add WRFDA satwnd.bufr ingest (#1617)

TYPE: new feature

KEYWORDS: WRFDA, satwnd.bufr

SOURCE: Jamie Bresch (NCAR)

DESCRIPTION OF CHANGES:

When ob_format=1 (bufr), WRFDA reads NCEP's prepbufr file and processes satellite winds (AMV) contained in prepbufr 
as ob type geoamv. This PR adds the capability to read a separate satwnd bufr file and decode additional AMVs (as 
ob type polaramv) that are not included in prepbufr.

The `use_satwnd_bufr` default is true, when `ob_format=1` and `satwnd.bufr` does not exist in the working directory.
There is no impact except for a warning message of "satwnd.bufr does not exist".

Data sources:
https://nomads.ncep.noaa.gov/pub/data/nccf/com/gfs/prod/gdas.YYYYMMDD/HH/atmos/gdas.tHHz.satwnd.tm00.bufr_d
cheyenne:/gpfs/fs1/collections/rda/data/ds351.0/bufr/YYYY/gdas.satwnd.tHHz.YYYYMMDD.bufr

Thinning for satwnd.bufr (done in da_read_obs_bufr_satwnd.inc) is implemented differently than all other ob types.
Superobbing is available when `thin_conv_opt` (polaramv) is set to 3 (2-D thinning boxes) or 4 (3-D thinning boxes).

The reading of an external obs error table is moved one level up, so the table values can be used by both 
da_read_obs_bufr.inc and da_read_obs_bufr_satwnd.inc

Piggybacking on top of this PR are some other README.namelist update to fix a few typos pointed out by Yi-Chuan Lo 
(Central Weather Bureau, Taiwan) and adding a descrption for recently added gpsref options.

LIST OF MODIFIED FILES:
M       Registry/registry.var
M       var/README.namelist
M       var/build/depend.txt
M       var/da/da_control/da_control.f90
M       var/da/da_obs_io/da_obs_io.f90
M       var/da/da_obs_io/da_read_obs_bufr.inc
A       var/da/da_obs_io/da_read_obs_bufr_satwnd.inc
M       var/da/da_radiance/gsi_thinning.f90
M       var/da/da_setup_structures/da_setup_obs_structures.inc
M       var/da/da_setup_structures/da_setup_obs_structures_bufr.inc
M       var/da/da_setup_structures/da_setup_structures.f90

TESTS CONDUCTED:
1. A few tests were conducted to check that this version of the code runs.
2. Jenkins tests are all passing.

RELEASE NOTE: WRFDA can ingest NCEP's satwnd.bufr (gdas.satwnd.tHHz.YYYYMMDD.bufr) to assimilate more AMVs that are not included in NCEP's prepbufr files. More flexible thinning/superobbing options (thin_conv_opt) and obs error specification (uv_error_opt) are implemented for using satwnd.bufr. See WRFDA/var/README.namelist for details.

