Update for CF Version:24
surface_downwelling_photon_flux_per_unit_wavelength_in_sea_water
Unit: mol m-2 s-1 m-1
Unit ref: http://vocab.ndg.nerc.ac.uk/term/P061/current/M2MM
The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "Water" means water in all phases, including frozen i.e. ice and snow. Downwelling radiation is radiation from above. It does not mean "net downward". A photon flux is specified in terms of numbers of photons expressed in moles. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics. A coordinate variable for radiation wavelength should be given the standard name radiation_wavelength.
x_heat_flux_in_sea_water_due_to_advection
Unit: W m-2
Unit ref: UFAA
"x" indicates a vector component along the grid x-axis, positive with increasing x. 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. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
surface_downwelling_radiance_per_unit_wavelength_in_sea_water
Unit: W m-2 m-1 sr-1
Unit ref: http://vocab.ndg.nerc.ac.uk/term/P061/current/WM2S
The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "Water" means water in all phases, including frozen i.e. ice and snow. Downwelling radiation is radiation from above. It does not mean "net downward". Radiance is the radiative flux in a particular direction, per unit of solid angle. The direction from which it is coming must be specified, for instance with a coordinate of zenith_angle. If the radiation does not depend on direction, a standard name of isotropic radiance should be chosen instead. A coordinate variable for radiation wavelength should be given the standard name radiation_wavelength.
y_heat_flux_in_sea_water_due_to_advection
Unit: W m-2
Unit ref: UFAA
"y" indicates a vector component along the grid y-axis, positive with increasing y. 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. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
magnitude_of_heat_flux_in_sea_water_due_to_advection
Unit: W m-2
Unit ref: UFAA
"magnitude_of_X" means magnitude of a vector X. 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. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
sensor_azimuth_angle
Unit: degree
Unit ref: UAAA
sensor_azimuth_angle is the horizontal angle between the line of sight from the observation point to the sensor and a reference direction at the observation point, which is often due north. The angle is measured clockwise positive, starting from the reference direction. A comment attribute should be added to a data variable with this standard name to specify the reference direction. A standard name also exists for platform_azimuth_angle, where "platform" refers to the vehicle from which observations are made e.g. aeroplane, ship, or satellite. For some viewing geometries the sensor and the platform cannot be assumed to be close enough to neglect the difference in calculated azimuth angle.
toa_brightness_temperature_bias_at_standard_scene_due_to_intercalibration
Unit: K
Unit ref: UPKA
toa_brightness_temperature_bias_at_standard_scene_due_to_intercalibration is the difference between top-of-atmosphere (TOA) brightness temperature of the reference sensor and TOA brightness temperature of the monitored sensor. This TOA brightness temperature difference is a measure of the calibration difference between the monitored and reference sensors. The standard scene is a target area with typical Earth surface and atmospheric conditions that is accepted as a reference. Brightness temperature of a body is the temperature of a black body which radiates the same power per unit solid angle per unit area at a given wavenumber. TOA brightness temperature of the standard scene is calculated using a radiative transfer simulation for a given viewing geometry. The resultant top-of-atmosphere spectral radiance is then integrated with each sensor's spectral response function and converted to equivalent brightness temperature. 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.
sea_surface_wave_to_direction
Unit: degree
Unit ref: http://vocab.ndg.nerc.ac.uk/term/P061/current/UAAA
"to_direction" is used in the construction X_to_direction and indicates the direction towards which the velocity vector of X is headed. The direction is a bearing in the usual geographical sense, measured positive clockwise from due north.
sensor_band_identifier
Unit:
Unit ref: XXXX
A variable with the standard name of sensor_band_identifier contains strings which give the alphanumeric identifier of a sensor band. These strings have not yet been standardised.
