Acronyms
- DVWG: Data Visualization Working Group
- WG: Working Group
- PIEC: (SuperDARN) Principal Investigator Executive Council
- DOI: Digital Object Identifier
- RTP: Range-time parameter
- FOV: Field of View
- ACF: Autocorrelation function
Mandate
To maintain, improve, document and distribute software for visualizing SuperDARN radar data for use by scientists, engineers, and students.
Scope
The scope of the Data Visualization Working Group is to provide oversight of the primary software that generates SuperDARN data visualizations. The primary visualization software includes pyDARN, which generates the following data visualizations:
- Range-time-parameter (RTP) and summary plots that include: : sky noise, transmission frequency (MHz), number of averages (nave), control program ID (CPID), velocity (m/s), spectral width, signal to noise ratio, and elevation angle.
- Fan plots, which are field-of-view plots containing a full scan by a radar for a given time. Data parameters plotted include line-of-sight velocity , spectral width, signal to noise ratio, and elevation angle.
- Convection map plots which can include interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) orientation, Heppner-Maynard boundary, equipotential contours, velocity vectors, spectral width, and signal to noise ratio.
- Other plots of SuperDARN data that aid in science, engineering, or outreach (e.g., autocorrelation function plots and grid plots)
The primary visualization software also includes SuperDARN and scientific coordinate systems for plotting use, as well as all parsing methods needed to generate the included data visualizations.
Responsibilities
The DVWG is responsible for approving and publishing upgrades/changes to pyDARN, and offers technical assistance to users.
The DVWG will ensure that pyDARN:
- Upholds its performance from release to release, especially in relation to speed, flexibility, and usability
- Be written and structured in a way that is accessible to scientist- and student-developers
- Can be installed on common platforms used by the SuperDARN community
- Include user-friendly documentation on installation and usage of the library
- Be released with a citable DOI and announced on the SuperDARN-user mailing list
The DVWG’s scope does not extend to the following:
- Supporting or maintaining software in the scope of the Data Analysis Working Group (e.g., RST)
- Supporting or maintaining deprecated libraries or software (e.g., DaVitpy)
- Out of scope libraries used in pyDARN (e.g. Hardware files)
Distributing plots produced by DVWG-managed software (e.g. RTP, Summary plots, fan plots, convection map plots)
Oversight
All DVWG activities will be conducted in accordance with this charter and the SuperDARN Working Group Guidelines.
The DVWG has autonomy in relation to normal development activities. However, the following types of changes require formal approval before implementation into the software:
- Changes that could affect the scientific interpretation of the radar data, which require approval from the PIEC;
- Changes that require approval from another working group.
Membership
There should be at least one permanent member of the WG: a Chair, who shares responsibilities in running the group. WG chair shall be appointed by the Executive Council.
A person shall be considered a member of the DVWG if they meet the general membership criteria in the SuperDARN WG Guidelines and contribute regularly to the DVWG’s activities in at least one of the following ways:
- Provide input to discussions on Github (issues and pull requests)
- Provide assistance with developing, testing or documenting pyDARN library
- Attend majority of working group meetings (monthly meetings)
The DVWG welcomes code contributions, suggestions and feedback from all members of the SuperDARN community. There is no requirement to join the WG in order to contribute. Note that the above membership definition is distinct from the DVWG’s criteria for software authorship.
Amendments to the WG Charter
The DVWG may propose changes to this charter at any time. All proposed changes must be approved by the Executive Council before being formally adopted. Changes of a non-substantial nature (e.g. typing errors, formatting changes, adding/updating hyperlinks) do not require Executive Council approval.
Any approved changes to the list of software under DVWG’s scope should be noted in this charter.