MATLAB with ncread (built-in)

How to use the OPeNDAP server in MATLAB R2012 or newer with ncread (built-in).

The following explains the steps of loading data served by OPeNDAP using MATLAB.

Download and install MATLAB R2012 or newer (if needed):

Start MATLAB:

Load data using ncread and proceed as you normally would:
Note: % operator as comments. Example is using MATLAB R2012.

 
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>>   		 % Information on how to use ncread
help ncread
% Load the coastline
load coast
xlon = long;
ylat = lat;
% Find the indexes for 165W-153W, 18N-24N, and Oct 3, 2004.
lon = ncread('http://apdrc.soest.hawaii.edu/dods/public_data/NLOM/nlom_ssh', 'lon');
lat = ncread('http://apdrc.soest.hawaii.edu/dods/public_data/NLOM/nlom_ssh', 'lat');
time = ncread('http://apdrc.soest.hawaii.edu/dods/public_data/NLOM/nlom_ssh', 'time');
I = find(lon >= 195 & lon <= 207);
J = find(lat >= 18 & lat <= 24);
% Note: datenum and datevec use the time since Jan 0, 0000.
% We need to add 365 days to fix the dataset
% because this dataset uses since Jan 1, 0001.
% datevec(time(1)+365) = [2002 6 1 0 0 0] {start time: Jun 1, 2002}
% datevec(mytime+365) = [2004 10 3 0 0 0] {my time: Oct 3, 2004}
mytime = datenum([2004 10 3 0 0 0])-365;
K = find(time == mytime);
% Load the NLOM sea surface height from the above information
ssh=ncread('http://apdrc.soest.hawaii.edu/dods/public_data/NLOM/nlom_ssh', 'ssh', [I(1) J(1) K], [I(end)-I(1)+1 J(end)-J(1)+1 1]);
worldmap([lat(J(1)) lat(J(end))],[lon(I(1)) lon(I(end))])
setm(gca,'MapProjection','mercator')
gridm off
% Plot sea surface height
pcolorm(lat(J),lon(I),ssh')
colorbar
% Plot land outlines
hold on
plotm(ylat,xlon,'k')
title('NLOM 1/16 degree Sea Surface Height [cm] October 3, 2004')
tightmap

Using pcolor to plot:

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>>   		 load coast
xlon = long;
ylat = lat;
lon = ncread('http://apdrc.soest.hawaii.edu/dods/public_data/SCUD/current', 'lon');
lat = ncread('http://apdrc.soest.hawaii.edu/dods/public_data/SCUD/current', 'lat');
time = ncread('http://apdrc.soest.hawaii.edu/dods/public_data/SCUD/current', 'time');
mytime = datenum([2000 1 1 0 0 0])-365;
K = find(time == mytime);
uc=ncread('http://apdrc.soest.hawaii.edu/dods/public_data/SCUD/current', 'uc', [1 1 K], [1440 720 1]);
pcolor(lon,lat,uc')
shading interp
colorbar
hold on
plot(xlon,ylat,'k')
plot(xlon+360,ylat,'k')
title('SCUD u current 2000-01-01')

Using pcolorm to plot:

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>>   		 load coast
xlon = long;
ylat = lat;
lon = ncread('http://apdrc.soest.hawaii.edu/dods/public_data/SCUD/current', 'lon');
lat = ncread('http://apdrc.soest.hawaii.edu/dods/public_data/SCUD/current', 'lat');
time = ncread('http://apdrc.soest.hawaii.edu/dods/public_data/SCUD/current', 'time');
mytime = datenum([2000 1 1 0 0 0])-365;
K = find(time == mytime);
uc=ncread('http://apdrc.soest.hawaii.edu/dods/public_data/SCUD/current', 'uc', [1 1 K], [1440 720 1]);
ax = worldmap([lat(1) lat(720)],[lon(1) lon(1440)]);
setm(ax,'mlabelparallel',-90)
pcolorm(lat,lon,uc')
colorbar
hold on
plotm(ylat,xlon,'k')
title('SCUD u current 2000-01-01')

Using load .mat with ERDDAP to plot:

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>>     		 load(urlwrite('http://apdrc.soest.hawaii.edu/erddap/tabledap/argo_all.mat?longitude%2Clatitude%2Ctime%2Cpres%2Ctemp&time%3E=1998-09-01&time%3C=1998-09-02', 'test.mat'));
unique_time = unique(argo_all.time);
datestr(unique_time(1)/86400 + 719529)
datestr(unique_time(2)/86400 + 719529)
time1_i = find([argo_all.time] == unique_time(1));
time2_i = find([argo_all.time] == unique_time(2));
plot(argo_all.temp(time1_i),argo_all.pres(time1_i))
hold on
plot(argo_all.temp(time2_i),argo_all.pres(time2_i))
set(gca,'YDir','Reverse')
title('ARGO floats pressure vs. temperature on 1998-09-01')

Using load .mat with ERDDAP to plot Argo floats:

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>>     		 load coast
xlon = long;
ylat = lat;
load(urlwrite('http://apdrc.soest.hawaii.edu/erddap/tabledap/argo_all.mat?longitude%2Clatitude%2Ctime&time%3E=2017-01-01&time%3C=2017-01-02&distinct()', 'test.mat'));
ax = worldmap([-89.9 89.9],[-180 180]);
setm(ax,'mlabelparallel',-90)
setm(ax, 'FFaceColor', [.6 1 1])
geoshow(ax, ylat, xlon,'DisplayType', 'polygon', 'FaceColor', [.8 .6 .4])
scatterm(argo_all.latitude,argo_all.longitude,15,'k','filled')
hold on
plotm(ylat,xlon,'k')
title('ARGO floats active between 2017-01-01 and 2017-01-02')


Using load .mat with ERDDAP to plot FNMOC Indian Oceans:

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>>     		 load coast
xlon = long;
ylat = lat;
host = 'http://apdrc.soest.hawaii.edu/erddap/tabledap/fnmoc_temperature_indian.mat';
load(urlwrite(strcat(host,'?longitude%2Ctime%2Clatitude%2Ctemperature&time%3E=2014-01-01&time%3C=2014-01-31&distinct()'), 'test.mat'));
ax = worldmap([-60 30],[30 120]);
setm(ax,'mlabelparallel',-90)
setm(ax,'MapProjection','mercator')
setm(ax, 'FFaceColor', [.6 1 1])
geoshow(ax, ylat, xlon,'DisplayType', 'polygon', 'FaceColor', [.8 .6 .4])
scatterm(fnmoc_temperature_indian.latitude,fnmoc_temperature_indian.longitude,...
15,fnmoc_temperature_indian.temperature,'filled')
colormap(jet);
colorbar
hold on
plotm(ylat,xlon,'k')
title('FNMOC Indian Ocean temperature active between 2014-01-01 and 2014-01-30')