IMPROVE Data Access
All IMPROVE data are available for download on the VIEWS website. To download data, click on the Data Wizard, near the upper left of the VIEWS website. Next you will see the heart of the Data Wizard, with a series of tabs, as follows:
- Reports - Choose "Raw Data" to gain access to the IMPROVE data
- Datasets - Choose "IMPROVE Aerosol" to get the data submitted by UC Davis. The most recently submitted data are placed in "IMPROVE Aerosol, Preliminary" for review before being finalized.
- Sites - Select one or many sites, as you wish
- Parameters - Here you will see both raw data and derived parameters. Choose the data that you would like to download.
- Dates - Choose as you wish.
- Fields - Here you can choose to receive uncertainties, MDLs, etc. It is usually helpful to download the parameter occurrence code, POC. Primary data have POC=1 and collocated data have POC=2, so you will be able to distinguish between them.
- Filters - This tab allows you to filter by flags. As a simple approach, use the default (non-aggregated) and then filter once you have the data in-hand.
- Options - This tab allows you to choose your output. There are many choices to make, so here are a few tips:
Output Medium - "Browser" will display the data on your screen, which is fine if you just want to glance at the data. But to make the data available for analysis choose "Excel," or choose "Text File," which will provide data that can be imported by other applications, including Excel.
Column Format - Comma delimited works well
Use the default values for Row Format, Headers & Titles, String Quotes, and Missing Values
Content Options - If you have already reviewed the metadata and just want a clean data file, choose Data Only
Date Format - Choose what you like
When you have made all of your choices, click "Submit" and a new window will appear at the bottom of your screen with a hyperlink to your data file. Click on the hyperlink and you'll get yet another new window containing a file that you can save to your hard drive and import into another application, or whatever you like.
