Climate and Forecast Standard Names

Concept··Draft

Acoustic area backscattering strength is 10 times the log10 of the ratio of the area backscattering coefficient to the reference value, 1 (m2 m-2). Area backscattering coefficient is the integral of the volume backscattering coefficient over a defined distance. Volume backscattering coefficient is the linear form of acoustic_volume_backscattering_strength_in_sea_water. For further details see MacLennan et. al (2002) doi:10.1006/jmsc.2001.1158.@en

Concept··Draft

Acoustic centre of mass is the average of all sampled depths weighted by their volume backscattering coefficient. Volume backscattering coefficient is the linear form of acoustic_volume_backscattering_strength_in_sea_water. For further details see Urmy et. al (2012) doi:10.1093/icesjms/fsr205.@en

Concept··Draft

Acoustic equivalent area is the squared area backscattering coefficient divided by the depth integral of squared volume backscattering coefficient. Area backscattering coefficient is the integral of the volume backscattering coefficient over a defined distance. Volume backscattering coefficient is the linear form of acoustic_volume_backscattering_strength_in_sea_water. The parameter is computed to provide a value that represents the area that would be occupied if all data cells contained the mean density and is the reciprocal of acoustic_index_of_aggregation_in_sea_water. For further details see Urmy et. al (2012) doi:10.1093/icesjms/fsr205 and Woillez et. al (2007) doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsm025.@en

Concept··Draft

Acoustic index of aggregation is the depth integral of squared volume backscattering coefficient divided by the squared area backscattering coefficient. Volume backscattering coefficient is the linear form of acoustic_volume_backscattering_strength_in_sea_water. Area backscattering coefficient is the integral of the volume backscattering coefficient over a defined distance. The parameter is computed to provide a value that represents the patchiness of biomass in the water column in the field of fisheries acoustics - the value is high when small areas are much denser than the rest of the distribution. The parameter is also the reciprocal of acoustic_equivalent_area_in_sea_water. For further details see Urmy et. al (2012) doi:10.1093/icesjms/fsr205 and Woillez et. al (2007) doi.org/10.1093/icesjms/fsm025.@en

Concept··Draft

Acoustic inertia is the sum of squared distances from the acoustic_centre_of_mass weighted by the volume backscattering coefficient at each distance and normalized by the total area backscattering coefficient. Volume backscattering coefficient is the linear form of acoustic_volume_backscattering_strength_in_sea_water. Area backscattering coefficient is the integral of the volume backscattering coefficient over a defined distance. For further details see Urmy et. al (2012) doi:10.1093/icesjms/fsr205 and Bez and Rivoirard (2001) doi:10.1016/S0165-7836(00)00241-1.@en

Concept··Draft

Acoustic proportion occupied is occupied volume divided by the volume sampled. Occupied volume is the integral of the ratio of acoustic_volume_backscattering_strength_in_sea_water above -90 dB to the reference value, 1 m2 m-2. For further details see Urmy et. al (2012) doi:10.1093/icesjms/fsr205.@en

Concept··Draft

The quantity with standard name acoustic_signal_roundtrip_travel_time_in_sea_water is the time taken for an acoustic signal to propagate from the emitting instrument to a reflecting surface and back again to the instrument. In the case of an instrument based on the sea floor and measuring the roundtrip time to the sea surface, the data are commonly used as a measure of ocean heat content.@en

Concept··Draft

Target strength is 10 times the log10 of the ratio of backscattering cross-section to the reference value, 1 m2. Backscattering cross-section is a parameter computed from the intensity of the backscattered sound wave relative to the intensity of the incident sound wave. For further details see MacLennan et. al (2002) doi:10.1006/jmsc.2001.1158.@en

Concept··Draft

Acoustic volume backscattering strength is 10 times the log10 of the ratio of the volume backscattering coefficient to the reference value, 1 m-1. Volume backscattering coefficient is the integral of the backscattering cross-section divided by the volume sampled. Backscattering cross-section is a parameter computed from the intensity of the backscattered sound wave relative to the intensity of the incident sound wave. The parameter is computed to provide a measurement that is proportional to biomass density per unit volume in the field of fisheries acoustics. For further details see MacLennan et. al (2002) doi:10.1006/jmsc.2001.1158.@en

Concept··Draft

The diameter of a spherical particle with density 1000 kg m-3 having the same aerodynamic properties as the particles in question.@en

