Beld3to2 reads in BELD3 data in I/O API netCDF files (typically created by the Models-3 SMOKE Tool). The BELD3 consists of 230 land use types. Because the I/O API has a limit of 120 variables per netCDF file, the BELD3 land use data read in must be input in two land use files. An additional input file that contains the amount of land use data obtained from the Forest Inventory Area (FIA) database is also used; these FIA data are important mainly when converting land use data over Canada. Since Rawbio understands only the 127 BELD2 land use types, Beld3to2 also reads in a cross-reference file, B3XRF, that maps the 230 BELD3 land use types into the 127 BELD2 land use types. The output from this program is a gridded ASCII land use file ready for input into Rawbio. The grid characteristics of the output file, BGUSE, are obtained from the BELD3 land use files. The grid characteristics are output at the top of the BGUSE file on the #GRID line (usually the first line).

This program is necessary only if you (1) have BELD3 land use data and (2) want to create BELD2 land use data based on the BELD3 data. This program must be run after the BELD3 land use data have been created (e.g., by the MIMS Surrogate Tool) and before running the Rawbio program.