Author: jamiebresch

Registry/registry.var

@@ -136,7 +136,8 @@ rconfig   integer   num_fgat_time           namelist,wrfvar3  1  1        - "num
 rconfig   logical   thin_conv               namelist,wrfvar4  1  .true.   - "thin_conv"                ""  ""
 rconfig   logical   thin_conv_ascii         namelist,wrfvar4  1  .false.  - "thin_conv_ascii"          ""  ""
 rconfig   integer   thin_conv_opt           namelist,wrfvar4  num_ob_indexes 1      - "thin_conv_opt"  ""  "0=no thinning, >0:thinning on"
-rconfig   real      thin_mesh_conv          namelist,wrfvar4  num_ob_indexes 20.0   - "thin_mesh_conv"            ""  ""
+rconfig   real      thin_mesh_conv          namelist,wrfvar4  num_ob_indexes 20.0   - "thin_mesh_conv" "horizontal thinning mesh"  "km"
+rconfig   real      thin_mesh_vert_conv     namelist,wrfvar4  num_ob_indexes 100.0  - "thin_mesh_vert_conv" "vertical thinning mesh"  "hPa"
 rconfig   logical   thin_rainobs            namelist,wrfvar4  1  .true.   - "thin_rainobs"             ""  ""
 rconfig   logical   use_synopobs            namelist,wrfvar4  1  .true.   - "use_synopobs"             ""  ""
 rconfig   logical   use_shipsobs            namelist,wrfvar4  1  .true.   - "use_shipsobs"             ""  ""
@@ -148,6 +149,7 @@ rconfig   logical   use_pilotobs            namelist,wrfvar4  1  .true.   - "use
 rconfig   logical   use_airepobs            namelist,wrfvar4  1  .true.   - "use_airepobs"             ""  ""
 rconfig   logical   use_geoamvobs           namelist,wrfvar4  1  .true.   - "use_geoamvobs"            ""  ""
 rconfig   logical   use_polaramvobs         namelist,wrfvar4  1  .true.   - "use_polaramvobs"          ""  ""
+rconfig   logical   use_satwnd_bufr         namelist,wrfvar4  1  .true.   - "use_satwnd_bufr"          "if reading from satwnd.bufr"  ""
 rconfig   logical   use_bogusobs            namelist,wrfvar4  1  .true.   - "use_bogusobs"             ""  ""
 rconfig   logical   use_buoyobs             namelist,wrfvar4  1  .true.   - "use_buoyobs"              ""  ""
 rconfig   logical   use_profilerobs         namelist,wrfvar4  1  .true.   - "use_profilerobs"          ""  ""
@@ -528,6 +530,8 @@ rconfig   real      gpsref_qc_pcnt_h2       namelist,obs_opt   1   25000.0 - "gp
 rconfig   real      gpsref_qc_pcnt_below    namelist,obs_opt   1   0.05    - "gpsref_qc_pcnt_below"    "error percentage threshold below"    ""
 rconfig   real      gpsref_qc_pcnt_middle   namelist,obs_opt   1   0.04    - "gpsref_qc_pcnt_middle"   "error percentage threshold middle"   ""
 rconfig   real      gpsref_qc_pcnt_above    namelist,obs_opt   1   0.10    - "gpsref_qc_pcnt_above"    "error percentage threshold above"    ""
+rconfig   integer   uv_error_opt            namelist,obs_opt num_ob_indexes 3    -  "uv_error_opt" ""  "1: single uv_error_val, 2: from table, 3: from ob input"
+rconfig   real      uv_error_val            namelist,obs_opt num_ob_indexes 2.5  -  "uv_error_val" ""  "m/s"
 rconfig   logical jcdfi_use                 namelist,perturbation  1  .false.  -   "jcdfi_use"   "JcDFI on/off"      ""
 rconfig   integer jcdfi_diag                namelist,perturbation  1  1        -   "jcdfi_diag"  "JcDFI diag. on/off"      ""
 rconfig   real    jcdfi_penalty             namelist,perturbation  1  10.      -   "jcdfi_penalty"    "Penalty parameter for JcDF"      ""