surface_upwelling_radiative_flux_per_unit_wavelength_in_air
Unit: W m-2 m-1
Unit ref: http://vocab.ndg.nerc.ac.uk/term/P061/current/WM2M
The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. Upwelling radiation is radiation from below. It does not mean "net upward". When thought of as being incident on a surface, a radiative flux is sometimes called "irradiance". In addition, it is identical with the quantity measured by a cosine-collector light-meter and sometimes called "vector irradiance". In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics. A coordinate variable for radiation wavelength should be given the standard name radiation_wavelength.
land_ice_lwe_surface_specific_mass_balance_rate
Unit: m s-1
Unit ref: UVAA
"Land ice" means glaciers, ice-caps and ice-sheets resting on bedrock and also includes ice-shelves. "lwe" means liquid water equivalent. Specific mass balance means the net rate at which ice is added per unit area at the land ice surface due to all processes of surface accumulation and ablation. A negative value means loss of ice.
toa_outgoing_radiance_per_unit_wavenumber
Unit: W m-2 sr-1 (m-1)-1
Unit ref: WMSW
"toa" means top of atmosphere. The TOA outgoing radiance is the upwelling radiance, i.e., toward outer space. Radiance is the radiative flux in a particular direction, per unit of solid angle. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
land_ice_surface_specific_mass_balance_rate
Unit: m s-1
Unit ref: UVAA
"Land ice" means glaciers, ice-caps and ice-sheets resting on bedrock and also includes ice-shelves. Specific mass balance means the net rate at which ice is added at the land ice surface due to all processes of surface accumulation and ablation. A negative value means loss of ice.
platform_view_angle
Unit: degree
Unit ref: UAAA
Standard names for platform describe the motion and orientation of the vehicle from which observations are made e.g. aeroplane, ship or satellite. Platform view angle is the angle between the line of sight from the platform and the direction straight vertically down. Zero view angle means looking directly beneath the platform. There is no standardized sign convention for platform_view_angle. A standard name also exists for sensor_view_angle. For some viewing geometries the sensor and the platform cannot be assumed to be close enough to neglect the difference in calculated view angle.
upwelling_radiative_flux_per_unit_wavelength_in_sea_water
Unit: W m-2 m-1
Unit ref: http://vocab.ndg.nerc.ac.uk/term/P061/current/WM2M
Upwelling radiation is radiation from below. It does not mean "net upward". When thought of as being incident on a surface, a radiative flux is sometimes called "irradiance". In addition, it is identical with the quantity measured by a cosine-collector light-meter and sometimes called "vector irradiance". In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics. A coordinate variable for radiation wavelength should be given the standard name radiation_wavelength.
toa_outgoing_radiance_per_unit_wavenumber_mean_within_collocation_scene
Unit: W m-2 sr-1 (m-1)-1
Unit ref: WMSW
toa_outgoing_radiance_per_unit_wavenumber_mean_within_collocation_scene is an average of observations of the quantity with standard name toa_outgoing_radiance_per_unit_wavenumber from a sensor's adjacent field-of-views within a collocation scene. "toa" means top of atmosphere. The TOA outgoing radiance is the upwelling radiance, i.e., toward outer space. Radiance is the radiative flux in a particular direction, per unit of solid angle. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics. The "collocation scene" is a grouping of a sensor's adjacent field-of-views centered on a collocation target. The size of the collocation scene is typically about twice that of the collocation target. The "collocation target" is an area on the Earth's surface at which observations from at least two sensors are collected. Its size is defined by the sensor with the largest field-of-view footprint. Two events are deemed to be collocated based on some set of spatial, temporal, and viewing geometry criteria.
