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pytorf/README.md

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+# Python Tools for Obspack, Receptors and Footprints (pytorf)
+
+![GitHub commit activity](https://img.shields.io/github/commit-activity/y/noaa-gml/pytorf)
+[![python-check](https://github.com/noaa-gml/pytorf/actions/workflows/python-app.yml/badge.svg)](https://github.com/noaa-gml/pytorf/actions/workflows/python-app.yml)
+![GitHub Repo stars](https://img.shields.io/github/stars/noaa-gml/pytorf)
+
+[NOAA Obspack](https://gml.noaa.gov/ccgg/obspack/) is a collection of green house gases observations
+
+
+pytorf is a Python package designed for reading NetCDF files into Pandas DataFrames. It provides a convenient function, `obs_read_nc`, which allows users to extract and manipulate observational data from NetCDF files efficiently.
+
+
+## Installation
+
+`pytorf` only depends on `pandas` and `netCDF4`, which is basically parallel C, 
+so it can be installed in any machine.
+
+To install the package, you can clone the repository and install the required dependencies using pip:
+
+```bash
+git clone https://github.com/noaa-gml/pytorf.git
+cd pytorf
+pip install -r requirements.txt
+```
+
+Alternatively, you can install the package directly from the source:
+
+```bash
+pip install .
+```
+
+## Usage
+
+To use the `obs_read_nc` function, you can import it from the package and call it with the appropriate parameters. Here is a basic example:
+
+```python
+import pytorf
+
+# Assuming you have an index DataFrame ready
+`obs_summary` takes the input of the obspack directory and return a DataFrame
+categories=["aircraft-pfp",
+            "aircraft-insitu", 
+            "surface-insitu",
+            "tower-insitu", 
+            "aircore",
+            "surface-pfp",
+            "shipboard-insitu",
+            "flask"]
+obs = "Z:/torf/obspack_ch4_1_GLOBALVIEWplus_v5.1_2023-03-08/data/nc/"
+index = obs_summary(obs = obs)
+
+data = obs_read_nc(index, categories="flask", solar_time=False, as_list=False, verbose=True)
+```
+
+## Contributing
+
+Contributions are welcome! If you would like to contribute to the project, please follow these steps:
+
+1. Fork the repository.
+2. Create a new branch for your feature or bug fix.
+3. Make your changes and commit them.
+4. Push your branch to your forked repository.
+5. Create a pull request to the main repository.
+
+## License
+
+This project is licensed under the MIT License. See the LICENSE file for more details.
+
+## Special thanks to all the contributors
+
+[![Contributors](https://contrib.rocks/image?repo=noaa-gml/pytorf)](https://github.com/noaa-gml/pytorf/graphs/contributors)