var/README.namelist

@@ -89,10 +89,26 @@ Description of WRFDA namelist variables, defined in Registry/registry.var
                                               ; data are "thinned" within thinning routine, however, 
                                               ; thin_conv can be set to .false. for debugging purpose.
   thin_conv_ascii                   = .false. ; .true.: thinning for ob_format=2 (ASCII) observations 
-  thin_mesh_conv (max_instruments)  = 20.0    ; km, size of thinning mesh boxes for conventional (non-radiance) 
+  thin_conv_opt (num_ob_indexes)    = 1       ; when thin_conv=true or thin_conv_ascii=true, each ob type
+                                              ; can set its thin_conv_opt.
+                                              ; the index/order of each ob type follows the definition in
+                                              ; WRFDA/var/da/da_control/da_control.f90
+                                              ; when thin_conv=false or thin_conv_ascii=false, WRFDA sets thin_conv_opt(:)=0
+                                              ; 0: no thinning
+                                              ; 1: thinning is on, keep one ob within a thinning box
+                                              ; 2: keep multiple obs within a thinning box, only applies to use_satwnd_bufr (polaramv)
+                                              ; 3: superob in horizontal, only applies to use_satwnd_bufr (polaramv)
+                                              ; 4: superob in horizontal and vertical (need to set also thin_mesh_vert_conv),
+                                              ;    only applies to use_satwnd_bufr (polaramv)
+  thin_mesh_conv (num_ob_indexes)   = 20.0    ; km, size of horizontal thinning mesh boxes for conventional (non-radiance) 
                                               ; observations. Each observation type can set its thinning mesh and 
                                               ; the index/order follows the definition in 
                                               ; WRFDA/var/da/da_control/da_control.f90
+  thin_mesh_vert_conv(num_ob_indexes) = 100.0 ; hPa, size of vertical thinning mesh boxes for conventional (non-radiance)
+                                              ; observations. Each observation type can set its thinning mesh and
+                                              ; the index/order of each ob type follows the definition in
+                                              ; WRFDA/var/da/da_control/da_control.f90
+                                              ; only used when thin_conv_opt=4 and only implemented for use_satwnd_bufr (polaramv)
      ; use_xxxobs - .true.: assimilate xxx obs if available
      ;              .false.: do not assimilate xxx obs even if available
   use_synopobs            = .true.   
@@ -103,6 +119,10 @@ Description of WRFDA namelist variables, defined in Registry/registry.var
   use_airepobs            = .true.
   use_geoamvobs           = .true.
   use_polaramvobs         = .true.
+  use_satwnd_bufr         = .true. ; when ob_format=1 and satwnd.bufr exists in the working directory
+                                   ; satellite AMVs are read in from satwnd.bufr and processed as polaramv
