BULLETIN BOARD - M1

This document provides guidelines to customers of RMS Instruments who will be supplying data for analysis. In order to expedite processing, RMS Instruments will only accept data that conforms to these guidelines.

1. Data must be supplied in file(s) in flat ASCII format. In this format data is stored in ASCII form, with fixed-length rows terminated with new lines (carriage return, line feed) and with spaces separating the numbers.

2. Each row must contain a single set of values representing variables sampled at the same time. The time between consecutive rows is the sampling period – e.g., 100 msec for an AADCII sampling at 10 Hz.

3. All variables pertinent for the type of analysis required must be included. For example, to analyze an AADCII compensation include calibration maneuvers data for vector mag. (X, Y, Z components), uncompensated/compensated mags., uncompensated/compensated gradients. Record values maintaining the precision (# of decimal places) supplied by the AADCII – 0.001 nT for total field mags., 0.01 nT for vector mag.

4. A fiducial number may be included, preferably as one of the first fields in each row. This should be an integer that increases by one each row.

5. For data generated by the AADCII, the mode code should be included, preferably at the end of each row.

6. Delimiter characters marking, for example, the start of each row are acceptable. For instance, AADCII-generated ASCII data starts each row with the '#' character.

7. Any record of AADCII-generated ASCII data, recorded exactly as transmitted by the AADCII, is acceptable (provided all required variables are included – see point #3.)

8. A separate data description file must be supplied for each data file. It must explicitly document the organization of the variables in the data file.

9. If supplying the files to RMS Instruments via e-mail, send them as attachments. Data files may be compressed (.zip) if they are too large.

Example

Data description file:

Sampling period = 0.1 sec.
Column #1 = Start of row marker '#'
Column #2 = Fiducial [x 0.1 sec]
Column #3 = Vector Mag. X [nT]
Column #4 = Vector Mag. Y [nT]
Column #5 = Vector Mag. Z [nT]
Column #6 = Uncompensated Total Field #1, [nT]
Column #7 = Compensated Total Field #1, [nT]
Column #8 = AADCII mode code

Data file:

# 445258 –55281.77 –45018.09 +4446.25 57166.300 57162.944 1
# 445259 –55282.28 –45018.56 +4446.32 57166.303 57162.946 1
# 445259 –55282.28 –45018.56 +4446.32 57166.303 57162.946 1
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