NCL Home > Documentation > Functions > General applied math

smth9

Performs nine point local smoothing on one or more 2D grids.

Prototype

	function smth9 (
		x     : numeric,  
		p     : numeric,  
		q     : numeric,  
		wrap  : logical   
	)

	return_val [dimsizes(x)] :  float or double

Arguments

A grid of two or more dimensions. The two rightmost dimensions are the dimensions to be smoothed. If missing values are present, the attribute x@_FillValue must be set appropriately.

p
q

Two scalars which affect the degree of smoothing. In general, for good results, set p = 0.50. With p = 0.50, a value of q = -0.25 results in "light" smoothing and q = 0.25 results in "heavy" smoothing. A value of q = 0.0 results in a 5-point local smoother.

wrap

False if the rightmost dimension is not to be treated as cyclic. True when the rightmost dimension is treated as cyclic. x should not include the cyclic point.

Return value

Returns an array dimensioned the same as x.

The return type is floating point if the input is floating point, and double if the input is of type double.

Description

This function performs 9-point smoothing using the equation:

f0 = f0 + (p / 4) * (f2 + f4 + f6 + f8 - 4 * f0) + (q / 4) * (f1 + f3 + f5 + f7 - 4 * f0)

where f0, f1 (and so on) are as indicated:

      1-------------8---------------7
      |             |               |
      |             |               |
      |             |               |
      |             |               |
      2-------------0---------------6
      |             |               |
      |             |               |
      |             |               |
      |             |               |
      3-------------4---------------5

This function is primarily used prior to plotting for nicer looking plots. Missing values are allowed and are indicated by the _FillValue attribute (x@_FillValue).

Use the smth9_Wrap function if metadata retention is desired. The interface is identical.

Notes:

If a point or any of its neighbors is missing as indicated by x@_FillValue, the point is not smoothed. If x@_FillValue is not set, then the NCL default (appropriate to the type of x) will be assumed.
This routine does not smooth the edges, only the interior with the exception that the left and right edges are smoothed when wrap is True.

Examples

Example 1

Define g(ny, nx) where ny = 20, nx = 40

The rightmost dimension is not to be treated as cyclic. The result will replace the input array g. g will retain any attributes and coordinate dimensions.

  g = smth9(g, 0.50, -0.25, False) ; light local smoothing

  ; Use smth9_Wrap if metadata retention is desired
  ; g = smth9_Wrap(g, 0.50, -0.25, False) ; light local smoothing

Example 2

Define g(ntim, nlvl, nlat, mlon) where ntim = 50, nlvl = 30, nlat = 64, mlon = 128.

The rightmost dimension is to be treated as "cyclic". The user should not add a cyclic point for the rightmost dimension; it is accounted for internally. All times and levels will be smoothed and returned in a new array gsmth.

  gsmth = smth9(g, 0.50,  0.25, True) ; heavy local smoothing

  ; Use smth9_Wrap if metadata retention is desired
  ; gsmth = smth9_Wrap(g, 0.50,  0.25, True) ; heavy local smoothing

Example 3

Assume that the data in example 2 have named dimensions time, lvl, lat, lon, and that the user wishes to plot smoothed vertical cross sections. The returned variable gvert below will have dimension sizes ntim x mlon x nlvl x nlat.