SAM Microphysics 3D Output Files
sam3dmicroThe SAM model outputs variables in distinct categories, specifically 2D, 3D, 3D microphysics, and statistics. The 3D microphysics output files are in netCDF format and contain most of the 3D variables from the microphysics parameterization. The 3D files contain instantaneous output every 15 minutes.
The 3D variables are for the full model grid volume and thus are quite large in aggregate. Thus, each output time is separated into its own netCDF file, which is generated in post-processing from the binary output produced during the model runtime. The sam3dmicro filesize varies quite a bit based on how much cloud is in the domain, and it can exceed 425 MB for the 25.6 km-wide domain. A sample netCDF file header for a sam3dmicro file from a simulation using spectral-bin microphysics is at enalasso_sam3dmicro_20180701era5d25x100_sbmwrm-aer3-flxsstC1.m1.20180701.120000.hdr.txt