Concept··Draft

The \"aerodynamic_resistance\" is the resistance to mixing through the boundary layer toward the surface by means of the dominant process, turbulent transport. Reference: Wesely, M. L., 1989, doi:10.1016/0004-6981(89)90153-4.@en

Concept··Draft

'Aerosol' means the suspended liquid or solid particles in air (except cloud droplets).@en

Concept··Draft

A variable with the standard_name of aerosol_type_in_atmosphere_layer_in_air contains either strings which indicate the type of the aerosol determined following a certain aerosol typing schema, or flags which can be translated to strings using flag_values and flag_meanings attributes. \"Layer\" means any layer with upper and lower boundaries that have constant values in some vertical coordinate. There must be a vertical coordinate variable indicating the extent of the layer(s).@en

Concept··Draft

\"Age of sea ice\" means the length of time elapsed since the ice formed. \"Sea ice\" means all ice floating in the sea which has formed from freezing sea water, rather than by other processes such as calving of land ice to form icebergs.@en

Concept··Draft

\"Age of stratospheric air\" means an estimate of the time since a parcel of stratospheric air was last in contact with the troposphere.@en

Concept··Draft

\"Age of surface snow\" means the length of time elapsed since the snow accumulated on the earth's surface. Surface snow refers to the snow on the solid ground or on surface ice cover, but excludes, for example, falling snowflakes and snow on plants.@en

Concept··Draft

This flag is an algorithmic combination of the results of all relevant quality tests run for the related ancillary parent data variable. The linkage between the data variable and this variable is achieved using the ancillary_variables attribute. The aggregate quality flag provides a summary of all quality tests performed on the data variable (both automated and manual) whether present in the dataset as independent ancillary variables to the parent data variable or not.@en

Concept··Draft

No definition

Concept··Draft

The \"equivalent potential temperature\" is a thermodynamic quantity, with its natural logarithm proportional to the entropy of moist air, that is conserved in a reversible moist adiabatic process. Reference: AMS Glossary http://glossary.ametsoc.org/wiki/Equivalent_potential_temperature. It is the temperature of a parcel of air if all the moisture contained in it were first condensed, releasing latent heat, before moving the parcel dry adiabatically to a standard pressure, typically representative of mean sea level pressure. To specify the standard pressure to which the quantity applies, provide a scalar coordinate variable with standard name reference_pressure. It is strongly recommended that a variable with this standard name should have a units_metadata attribute, with one of the values \"on-scale\" or \"difference\", whichever is appropriate for the data, because it is essential to know whether the temperature is on-scale (meaning relative to the origin of the scale indicated by the units) or refers to temperature differences (implying that the origin of the temperature scale is irrevelant), in order to convert the units correctly (cf. https://cfconventions.org/cf-conventions/cf-conventions.html#temperature-units).@en

Concept··Draft

The equivalent temperature is the temperature that an air parcel would have if all water vapor were condensed at contstant pressure and the enthalpy released from the vapor used to heat the air. Reference: AMS Glossary http://glossary.ametsoc.org/wiki/Equivalent_temperature. It is the isobaric equivalent temperature and not the adiabatic equivalent temperature, also known as pseudoequivalent temperature, which has the standard name air_pseudo_equivalent_temperature. It is strongly recommended that a variable with this standard name should have a units_metadata attribute, with one of the values \"on-scale\" or \"difference\", whichever is appropriate for the data, because it is essential to know whether the temperature is on-scale (meaning relative to the origin of the scale indicated by the units) or refers to temperature differences (implying that the origin of the temperature scale is irrevelant), in order to convert the units correctly (cf. https://cfconventions.org/cf-conventions/cf-conventions.html#temperature-units).@en

Concept··Draft

Air potential temperature is the temperature a parcel of air would have if moved dry adiabatically to a standard pressure, typically representative of mean sea level pressure. To specify the standard pressure to which the quantity applies, provide a scalar coordinate variable with standard name reference_pressure. It is strongly recommended that a variable with this standard name should have a units_metadata attribute, with one of the values \"on-scale\" or \"difference\", whichever is appropriate for the data, because it is essential to know whether the temperature is on-scale (meaning relative to the origin of the scale indicated by the units) or refers to temperature differences (implying that the origin of the temperature scale is irrevelant), in order to convert the units correctly (cf. https://cfconventions.org/cf-conventions/cf-conventions.html#temperature-units).@en

Concept··Draft

Air pressure is the force per unit area which would be exerted when the moving gas molecules of which the air is composed strike a theoretical surface of any orientation.@en