toa_outgoing_radiance_per_unit_wavenumber_stdev_within_collocation_scene
Unit: W m-2 sr-1 (m-1)-1
Unit ref: WMSW
toa_outgoing_radiance_per_unit_wavenumber_stdev_within_collocation_scene is the standard deviation of observations of the quantity with standard name toa_outgoing_radiance_per_unit_wavenumber from a sensor's adjacent field-of-views within a collocation scene. "toa" means top of atmosphere. The TOA outgoing radiance is the upwelling radiance, i.e., toward outer space. Radiance is the radiative flux in a particular direction, per unit of solid angle. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics. The "collocation scene" is a grouping of a sensor's adjacent field-of-views centered on a collocation target. The size of the collocation scene is typically about twice that of the collocation target. The "collocation target" is an area on the Earth's surface at which observations from at least two sensors are collected. Its size is defined by the sensor with the largest field-of-view footprint. Two events are deemed to be collocated based on some set of spatial, temporal, and viewing geometry criteria.
net_primary_productivity_of_carbon
Unit: kg m-2 s-1
Unit ref: http://vocab.ndg.nerc.ac.uk/term/P061/current/KSP2
Net primary productivity is the excess of gross_primary_productivity (rate of synthesis of biomass per unit area from inorganic precursors by autotrophs, or "producers", especially by photosynthesising plants using sunlight for energy) over the rate at which they themselves respire some of this biomass (plant_respiration, assuming all producers to be plants). "Productivity of carbon" refers to the production of biomass expressed as the mass of carbon which it contains. "Productivity" means production per unit area.
ambient_aerosol_particle_diameter
Unit: m
Unit ref: ULAA
"Aerosol" means the suspended liquid or solid particles in air (except cloud droplets). "Ambient aerosol" is aerosol that has taken up ambient water through hygroscopic growth. The extent of hygroscopic growth depends on the relative humidity and the composition of the aerosol.
relative_platform_azimuth_angle
Unit: degree
Unit ref: UAAA
Standard names for platform describe the motion and orientation of the vehicle from which observations are made e.g. aeroplane, ship or satellite. relative_platform_azimuth_angle is the difference between the viewing geometries from two different platforms over the same observation target. It is the difference between the values of two quantities with standard name platform_azimuth_angle. There is no standardized sign convention for relative_platform_azimuth_angle. "Observation target" means a location on the Earth defined by the sensor performing the observations. A standard name also exists for relative_sensor_azimuth_angle. For some viewing geometries the sensor and the platform cannot be assumed to be close enough to neglect the difference in calculated azimuth angle.
sea_surface_wind_wave_to_direction
Unit: degree
Unit ref: http://vocab.ndg.nerc.ac.uk/term/P061/current/UAAA
GRIB: 101
Wind waves are waves on the ocean surface. Wind is defined as a two-dimensional (horizontal) air velocity vector, with no vertical component. (Vertical motion in the atmosphere has the standard name "upward_air_velocity".) "to_direction" is used in the construction X_to_direction and indicates the direction towards which the velocity vector of X is headed. The direction is a bearing in the usual geographical sense, measured positive clockwise from due north.
wind_to_direction
Unit: degree
Unit ref: UAAA
Wind is defined as a two-dimensional (horizontal) air velocity vector, with no vertical component. (Vertical motion in the atmosphere has the standard name upward_air_velocity.) In meteorological reports, the direction of the wind vector is usually (but not always) given as the direction from which it is blowing (wind_from_direction) (westerly, northerly, etc.). In other contexts, such as atmospheric modelling, it is often natural to give the direction in the usual manner of vectors as the heading or the direction to which it is blowing (wind_to_direction) (eastward, southward, etc.) "to_direction" is used in the construction X_to_direction and indicates the direction towards which the velocity vector of X is headed. The direction is a bearing in the usual geographical sense, measured positive clockwise from due north.
surface_downwelling_radiative_flux_per_unit_wavelength_in_air
Unit: W m-2 m-1
Unit ref: http://vocab.ndg.nerc.ac.uk/term/P061/current/WM2M
The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. Downwelling radiation is radiation from above. It does not mean "net downward". When thought of as being incident on a surface, a radiative flux is sometimes called "irradiance". In addition, it is identical with the quantity measured by a cosine-collector light-meter and sometimes called "vector irradiance". In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics. A coordinate variable for radiation wavelength should be given the standard name radiation_wavelength.
