AWIPS D-2D User Manual Section 6.2.1

6.2.1 The Skew-T Controls Dialog Box

The Skew-T Controls Dialog Box, shown in Exhibit 6.2.1-1, is divided into sections which contain the following options.

Exhibit 6.2.1-1. The IST Dialog Boxes

File: This pull-down menu option has the following options:

Open...: This option opens the Saved Skew-T Dialog Box, from which you can select a saved edited Skew-T.
Save/Save As: This allows you to save an edited Skew-T.
Print Parameters: With this option, you can print the Skew-T thermodynamic parameters to your printer.

Edit: This pull-down menu has the following options.

Undo: This option allows you to successively undo changes you made to the editable sounding.
Revert File: This option allows you to switch back to the settings that were saved in the Skew-T file.

Lifting Method: By selecting one of the check buttons in this portion of the Skew-T Controls Dialog Box, you can specify how the air parcel is lifted.

PMAX: This lifting method computes the pressure, temperature, and dewpoint temperature of the most unstable layer in the lowest 50 millibars, which typically has the highest wet-bulb temperature.
Surface: Surface lifting uses (by default) the surface temperature of the sounding as the initial parcel temperature. If you are editing the 12Z sounding, you have the option to use either the 12Z surface temperature off the sounding or the forecasted maximum temperature. The latter is enabled by toggling on the Use Fcst Max Temp check button. When you are editing a 00Z sounding, this option is disabled.
Mean Temp: The Mean Temp lifting mechanism computes the parcel containing the mean potential temperature in the lowest 50-millibar layer above the surface.
User Select: This lifting method computes the temperature and dewpoint at the user-specified pressure level, which are interpolated from existing data points. The algorithm knows the limits of the current sounding, so you cannot select a bogus pressure level.
Lift Parcel: When editing a Skew-T, this menu button activates the chosen lifting method and initiates the calculation of the various thermodynamic quantities. When changes are made to the hodograph, this menu button is used to recalculate the hodograph parameters (helicity, storm motion, etc.).

Add/Change Point to Skew-T: In this portion of the Skew-T Controls Dialog Box, you can type pressure, temperature, and dewpoint temperature values in the entry boxes provided. You must specify all three values. If you omit a value and try to add a new data point, an error dialog box appears.

Temperatures Entered as Celsius or Fahrenheit: These check buttons allow you to choose the temperature scale.
Add Point to Skew-T: This menu button causes the new data point whose pressure, temperature, and dewpoint values were manually typed to be added to the temperature and dewpoint temperature profiles.

Add/Change Point to Hodograph: In this portion of the Skew-T Controls Dialog Box, you can type in pressure, wind direction, and wind speed values in the entry boxes provided. Currently, this is the only way to add a point to the hodograph.

Speed Entered as Knots or Meters per Second: These check buttons allow you to choose the wind speed scale.
Add Point to Hodograph: This menu button causes the new data point to be added to the hodograph.

Additional Hodograph/Skew-T Information: In this portion of the Skew-T Controls Dialog Box, you can obtain additional information.

Helicity/Storm Inflow: This menu button displays the helicity and storm inflow on the hodograph.
Wet-bulb Temperature Profile: This menu button adds the wet-bulb temperature trace to the Skew-T.

Restore to Original Data Profile: This portion of the Skew-T Controls Dialog Box contains menu buttons that let you revert to the original Skew-T or hodograph.

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