Concept··Draft

The term \"anomaly\" means difference from climatology. Air pressure is the force per unit area which would be exerted when the moving gas molecules of which the air is composed strike a theoretical surface of any orientation.@en

Concept··Draft

The phrase \"cloud_base\" refers to the base of the lowest cloud. Air pressure is the force per unit area which would be exerted when the moving gas molecules of which the air is composed strike a theoretical surface of any orientation.@en

Concept··Draft

The phrase \"cloud_top\" refers to the top of the highest cloud. Air pressure is the force per unit area which would be exerted when the moving gas molecules of which the air is composed strike a theoretical surface of any orientation.@en

Concept··Draft

The phrase \"cloud_base\" refers to the base of the lowest cloud. Convective cloud is that produced by the convection schemes in an atmosphere model. Air pressure is the force per unit area which would be exerted when the moving gas molecules of which the air is composed strike a theoretical surface of any orientation.@en

Concept··Draft

The phrase \"cloud_top\" refers to the top of the highest cloud. Convective cloud is that produced by the convection schemes in an atmosphere model. Air pressure is the force per unit area which would be exerted when the moving gas molecules of which the air is composed strike a theoretical surface of any orientation.@en

Concept··Draft

Air pressure is the force per unit area which would be exerted when the moving gas molecules of which the air is composed strike a theoretical surface of any orientation.@en

Concept··Draft

Air pressure at sea level is the quantity often abbreviated as MSLP or PMSL. Air pressure is the force per unit area which would be exerted when the moving gas molecules of which the air is composed strike a theoretical surface of any orientation. \"Mean sea level\" means the time mean of sea surface elevation at a given location over an arbitrary period sufficient to eliminate the tidal signals.@en

Concept··Draft

sea_level means mean sea level, which is close to the geoid in sea areas. Air pressure at sea level is the quantity often abbreviated as MSLP or PMSL.@en

Concept··Draft

\"Top of atmosphere model\" means the upper boundary of the top layer of an atmosphere model. Air pressure is the force per unit area which would be exerted when the moving gas molecules of which the air is composed strike a theoretical surface of any orientation.@en

Concept··Draft

The pseudoequivalent potential temperature is the temperature a parcel of air would have if it is expanded by a pseudoadiabatic (irreversible moist-adiabatic) process to zero pressure and afterwards compressed by a dry-adiabatic process to a standard pressure, typically representative of mean sea level pressure. Reference: AMS Glossary http://glossary.ametsoc.org/wiki/Pseudoequivalent_potential_temperature. A pseudoadiabatic process means that the liquid water that condenses is assumed to be removed as soon as it is formed. Reference: AMS Glossary http:/glossary.ametsoc.org/wiki/Pseudoadiabatic_process. To specify the standard pressure to which the quantity applies, provide a scalar coordinate variable with the standard name reference_pressure. It is strongly recommended that a variable with this standard name should have a units_metadata attribute, with one of the values \"on-scale\" or \"difference\", whichever is appropriate for the data, because it is essential to know whether the temperature is on-scale (meaning relative to the origin of the scale indicated by the units) or refers to temperature differences (implying that the origin of the temperature scale is irrevelant), in order to convert the units correctly (cf. https://cfconventions.org/cf-conventions/cf-conventions.html#temperature-units).@en

Concept··Draft

The pseudoequivalent temperature is also known as the adiabatic equivalent temperature. It is the temperature that an air parcel would have after undergoing the following process: dry-adiabatic expansion until saturated; pseudoadiabatic expansion until all moisture is precipitated out; dry-adiabatic compression to the initial pressure. Reference: AMS Glossary http://glossary.ametsoc.org/wiki/Equivalent_temperature. This quantity is distinct from the isobaric equivalent temperature, also known as equivalent temperature, which has the standard name air_equivalent_temperature. It is strongly recommended that a variable with this standard name should have a units_metadata attribute, with one of the values \"on-scale\" or \"difference\", whichever is appropriate for the data, because it is essential to know whether the temperature is on-scale (meaning relative to the origin of the scale indicated by the units) or refers to temperature differences (implying that the origin of the temperature scale is irrevelant), in order to convert the units correctly (cf. https://cfconventions.org/cf-conventions/cf-conventions.html#temperature-units).@en

