The script below puts arbitrary data into a CIF monitor file.

import pandas as pd
import numpy as np
from pycif.utils.datastores.dump import dump_datastore, read_datastore
from pycif.utils.datastores.empty import init_empty

# Initializes an empty datastore
ds = init_empty()

# Generate arbitrary data
ds["date"] = pd.date_range("2019-01-01", "2019-02-01", freq="6H")
ds.loc[:, "station"] = "JFJ"
ds.loc[:, "network"] = "test"
ds.loc[:, "parameter"] = "CH4"
ds.loc[:, "lon"] = 7.99
ds.loc[:, "lat"] = 46.55
ds.loc[:, "alt"] = 3590
ds.loc[:, "obs"] = np.random.normal(1900, 20, size=len(ds))
ds.loc[:, "obserror"] = np.abs(np.random.normal(0, 20, size=len(ds)))
ds.loc[:, "duration"] = 1

# Dump the datastore
dump_datastore(ds, "monitor.nc")

# Checking the consistency of the datastore when reading
ds2 = read_datastore("monitor.nc")