Assistance in ability to read new unstructured grid into UGRID: OLAM model, similar to MPAS but different vertical grid

[aschuh]

Couple quick questions. Does the UXARRAY package allow some kind of netcdf outputting of the UGRID file? It appears that the package reads in native grid output from models like MPAS and puts it into some kind of CF UGRID structure (and or file). Furthermore, I work with a model called OLAM, whose horiz structure and topology is very similar to MPAS but whose vertical grid is in MASL (same vert grid for all horiz cells) which is different than MPAS. I'm not a python user (R user for 25 years) but how difficult would it be to modify the MPAS code to accommodate a new vertical grid structure? I'm not even positive that this structure can be fit in UGRID, things like gridcells being underground (or "partial" volumes) might be problematic?

[rajeeja]

Hi @aschuh!

Yes, UXARRAY does support NetCDF output with UGRID formatting. UXARRAY is written primarily around the UGRID conventions, which is a standard for storing unstructured grid model output in the NetCDF file format. Check out our formats part of the documentation: https://uxarray.readthedocs.io/en/latest/user-guide/grid-formats.html

We do have partial grids, like this is an ocean mesh: https://uxarray.readthedocs.io/en/latest/user-guide/plotting.html#geographic-projections-features

It shouldn't be hard if and the feasibility would depend on how well OLAM's vertical structure can map to UGRID conventions. While UGRID provides a standard for storing unstructured grid model data in NetCDF files and uses CF Metadata Conventions as its foundation Conventions - UXarray Documentation, the key challenge is whether OLAM's MASL (constant vertical levels across all horizontal cells) vertical structure can be properly represented within the UGRID framework.