Concept··Draft

Air temperature is the bulk temperature of the air, not the surface (skin) temperature. It is strongly recommended that a variable with this standard name should have a units_metadata attribute, with one of the values \"on-scale\" or \"difference\", whichever is appropriate for the data, because it is essential to know whether the temperature is on-scale (meaning relative to the origin of the scale indicated by the units) or refers to temperature differences (implying that the origin of the temperature scale is irrevelant), in order to convert the units correctly (cf. https://cfconventions.org/cf-conventions/cf-conventions.html#temperature-units).@en

Concept··Draft

\"anomaly\" means difference from climatology. Air temperature is the bulk temperature of the air, not the surface (skin) temperature. It is strongly recommended that a variable with this standard name should have the attribute units_metadata=\"temperature: difference\", meaning that it refers to temperature differences and implying that the origin of the temperature scale is irrelevant, because it is essential to know whether a temperature is on-scale or a difference in order to convert the units correctly (cf. https://cfconventions.org/cf-conventions/cf-conventions.html#temperature-units).@en

Concept··Draft

cloud_top refers to the top of the highest cloud. Air temperature is the bulk temperature of the air, not the surface (skin) temperature. It is strongly recommended that a variable with this standard name should have a units_metadata attribute, with one of the values \"on-scale\" or \"difference\", whichever is appropriate for the data, because it is essential to know whether the temperature is on-scale (meaning relative to the origin of the scale indicated by the units) or refers to temperature differences (implying that the origin of the temperature scale is irrevelant), in order to convert the units correctly (cf. https://cfconventions.org/cf-conventions/cf-conventions.html#temperature-units).@en

Concept··Draft

The \"effective cloud top defined by infrared radiation\" is (approximately) the geometric height above the surface that is one optical depth at infrared wavelengths (in the region of 11 micrometers) below the cloud top that would be detected by visible and lidar techniques. Reference: Minnis, P. et al 2011 CERES Edition-2 Cloud Property Retrievals Using TRMM VIRS and Terra and Aqua MODIS Data x2014; Part I: Algorithms IEEE Transactions on Geoscience and Remote Sensing, 49(11), 4374-4400. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/TGRS.2011.2144601. It is strongly recommended that a variable with this standard name should have a units_metadata attribute, with one of the values \"on-scale\" or \"difference\", whichever is appropriate for the data, because it is essential to know whether the temperature is on-scale (meaning relative to the origin of the scale indicated by the units) or refers to temperature differences (implying that the origin of the temperature scale is irrevelant), in order to convert the units correctly (cf. https://cfconventions.org/cf-conventions/cf-conventions.html#temperature-units).@en

Concept··Draft

Air temperature is the bulk temperature of the air, not the surface (skin) temperature. A lapse rate is the negative derivative of a quantity with respect to increasing height above the surface, or the (positive) derivative with respect to increasing depth. It is strongly recommended that a variable with this standard name should have the attribute units_metadata=\"temperature: difference\", meaning that it refers to temperature differences and implying that the origin of the temperature scale is irrelevant, because it is essential to know whether a temperature is on-scale or a difference in order to convert the units correctly (cf. https://cfconventions.org/cf-conventions/cf-conventions.html#temperature-units).@en

Concept··Draft

Air temperature is the bulk temperature of the air, not the surface (skin) temperature. Air temperature excess and deficit are calculated relative to the air temperature threshold. It is strongly recommended that a variable with this standard name should have the attribute units_metadata=\"temperature: on-scale\", meaning that the temperature is relative to the origin of the scale indicated by the units, because it is essential to know whether a temperature is on-scale or a difference in order to convert the units correctly (cf. https://cfconventions.org/cf-conventions/cf-conventions.html#temperature-units).@en

Concept··Draft

An altimeter operates by sending out a short pulse of radiation and measuring the time required for the pulse to return from the sea surface; this measurement is used to calculate the distance between the instrument and the sea surface. That measurement is called the \"altimeter range\" and does not include any range corrections.@en

Concept··Draft

The specification of a physical process by the phrase due_to_process means that the quantity named is a single term in a sum of terms which together compose the general quantity named by omitting the phrase. To apply the altimeter range correction it must be added to the quantity with standard name altimeter_range. \"Correction_due_to_dry_troposphere\" means a correction for dry gases in the troposphere, i.e. excluding the effect of liquid water. Additional altimeter range corrections are given by the quantities with standard names altimeter_range_correction_due_to_wet_troposphere, altimeter_range_correction_due_to_ionosphere, sea_surface_height_correction_due_to_air_pressure_at_low_frequency and sea_surface_height_correction_due_to_air_pressure_and_wind_at_high_frequency.@en

