Input track files

GAHM2026 reads three track formats, selected with storm_info.file_type:

file_type Format Notes
"IBTrACS" IBTrACS v04 CSV Multi-storm file; storm_info.designation selects the storm. Downloaded automatically if absent
"ATCF" ATCF a-deck / b-deck Single storm per file; designation is ignored
"fort22" ADCIRC fort.22 (NWS=20) ATCF-like, column-compatible

The child pages document the two fort.22 variants in detail:

  • GAHM2026 fort.22 — the extended file written by write_fort22_ext.m, carrying the per-quadrant GAHM parameters computed by GAHM2026.
  • ASWIP fort.22 — the file produced by the ASWIP preprocessor to drive GAHM inside ADCIRC.

The extended file written by GAHM2026 has a format similar to ADCIRC’s fort.22 but must not be used with GAHM (NWS=20) in ADCIRC. The $R_{mw}$ and $B_g$ values are not strictly compatible with the GAHM implementation in ADCIRC.

Where the track data comes from

IBTrACS v04r01 CSV files are published by NOAA NCEI at https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/data/international-best-track-archive-for-climate-stewardship-ibtracs/v04r01/access/csv/. Place the file in input/; run_GAHM2026 downloads it if it is not found.

Track files are parsed by util/readIBTrACS.m (shared by GAHM2026 and SeparateEnvHur) or by the ATCF/fort.22 reader, then trimmed to the configured processing window by sliceTrack inside GAHM2026.m.

Units

Track quantities follow the ATCF conventions, not the SI units used internally:

Quantity Track file units Internal units
Isotach radii, $R_{mw}$ nautical miles meters
Wind speed knots, 1-min sustained at 10 m m/s, 10-min average
Pressure mb mb
Angles degrees clockwise from north degrees clockwise from north

Conversions use the constants in util/gahmPhysicalConstants.m. The 1-min to 10-min conversion factor is GAHM_param_info.one2tenF (0.89); see Derivation §2.


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Rick Luettich (UNC/IMS/CNHR/EMES) and Brian Blanton (UNC/RENCI).