration interface that is common to HydroClass in RVP10 and in IRIS. The configuration data is in the configuration template files for C-band radars and for S-band radars, respectively:

/etc/vaisala/irisrda/templates/hydroclass-C-band.conf
/etc/vaisala/irisrda/templates/hydroclass-S-band.conf

Copy one of these into the following file:

/etc/vaisala/irisrda/hydroclass.conf

If you have an X-band radar, use the hydroclass-C-band.conf file as a starting point, and edit it for X-band.

The files are equivalent in structure, but with default parameter sets that match with these widely used radar types.

Note that the HydroClass functionality is ready to use after the software install, radar calibration and start of radar operations. The installed configuration meets the first needs of evaluation and general use. HydroClass automatically selects the correct configuration file to match with the radar frequency.

Site-specific customizations are usually only needed in the advanced use cases, that is for optimal performance. The optimization is best made with feedback and needs of the end-user applications. Substantial amount of observational data and their careful consideration are needed for consistent customization of HydroClass.

The configurable features are:

  • Choices of activation, and relations of uses of the distinct classification algorithms PreClassifier, MeteoClassifiers, PrecipClassifier, and CellClassifier
  • Complete sets of fuzzy parameters of these classifier
  • Miscellaneous settings, such as origin of melting layer height, data corrections, and quality considerations of the results

HydroClass polls for possible updates of the configuration file and reloads upon file change. The update takes place for each RAW file in IRIS/reingest. Restart of IRIS is not required. Consecutive RAW files are allowed to originate from radars that operate at different frequencies.

HydroClass configuration is checked for each period of PPP major mode in a RVP10 run. Note that for RVP10 radars operated by IRIS, a new task does not trigger a HydroClass configuration update, but a switch to another major mode, for example, FFT, and back to PPP is required. The updates initially trigger an IRIS/RDA message, which are later muted off, in order not to fill log files.