Concept··Draft

The specification of a physical process by the phrase due_to_process means that the quantity named is a single term in a sum of terms which together compose the general quantity named by omitting the phrase. To apply the altimeter range correction it must be added to the quantity with standard name altimeter_range. \"Correction_due_to_ionosphere\" means a correction for the atmosphere's electron content in the ionosphere. Additional altimeter range corrections are given by the quantities with standard names altimeter_range_correction_due_to_wet_troposphere, altimeter_range_correction_due_to_dry_troposphere, sea_surface_height_correction_due_to_air_pressure_at_low_frequency and sea_surface_height_correction_due_to_air_pressure_and_wind_at_high_frequency.@en

Concept··Draft

The specification of a physical process by the phrase due_to_process means that the quantity named is a single term in a sum of terms which together compose the general quantity named by omitting the phrase. To apply the altimeter range correction it must be added to the quantity with standard name altimeter_range. \"Correction_due_to_wet_troposphere\" means a correction for the effect of liquid water in the troposphere. Additional altimeter range corrections are given by the quantities with standard names altimeter_range_correction_due_to_dry_troposphere, altimeter_range_correction_due_to_ionosphere, sea_surface_height_correction_due_to_air_pressure_at_low_frequency and sea_surface_height_correction_due_to_air_pressure_and_wind_at_high_frequency.@en

Concept··Draft

Altitude is the (geometric) height above the geoid, which is the reference geopotential surface. The geoid is similar to mean sea level.@en

Concept··Draft

The altitude at top of atmosphere boundary layer is the elevation above sea level of the top of the (atmosphere) planetary boundary layer. \"defined_by\" provides the information of the tracer used for identifying the atmospheric boundary layer top. \"Ambient_aerosol\" means that the aerosol is measured or modelled at the ambient state of pressure, temperature and relative humidity that exists in its immediate environment. \"Ambient aerosol particles\" are aerosol particles that have taken up ambient water through hygroscopic growth. The extent of hygroscopic growth depends on the relative humidity and the composition of the particles. \"By ranging instrument\" means that the backscattering is obtained through ranging techniques like lidar and radar.@en

Concept··Draft

The altitude at top of atmosphere mixed layer is the elevation above sea level of the top of the (atmosphere) mixed layer or convective boundary layer. \"defined_by\" provides the information of the tracer used for identifying the atmospheric boundary layer top. \"Ambient_aerosol\" means that the aerosol is measured or modelled at the ambient state of pressure, temperature and relative humidity that exists in its immediate environment. \"Ambient aerosol particles\" are aerosol particles that have taken up ambient water through hygroscopic growth. The extent of hygroscopic growth depends on the relative humidity and the composition of the particles. \"By ranging instrument\" means that the volume backscattering coefficient is obtained through ranging techniques like lidar and radar.@en

Concept··Draft

Altitude is the (geometric) height above the geoid, which is the reference geopotential surface. The geoid is similar to mean sea level. \"Top of atmosphere model\" means the upper boundary of the top layer of an atmosphere model.@en

Concept··Draft

Altitude is the (geometric) height above the geoid, which is the reference geopotential surface. The geoid is similar to mean sea level.@en

Concept··Draft

\"Aerosol\" means the system of suspended liquid or solid particles in air (except cloud droplets) and their carrier gas, the air itself. \"Ambient_aerosol\" means that the aerosol is measured or modelled at the ambient state of pressure, temperature and relative humidity that exists in its immediate environment. \"Ambient aerosol particles\" are aerosol particles that have taken up ambient water through hygroscopic growth. The extent of hygroscopic growth depends on the relative humidity and the composition of the particles. To specify the relative humidity and temperature at which the quantity described by the standard name applies, provide scalar coordinate variables with standard names of \"relative_humidity\" and \"air_temperature\".@en

Concept··Draft

Global average sea level change is due to change in volume of the water in the ocean, caused by mass and/or density change, or to change in the volume of the ocean basins, caused by tectonics etc. It is sometimes called \"eustatic\", which is a term that also has other definitions. It differs from the change in the global average sea surface height relative to the centre of the Earth by the global average vertical movement of the ocean floor. Zero sea level change is an arbitrary level. Amplitude is the magnitude of a wave modelled by a sinusoidal function. A coordinate variable of harmonic_period should be used to specify the period of the sinusoidal wave. Because global average sea level change quantifies the change in volume of the world ocean, it is not calculated necessarily by considering local changes in mean sea level.@en