+                                   ; this is to add additional AMVs that are not included in prepBUFR
+                                   ; AMVs from prepBUFR are processed as geoamv in WRFDA
   use_bogusobs            = .true.
   use_buoyobs             = .true.
   use_profilerobs         = .true.
@@ -228,11 +248,11 @@ Description of WRFDA namelist variables, defined in Registry/registry.var
                                                ; control variable 5 is unbalanced surface pressure for cv_options=5 and 6.
                                                ; control variable 5 is surface pressure for cv_options=7.
   var_scaling6 (max_outer_iterations)  = 1.0   ; cloud liquid water
-  var_scaling6 (max_outer_iterations)  = 1.0   ; rain water
-  var_scaling6 (max_outer_iterations)  = 1.0   ; ice water
-  var_scaling6 (max_outer_iterations)  = 1.0   ; snow
-  var_scaling6 (max_outer_iterations)  = 1.0   ; grauple
-  var_scaling6 (max_outer_iterations)  = 1.0   ; vertical velocity
+  var_scaling7 (max_outer_iterations)  = 1.0   ; rain water
+  var_scaling8 (max_outer_iterations)  = 1.0   ; ice water
+  var_scaling9 (max_outer_iterations)  = 1.0   ; snow
+  var_scaling10(max_outer_iterations)  = 1.0   ; graupel
+  var_scaling11(max_outer_iterations)  = 1.0   ; vertical velocity
   ; see the above description about the meaning of control variables 1-5.
   len_scaling1 (max_outer_iterations)  = 1.0   ; tuning factor of scale-length for control variable 1.
   len_scaling2 (max_outer_iterations)  = 1.0   ; tuning factor of scale-length for control variable 2.
@@ -582,6 +602,26 @@ Description of WRFDA namelist variables, defined in Registry/registry.var
   gpsro_drift             = 1         ; horizontal drifting for GPSRO.  0=no drift, 1=drift
   gpseph_opt              = 1         ; 0: local operator variant, 1: non-local
   gpseph_loadbalance      = .true.    ;
+  write_iv_gpsref         = .false.   ; switch to write out RO_Innov_ files
+  ; the following gpsref_qc settings are used in da_qc_gpsref.inc
+  gpsref_qc_dndz_opt      = 1         ; 0: off, 1: on (default)
+  gpsref_qc_dndz2_opt     = 1         ; 0: off, 1: on (default)
+  gpsref_qc_dndz_thresh   = -50.0
+  gpsref_qc_dndz2_thresh  = 100.0
+  gpsref_qc_gsi_opt       = 1         ; 0: off, 1: on (default)
+  gpsref_qc_pcnt_opt      = 1         ; 0: off, 1: on (default)
+  gpsref_qc_pcnt_h1       = 7000.0
+  gpsref_qc_pcnt_h2       = 25000.0
+  gpsref_qc_pcnt_below    = 0.05
+  gpsref_qc_pcnt_middle   = 0.04
+  gpsref_qc_pcnt_above    = 0.10
+  ; uv_error_opt and uv_error_opt are only used by use_satwnd_bufr (polaramv)
+  uv_error_opt (num_ob_indexes) = 3   ; 1: single uv_error_val
+                                      ; 2: from external obs error table (same format as used in GSI)
+                                      ; 3: from ob input
+                                      ; when ob errors are not available from ob input and obs_errtable,
+                                      ; WRFDA uses uv_error_val from namelist (below) for use_satwnd_bufr (polaramv).
+  uv_error_val (num_ob_indexes) = 2.5 ; m/s, uv observation error
 /
 &perturbation   ; settings related to the 4D-Var penalty term option, which controls the
                 ; high-frequency gravity waves using a digital filter.

