raw2l1

Code to convert raw LIDAR data into normalized netCDF files

Dependencies install

Install package using pip

pip install raw2l1

This installs the raw2l1 command.

Instruments compatibility

Example of configuration files for instruments are provided in the raw2l1-config repository.

VAISALA ceilometers

You must use clview acquisition software. If you are using your own acquisition software, you may need to make some change to the reader

• CL31
• CL51
• CL61

JENOPTIK/LUFFT ceilometers

• CHM8k
• CHM15k

CAMPBELL SCIENTIFIC ceilometers

• CS135

Leosphere/vaisala doppler wind lidars

• Windcube vls7v2
• windcube wls70

how to run

the repository contains some example files allowing you to test the code

• go to raw2l1 directory
• modify the configuration file example to comply with your instrument/station
  • The fields to change are identified by the tag [to_change]
• you can get the list of input arguments using the command:

raw2l1 --help

• to convert a LUFFT CHM15k file

raw2l1 '20150427' conf/conf_lufft_chm15k_eprofile.ini test/input/Jenoptik_chm15k/20150427_SIRTA_CHM150101_000.nc test/output/test_lufft_sirta.nc

• to convert a VAISALA CL31 or CL51 file

raw2l1 '20141030' conf/conf_vaisala_cl31_eprofile.ini 'test/input/vaisala_cl31/cl31_0a_z1R5mF3s_v01_20141030_*.asc' test/output/test_cl31.nc

Filtering data

You can filter data to only keep data of date provided as arguments using --filter-day option.

Realtime production

Options are available for the use of raw2l1 in near-realtime processing

• -file_min_size: allow to define the minimum size of input file in bytes. Files with a smaller size will be rejected.
• -file_max_age: allow to define the maximum age of data in a file in hours
• --check_timeliness: check if the data read are not to old or in the future. By default it checks thats data have a maximum age of 2 hours. This value can be changed with option --file_max_age

Developments

Get sources

Clone the repository

git clone git@github.com:ACTRIS-CCRES/raw2l1.git

Install

Using uv (recommended)

Install uv

uv sync --all-groups

Using conda or pixie

conda create -n raw2l1 python=3.13 pip
conda activate raw2l1
pip install . --group dev

Using venv

python -m venv path/env/raw2l1-dev
source activate path/env/raw2l1-dev/bin/activate

Then install the dependencies with

pip install . --group dev

Install pre-commit

Pre-commit is used to check code before commit. It is recommended to install it in your development environment.

uv run pre-commit install
uv run pre-commit install --hook-type commit-msg

or with conda, pixie or venv

pre-commit install
pre-commit install --hook-type commit-msg

Run the test suite

uv run pytest

or with conda, pixie or venv

python -m  pytest

Thanks

This program was developped in the scope of TOPROF (COST ACTION ES1303). Thanks to F.Wagner, I. Mattis, R. Leinweber for testing the software, providing example files and reporting bugs during the CEILINEX

Copyright

2014-2026 CNRS/Ecole polytechnique