net_primary_productivity_of_carbon_accumulated_in_roots
Unit: kg m-2 s-1
Unit ref: http://vocab.ndg.nerc.ac.uk/term/P061/current/KSP2
Net primary productivity is the excess of gross_primary_productivity (rate of synthesis of biomass per unit area from inorganic precursors by autotrophs, or "producers", especially by photosynthesising plants using sunlight for energy) over the rate at which they themselves respire some of this biomass (plant_respiration, assuming all producers to be plants). "Productivity of carbon" refers to the production of biomass expressed as the mass of carbon which it contains. "Productivity" means production per unit area.
toa_brightness_temperature_of_standard_scene
Unit: K
Unit ref: UPKA
"toa" means top of atmosphere. The brightness temperature of a body is the temperature of a black body which radiates the same power per unit solid angle per unit area at a given wavenumber. The standard scene is a target area with typical Earth surface and atmospheric conditions that is accepted as a reference. The toa radiance of the standard scene is calculated using a radiative transfer model for a given viewing geometry. The resultant toa spectral radiance is then integrated with a sensor's spectral response function and converted to equivalent brightness temperature.
downwelling_photon_flux_per_unit_wavelength_in_sea_water
Unit: mol m-2 s-1 m-1
Unit ref: http://vocab.ndg.nerc.ac.uk/term/P061/current/M2MM
Downwelling radiation is radiation from above. It does not mean "net downward". A photon flux is specified in terms of numbers of photons expressed in moles. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics. A coordinate variable for radiation wavelength should be given the standard name radiation_wavelength.
platform_azimuth_angle
Unit: degree
Unit ref: UAAA
Standard names for platform describe the motion and orientation of the vehicle from which observations are made e.g. aeroplane, ship or satellite. Platform azimuth angle is the horizontal angle between the line of sight from the observation point to the platform and a reference direction at the observation point, which is often due north. The angle is measured clockwise positive, starting from the reference direction. A comment attribute should be added to a data variable with the standard name platform_azimuth_angle to specify the reference direction. A standard name also exists for sensor_azimuth_angle. For some viewing geometries the sensor and the platform cannot be assumed to be close enough to neglect the difference in calculated azimuth angle.
land_ice_surface_specific_mass_balance_flux
Unit: kg m-2 s-1
Unit ref: KSP2
"Land ice" means glaciers, ice-caps and ice-sheets resting on bedrock and also includes ice-shelves. Specific mass balance means the net rate at which ice is added per unit area at the land ice surface. A negative value means loss of ice. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
downwelling_photon_spherical_irradiance_per_unit_wavelength_in_sea_water
Unit: mol m-2 s-1 m-1
Unit ref: http://vocab.ndg.nerc.ac.uk/term/P061/current/M2MM
Downwelling radiation is radiation from above. It does not mean "net downward". A coordinate variable for radiation wavelength should be given the standard name radiation_wavelength. Photon spherical irradiance is the photon flux incident on unit area of a hemispherical (or "2-pi") collector. A photon flux is specified in terms of numbers of photons expressed in moles.
downwelling_photon_radiance_per_unit_wavelength_in_sea_water
Unit: mol m-2 s-1 m-1 sr-1
Unit ref: http://vocab.ndg.nerc.ac.uk/term/P061/current/M2SR
Downwelling radiation is radiation from above. It does not mean "net downward". Photon radiance is the photon flux in a particular direction, per unit of solid angle. The direction from which it is coming must be specified, for instance with a coordinate of zenith_angle. If the radiation does not depend on direction, a standard name of isotropic radiance should be chosen instead. A photon flux is specified in terms of numbers of photons expressed in moles. A coordinate variable for radiation wavelength should be given the standard name radiation_wavelength.