var/build/depend.txt

@@ -133,7 +133,7 @@ da_mtgirs.o : da_mtgirs.f90 da_calculate_grady_mtgirs.inc da_get_innov_vector_mt
 da_netcdf_interface.o : da_netcdf_interface.f90 da_atotime.inc da_get_bdytimestr_cdf.inc da_get_bdyfrq.inc da_put_att_cdf.inc da_get_att_cdf.inc da_put_var_2d_int_cdf.inc da_get_var_2d_int_cdf.inc da_put_var_2d_real_cdf.inc da_put_var_3d_real_cdf.inc da_get_var_2d_real_cdf.inc da_get_var_3d_real_cdf.inc da_get_gl_att_real_cdf.inc da_get_gl_att_int_cdf.inc da_get_dims_cdf.inc da_get_times_cdf.inc da_get_var_1d_real_cdf.inc 
 da_obs.o : da_obs.f90 da_grid_definitions.o da_set_obs_missing.inc da_obs_sensitivity.inc da_count_filtered_obs.inc da_store_obs_grid_info_rad.inc da_store_obs_grid_info.inc da_random_omb_all.inc da_fill_obs_structures.inc da_fill_obs_structures_rain.inc da_fill_obs_structures_radar.inc da_check_missing.inc da_add_noise_to_ob.inc da_transform_xtoy_adj.inc da_transform_xtoy.inc da_obs_proc_station.inc module_dm.o da_tracing.o da_tools.o da_tools_serial.o da_synop.o da_ssmi.o da_tamdar.o da_mtgirs.o da_sound.o da_ships.o da_satem.o da_rttov.o da_reporting.o da_rain.o da_radar.o da_qscat.o da_pseudo.o da_profiler.o da_polaramv.o da_pilot.o da_physics.o da_metar.o da_gpsref.o da_gpspw.o da_geoamv.o da_crtm.o da_control.o da_buoy.o da_bogus.o da_airsr.o da_airep.o module_domain.o da_define_structures.o da_gpseph.o module_state_description.o da_fill_obs_structures_chem_sfc.inc da_chem_sfc.o
 da_chem_sfc.o: da_chem_sfc.f90 da_jo_and_grady_chem_sfc.inc da_jo_chem_sfc.inc da_residual_chem_sfc.inc da_transform_xtoy_chem_sfc.inc da_transform_xtoy_chem_sfc_adj.inc da_get_innov_vector_chem_sfc.inc da_check_max_iv_chem_sfc.inc da_calculate_grady_chem_sfc.inc da_interpolation.o module_dm.o module_domain.o da_control.o da_reporting.o da_tools_serial.o da_tools.o da_define_structures.o da_obs.o da_define_structures.o da_ao_stats_chem_sfc.inc da_oi_stats_chem_sfc.inc da_print_stats_chem_sfc.inc
-da_obs_io.o : da_obs_io.f90 da_grid_definitions.o da_final_write_modified_filtered_obs.inc da_final_write_filtered_obs.inc da_write_noise_to_ob.inc da_read_omb_tmp.inc da_read_rand_unit.inc da_read_y_unit.inc da_final_write_y.inc da_final_write_obs.inc da_read_obs_bufrgpsro.inc da_read_obs_bufr.inc da_write_y.inc da_write_modified_filtered_obs.inc da_write_filtered_obs.inc da_write_obs_etkf.inc da_search_obs.inc da_read_iv_for_multi_inc.inc da_write_iv_for_multi_inc.inc da_write_obs.inc da_use_obs_errfac.inc da_read_errfac.inc da_read_obs_rain.inc da_scan_obs_rain.inc da_scan_obs_radar.inc da_read_obs_radar.inc da_scan_obs_ascii.inc da_read_obs_ascii.inc da_par_util.o gsi_thinning.o module_radiance.o da_tracing.o da_tools_serial.o da_tools.o da_reporting.o da_physics.o da_par_util1.o da_obs.o da_grid_definitions.o da_define_structures.o da_control.o module_domain.o da_read_lsac_util.inc da_read_obs_lsac.inc da_scan_obs_lsac.inc da_netcdf_interface.o da_gpseph.o da_read_obs_bufrgpsro_eph.inc da_read_obs_chem_sfc.inc da_scan_obs_chem_sfc.inc da_write_obs_chem_sfc.inc da_final_write_obs_chem_sfc.inc da_final_write_obs_gas_sfc.inc
