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ERROR: MPAS IO Error: Inconsistent redefinition of dimension

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wrfpup

Member
Hi -
I'm seeing the error in the subject line while running atmosphere_model. When I look at the log file, it shows this:

Begin timestep 2021-11-08_11:36:00
--- time to run the LW radiation scheme L_RADLW =T
--- time to run the SW radiation scheme L_RADSW =T
--- time to run the convection scheme L_CONV =T
--- time to update the ozone climatology for RRTMG radiation codes
--- time to apply limit to accumulated rainc and rainnc L_ACRAIN =F
--- time to apply limit to accumulated radiation diags. L_ACRADT =F
--- time to calculate additional physics_diagnostics =T
split dynamics-transport integration 3

global min, max w -0.123003309951002 0.178160174673491
global min, max u -65.3231679837377 64.0310533809393
Timing for integration step: 6.61615325000002 s
ERROR: MPAS IO Error: Inconsistent redefinition of dimension
ERROR: MPAS IO Error: Inconsistent redefinition of dimension
ERROR: MPAS IO Error: Inconsistent redefinition of dimension
ERROR: MPAS IO Error: Inconsistent redefinition of dimension
ERROR: MPAS IO Error: Inconsistent redefinition of dimension
...

I searched this forum and didn't see any matches regarding this error. Also did a broad google search and failed there too.

It would seem this is related to the ParallelIO. It doesn't appear to be a critical error as the hist* and diag* files are output ok. But it would be nice to address this Error message if possible. Thanks for any pointers.

---Steve
 
Is it the case that you're attempting to overwrite records in an existing file? For example, is it possible that there's a history.YYYY-MM-DD_hh.mm.ss.nc file in your working directory that was originally created from a simulation on a different grid, and you have something like clobber_mode="overwrite" in the definition of your "output" stream?
 
Based on some testing, I think the "Inconsistent redefinition" error messages could also result from creating output files with, say, a model executable compiled with double-precision reals, then recompiling the model with single-precision reals and attempting to overwrite records in the double-precision files created by the first executable.
 
Thanks for that rapid response! I'd like to test both scenarios you laid out. How can I compile atmosphere_model to output double precision reals (vs. single precision reals) since that sounds optimal? I assume that means I should recompile both init_atmosphere_model and atmosphere_model so their outputs are in sync? Not positive which way I have those 2 executables right now. Thanks.
 
There are messages printed to the beginning of log files to indicate whether the init_atmosphere and atmosphere cores were compiled with default double-precision or single-precision real variables; e.g.,
Code:
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Beginning MPAS-atmosphere Output Log File for task       0 of       6
    Opened at 2022/01/27 22:39:17
----------------------------------------------------------------------

 
 Using default single-precision reals

How to select the default precision of real variables is documented in Section 3.4 of the User's Guide. Generally, MPAS will write output in whatever precision it was compiled for. However, using the "precision" option as described in Section 5.2 of the User's Guide, it is possible to write output in a different precision from the default internal precision used in MPAS.
 
Indeed, I checked the Users' Guide andI see that for single precision one has to explicitly set that at compile time, otherwise it is double precision. I will run some tests now and see.
 
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