thermodynamic_phase_of_cloud_water_particles_at_cloud_top
Unit: 1
Unit ref: UUUU
"cloud_top" refers to the top of the highest cloud. "Water" means water in all phases. A variable with the standard name of thermodynamic_phase_of_cloud_water_particles_at_cloud_top contains integers which can be translated to strings using flag_values and flag_meanings attributes. Alternatively, the data variable may contain strings which indicate the thermodynamic phase. These strings are standardised. Values must be chosen from the following list: liquid; ice; mixed.
angle_of_rotation_from_solar_azimuth_to_platform_azimuth
Unit: degree
Unit ref: UAAA
Standard names for "platform" describe the motion and orientation of the vehicle from which observations are made e.g. aeroplane or ship. An angle of rotation is reckoned positive in the anticlockwise direction. The "angle_of_rotation_from_solar_azimuth_to_platform_azimuth" is the angle of rotation between the solar azimuth angle and the platform azimuth angle. Solar azimuth angle is the horizontal angle between the line of sight to the sun and a reference direction which is often due north. The angle is measured clockwise. Platform azimuth angle is the horizontal angle between the line of sight to the platform and a reference direction which is often due north. The angle is measured clockwise.
sensor_view_angle
Unit: degree
Unit ref: UAAA
Sensor view angle is the angle between the line of sight from the sensor and the direction straight vertically down. Zero view angle means looking directly beneath the sensor. There is no standardized sign convention for sensor_view_angle. A standard name also exists for platform_view_angle, where "platform" refers to the vehicle from which observations are made e.g. aeroplane, ship, or satellite. For some viewing geometries the sensor and the platform cannot be assumed to be close enough to neglect the difference in calculated view angle.
relative_sensor_azimuth_angle
Unit: degree
Unit ref: UAAA
relative_sensor_azimuth_angle is the difference between the viewing geometries from two different sensors over the same observation target. It is the difference between the values of two quantities with standard name sensor_azimuth_angle. There is no standardized sign convention for relative_sensor_azimuth_angle. "Observation target" means a location on the Earth defined by the sensor performing the observations. A standard name also exists for relative_platform_azimuth_angle, where "platform" refers to the vehicle from which observations are made e.g. aeroplane, ship, or satellite. For some viewing geometries the sensor and the platform cannot be assumed to be close enough to neglect the difference in calculated azimuth angle.
ocean_s_coordinate_g1
Unit: 1
Unit ref: UUUU
See Appendix D of the CF convention for information about dimensionless vertical coordinates.
surface_upwelling_radiance_per_unit_wavelength_in_air
Unit: W m-2 m-1 sr-1
Unit ref: http://vocab.ndg.nerc.ac.uk/term/P061/current/WM2S
The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. Upwelling radiation is radiation from below. It does not mean "net upward". Radiance is the radiative flux in a particular direction, per unit of solid angle. The direction towards which it is going must be specified, for instance with a coordinate of zenith_angle. If the radiation does not depend on direction, a standard name of isotropic radiance should be chosen instead. A coordinate variable for radiation wavelength should be given the standard name radiation_wavelength.
time_sample_difference_due_to_collocation
Unit: s
Unit ref: UTBB
time_sample_difference_due_to_collocation is the difference in time between two events that are collocated. Two events are deemed to be collocated based on some set of spatial, temporal, and viewing geometry criteria.
sea_surface_swell_wave_to_direction
Unit: degree
Unit ref: http://vocab.ndg.nerc.ac.uk/term/P061/current/UAAA
GRIB: 104
Swell waves are waves on the ocean surface. "to_direction" is used in the construction X_to_direction and indicates the direction towards which the velocity vector of X is headed. The direction is a bearing in the usual geographical sense, measured positive clockwise from due north.
sensor_zenith_angle
Unit: degree
Unit ref: UAAA
sensor_zenith_angle is the angle between the line of sight to the sensor and the local zenith at the observation target. This angle is measured starting from directly overhead and its range is from zero (directly overhead the observation target) to 180 degrees (directly below the observation target). Local zenith is a line perpendicular to the Earth's surface at a given location. "Observation target" means a location on the Earth defined by the sensor performing the observations. A standard name also exists for platform_zenith_angle, where "platform" refers to the vehicle from which observations are made e.g. aeroplane, ship, or satellite. For some viewing geometries the sensor and the platform cannot be assumed to be close enough to neglect the difference in calculated zenith angle.