+da_obs_io.o : da_obs_io.f90 da_grid_definitions.o da_final_write_modified_filtered_obs.inc da_final_write_filtered_obs.inc da_write_noise_to_ob.inc da_read_omb_tmp.inc da_read_rand_unit.inc da_read_y_unit.inc da_final_write_y.inc da_final_write_obs.inc da_read_obs_bufrgpsro.inc da_read_obs_bufr.inc da_write_y.inc da_write_modified_filtered_obs.inc da_write_filtered_obs.inc da_write_obs_etkf.inc da_search_obs.inc da_read_iv_for_multi_inc.inc da_write_iv_for_multi_inc.inc da_write_obs.inc da_use_obs_errfac.inc da_read_errfac.inc da_read_obs_rain.inc da_scan_obs_rain.inc da_scan_obs_radar.inc da_read_obs_radar.inc da_scan_obs_ascii.inc da_read_obs_ascii.inc da_par_util.o gsi_thinning.o module_radiance.o da_tracing.o da_tools_serial.o da_tools.o da_reporting.o da_physics.o da_par_util1.o da_obs.o da_grid_definitions.o da_define_structures.o da_control.o module_domain.o da_read_lsac_util.inc da_read_obs_lsac.inc da_scan_obs_lsac.inc da_netcdf_interface.o da_gpseph.o da_read_obs_bufrgpsro_eph.inc da_read_obs_chem_sfc.inc da_scan_obs_chem_sfc.inc da_write_obs_chem_sfc.inc da_final_write_obs_chem_sfc.inc da_final_write_obs_gas_sfc.inc da_read_obs_bufr_satwnd.inc
 da_par_util.o : da_par_util.f90 da_proc_maxmin_combine.inc da_proc_stats_combine.inc da_system.inc da_y_facade_to_global.inc da_generic_boilerplate.inc da_deallocate_global_synop.inc da_deallocate_global_sound.inc da_deallocate_global_sonde_sfc.inc da_generic_methods.inc da_patch_to_global_3d.inc da_patch_to_global_dual_res.inc da_patch_to_global_2d.inc da_cv_to_global.inc da_transpose_y2x_v2.inc da_transpose_x2y_v2.inc da_transpose_z2y.inc da_transpose_y2z.inc da_transpose_x2z.inc da_transpose_z2x.inc da_transpose_y2x.inc da_transpose_x2y.inc da_unpack_count_obs.inc da_pack_count_obs.inc da_copy_tile_dims.inc da_copy_dims.inc da_alloc_and_copy_be_arrays.inc da_vv_to_cv.inc da_cv_to_vv.inc da_generic_typedefs.inc da_wrf_interfaces.o da_tracing.o da_reporting.o da_define_structures.o da_par_util1.o module_dm.o module_domain.o da_control.o 
 da_par_util1.o : da_par_util1.f90 da_proc_sum_real.inc da_proc_sum_ints.inc da_proc_sum_int.inc da_control.o module_state_description.o 
 da_physics.o : da_physics.f90 da_uv_to_sd_lin.inc da_uv_to_sd_adj.inc da_integrat_dz.inc da_wdt.inc da_filter_adj.inc da_filter.inc da_evapo_lin.inc da_condens_lin.inc da_condens_adj.inc da_moist_phys_lin.inc da_moist_phys_adj.inc da_sfc_pre_adj.inc da_sfc_pre_lin.inc da_sfc_pre.inc da_transform_xtowtq_adj.inc da_transform_xtowtq.inc da_transform_xtopsfc_adj.inc da_transform_xtopsfc.inc da_sfc_wtq_adj.inc da_sfc_wtq_lin.inc da_sfc_wtq.inc da_julian_day.inc da_roughness_from_lanu.inc da_get_q_error.inc da_check_rh_simple.inc da_check_rh.inc da_transform_xtogpsref_lin.inc da_transform_xtogpsref_adj.inc da_transform_xtogpsref.inc da_transform_xtotpw_adj.inc da_transform_xtotpw.inc da_transform_xtoztd_adj.inc da_transform_xtoztd_lin.inc da_transform_xtoztd.inc da_tv_profile_tl.inc da_thickness_tl.inc da_find_layer_adj.inc da_thickness.inc da_tv_profile_adj.inc da_find_layer.inc da_thickness_adj.inc da_find_layer_tl.inc da_tv_profile.inc da_tpq_to_slp_adj.inc da_tpq_to_slp_lin.inc da_wrf_tpq_2_slp.inc da_tpq_to_slp.inc da_trh_to_td.inc da_tp_to_qs_lin1.inc da_tp_to_qs_lin.inc da_tp_to_qs_adj1.inc da_tp_to_qs_adj.inc da_tp_to_qs1.inc da_tp_to_qs.inc da_tprh_to_q_lin1.inc da_tprh_to_q_lin.inc da_tprh_to_q_adj1.inc da_tprh_to_q_adj.inc da_tpq_to_rh_lin1.inc da_tpq_to_rh_lin.inc da_tpq_to_rh.inc da_pt_to_rho_lin.inc da_pt_to_rho_adj.inc da_uvprho_to_w_adj.inc da_uvprho_to_w_lin.inc da_prho_to_t_lin.inc da_prho_to_t_adj.inc da_wrf_interfaces.o da_reporting.o da_dynamics.o da_interpolation.o da_tracing.o da_par_util.o da_define_structures.o da_control.o module_comm_dm.o module_dm.o module_domain.o da_grid_definitions.o da_gpseph.o

