2. Data input and output

The output of the different analysis steps in tobac are output as either pandas DataFrames in the case of one-dimensional data, such a lists of identified features or cloud trajectoies or as Iris cubes in the case of 2D/3D/4D fields such as cloud masks.

Interoperability with xarray is provided by the convenient functions allowing for a transformation between the two data types. xarray DataArays can be easily converted into iris cubes using xarray’s to__iris() method, while the Iris cubes produced as output of tobac can be turned into xarray DataArrays using the from__iris() method.

As part of the development of tobac 2.x, we’re currently moving the basic data structures from Iris cubes to xarray DataArrays for improved computing performance and interoperability with other open-source sorftware packages.