surface_downwelling_spherical_irradiance_per_unit_wavelength_in_sea_water
Unit: W m-2 m-1
Unit ref: http://vocab.ndg.nerc.ac.uk/term/P061/current/WM2M
The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "Water" means water in all phases, including frozen i.e. ice and snow. Downwelling radiation is radiation from above. It does not mean "net downward". Spherical irradiance is the radiation incident on unit area of a hemispherical (or "2-pi") collector. It is sometimes called "scalar irradiance". The direction (up/downwelling) is specified. Radiation incident on a 4-pi collector has standard names of "omnidirectional spherical irradiance". A coordinate variable for radiation wavelength should be given the standard name radiation_wavelength.
upward_heat_flux_in_sea_water_due_to_convection
Unit: W m-2
Unit ref: UFAA
"Upward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed upward (negative downward). 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. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
surface_downwelling_photon_radiance_per_unit_wavelength_in_sea_water
Unit: mol m-2 s-1 m-1 sr-1
Unit ref: http://vocab.ndg.nerc.ac.uk/term/P061/current/M2SR
The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "Water" means water in all phases, including frozen i.e. ice and snow. Downwelling radiation is radiation from above. It does not mean "net downward". Photon radiance is the photon flux in a particular direction, per unit of solid angle. The direction from which it is coming must be specified, for instance with a coordinate of zenith_angle. If the radiation does not depend on direction, a standard name of isotropic radiance should be chosen instead. A photon flux is specified in terms of numbers of photons expressed in moles. A coordinate variable for radiation wavelength should be given the standard name radiation_wavelength.
downwelling_radiative_flux_per_unit_wavelength_in_air
Unit: W m-2 m-1
Unit ref: http://vocab.ndg.nerc.ac.uk/term/P061/current/WM2M
Downwelling radiation is radiation from above. It does not mean "net downward". When thought of as being incident on a surface, a radiative flux is sometimes called "irradiance". In addition, it is identical with the quantity measured by a cosine-collector light-meter and sometimes called "vector irradiance". In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics. A coordinate variable for radiation wavelength should be given the standard name radiation_wavelength.
sensor_band_central_radiation_wavelength
Unit: m
Unit ref: ULAA
sensor_band_central_radiation_wavelength is the central wavelength of a sensor's band, calculated as the first moment of the band's normalized spectral response function.
omnidirectional_spherical_irradiance_per_unit_wavelength_in_sea_water
Unit: W m-3
Unit ref: UWCM
Omnidirectional spherical irradiance is the radiation incident on unit area of a spherical (or "4-pi") collector. It is sometimes called "scalar irradiance". Radiation incident on a 2-pi collector has standard names of "spherical irradiance" which specify up/downwelling. A coordinate variable for radiation wavelength should be given the standard name radiation_wavelength.
effective_radius_of_cloud_condensed_water_particles_at_cloud_top
Unit: m
Unit ref: ULAA
The effective radius of a size distribution of particles, such as aerosols, cloud droplets or ice crystals,is the area weighted mean radius of particle size. It is calculated as the ratio of the third to the second moment of the particle size distribution. "cloud_top" refers to the top of the highest cloud. "condensed_water" means liquid and ice.
isotropic_radiance_per_unit_wavelength_in_air
Unit: W m-2 m-1 sr-1
Unit ref: WM2S
Radiance is the radiative flux in a particular direction, per unit of solid angle. If radiation is isotropic, the radiance is independent of direction, so the direction should not be specified. If the radiation is directionally dependent, a standard name of upwelling or downwelling radiance should be chosen instead. A coordinate variable for radiation wavelength should be given the standard name radiation_wavelength.