var/da/da_control/da_control.f90

@@ -690,6 +690,12 @@ module da_control
 
    logical, allocatable :: fgat_rain_flags(:)
 
-   integer, parameter :: no_thin           = 0
+   integer, parameter :: no_thin           = 0  ! no thinning
+   integer, parameter :: thin_single       = 1  ! keep one ob within a thinning box
+   integer, parameter :: thin_multi        = 2  ! keep multiple obs within a thinning box
+   integer, parameter :: thin_superob      = 3  ! superob in 2-D thinning boxes
+   integer, parameter :: thin_superob_hv   = 4  ! superob in horizontal and vertical
+
+   integer, parameter :: error_opt_nml     = 1  ! ob error specified in namelist
 
 end module da_control

var/da/da_obs_io/da_obs_io.f90

@@ -33,7 +33,8 @@ module da_obs_io
       lsac_use_u, lsac_use_v, lsac_use_t, lsac_use_q, lsac_u_error, lsac_v_error, lsac_t_error, lsac_q_error, &
       gpsro_drift, max_gpseph_input, use_gpsephobs, gpseph, gpseph_loadbalance, kds, kde, kts, kte, &
       use_radar_rhv, use_radar_rqv, use_radar_rf, use_radar_rv, multi_inc, &
-      thin_conv_opt, no_thin
+      thin_conv_opt, no_thin, thin_single, thin_multi, thin_superob, thin_superob_hv, &
+      thin_mesh_vert_conv, use_satwnd_bufr, uv_error_opt, uv_error_val, error_opt_nml
 
    use da_wrf_interfaces, only : wrf_dm_bcast_integer, wrf_dm_bcast_real
 
@@ -86,6 +87,10 @@ module da_obs_io
    include 'mpif.h'
 #endif
 
+! array to hold observation error table
+! (300,33,6)  ! 300 ob types, 33 levels (rows), 6 variables (columns)
+real, allocatable :: oetab(:,:,:)
+
 contains
 
 #include "da_read_obs_ascii.inc"
@@ -125,5 +130,6 @@ module da_obs_io
 #include "da_read_lsac_util.inc"
 #include "da_read_obs_lsac.inc"
 #include "da_scan_obs_lsac.inc"
+#include "da_read_obs_bufr_satwnd.inc"
 
 end module da_obs_io

var/da/da_obs_io/da_read_obs_bufr.inc

@@ -73,7 +73,6 @@ subroutine da_read_obs_bufr (iv)
 
    logical                      :: use_errtable
    integer              :: junit, itype, ivar
-   real                 :: oetab(300,33,6)  ! 300 ob types, 33 levels (rows), 6 variables (columns)
    real                 :: err_uv, err_t, err_p, err_q, err_pw, coef
    integer              :: ibufr
    integer              :: num_outside_all, num_outside_time, num_thinned,num_p,numbufr
@@ -199,29 +198,6 @@ bufrfile:  do ibufr=1,numbufr
             cycle bufrfile
          end if
       end if
-   ! open observation error table if provided.
-   call da_get_unit(junit)
-   open (unit=junit, file='obs_errtable', form='formatted', status='old', &
-         iostat=iost)
-   if ( iost /= 0 ) then
-      use_errtable = .false.
-      call da_free_unit(junit)
-   else
-      use_errtable = .true.
-      write(unit=message(1),fmt='(A)') &
-            "obs_errtable file is found. Will use user-provided obs errors."
-      call da_message(message(1:1))
-   end if
-   if ( use_errtable ) then
-      read_loop: do
-         read (junit,'(1x,i3)',iostat=iost) itype
-         if ( iost /=0 ) exit read_loop
-         do k = 1, 33
-            read (junit,'(1x,6e12.5)',iostat=iost) (oetab(itype,k,ivar),ivar=1,6)
-            if ( iost /=0 ) exit read_loop
-         end do
-      end do read_loop
-   end if
 
    hdstr='SID XOB YOB DHR TYP ELV T29'
    obstr='POB QOB TOB ZOB UOB VOB PWO CAT' ! observation
@@ -246,6 +222,8 @@ bufrfile:  do ibufr=1,numbufr
    write(unit=message(1),fmt='(a,i10)') 'BUFR file date is: ', idate
    call da_message(message(1:1))
 
+   ! oetab(300,33,6) processed in da_setup_obs_structures_bufr.inc
+   use_errtable = allocated(oetab)
 
 !  2.0 read data
 !  scan reports first
@@ -1152,10 +1130,6 @@ bufrfile:  do ibufr=1,numbufr
 
 call closbf(iunit)
 close(iunit)
-if ( use_errtable ) then
-  close(junit)
-  call da_free_unit(junit)
-end if
 
 end do bufrfile