effective_radius_of_cloud_liquid_water_particle
Unit: m
Unit ref: ULAA
The effective radius of a size distribution of particles, such as aerosols, cloud droplets or ice crystals, is the area weighted mean radius of particle size. It is calculated as the ratio of the third to the second moment of the particle size distribution.
surface_upwelling_radiative_flux_per_unit_wavelength_in_sea_water
Unit: W m-2 m-1
Unit ref: http://vocab.ndg.nerc.ac.uk/term/P061/current/WM2M
The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "Water" means water in all phases, including frozen i.e. ice and snow. Upwelling radiation is radiation from below. It does not mean "net upward". When thought of as being incident on a surface, a radiative flux is sometimes called "irradiance". In addition, it is identical with the quantity measured by a cosine-collector light-meter and sometimes called "vector irradiance". In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics. A coordinate variable for radiation wavelength should be given the standard name radiation_wavelength.
net_primary_productivity_of_carbon_accumulated_in_wood
Unit: kg m-2 s-1
Unit ref: http://vocab.ndg.nerc.ac.uk/term/P061/current/KSP2
Net primary productivity is the excess of gross_primary_productivity (rate of synthesis of biomass per unit area from inorganic precursors by autotrophs, or "producers", especially by photosynthesising plants using sunlight for energy) over the rate at which they themselves respire some of this biomass (plant_respiration, assuming all producers to be plants). "Productivity of carbon" refers to the production of biomass expressed as the mass of carbon which it contains. "Productivity" means production per unit area.
gross_primary_productivity_of_carbon
Unit: kg m-2 s-1
Unit ref: http://vocab.ndg.nerc.ac.uk/term/P061/current/KSP2
Gross primary productivity is the rate of synthesis of biomass per unit area from inorganic precursors by autotrophs, especially by photosynthesising plants using sunlight for energy. The producers also respire some of this biomass and the difference is net_primary_productivity. "Productivity of carbon" refers to the production of biomass expressed as the mass of carbon which it contains. "Productivity" means production per unit area.
downwelling_radiance_per_unit_wavelength_in_air
Unit: W m-2 m-1 sr-1
Unit ref: http://vocab.ndg.nerc.ac.uk/term/P061/current/WM2S
Downwelling radiation is radiation from above. It does not mean "net downward". A coordinate variable for radiation wavelength should be given the standard name radiation_wavelength. Radiance is the radiative flux in a particular direction, per unit of solid angle. The direction from which it is coming must be specified, for instance with a coordinate of zenith_angle. If the radiation does not depend on direction, a standard name of isotropic radiance should be chosen instead.
downwelling_radiative_flux_per_unit_wavelength_in_sea_water
Unit: W m-2 m-1
Unit ref: http://vocab.ndg.nerc.ac.uk/term/P061/current/WM2M
Downwelling radiation is radiation from above. It does not mean "net downward". When thought of as being incident on a surface, a radiative flux is sometimes called "irradiance". In addition, it is identical with the quantity measured by a cosine-collector light-meter and sometimes called "vector irradiance". In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics. A coordinate variable for radiation wavelength should be given the standard name radiation_wavelength.
sensor_band_central_radiation_wavenumber
Unit: m-1
Unit ref: UPRM
sensor_band_central_radiation_wavenumber is the central wavenumber of a sensor's band, calculated as the first moment of the band's normalized spectral response function.
station_description
Unit:
A variable with the standard name of station_description contains strings which help to identify the platform from which an observation was made. For example, this may be a geographical place name such as "South Pole" or the name of a meteorological observing station.
surface_upwelling_radiance_per_unit_wavelength_in_sea_water
Unit: W m-2 m-1 sr-1
Unit ref: http://vocab.ndg.nerc.ac.uk/term/P061/current/WM2S
The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "Water" means water in all phases, including frozen i.e. ice and snow. Upwelling radiation is radiation from below. It does not mean "net upward". Radiance is the radiative flux in a particular direction, per unit of solid angle. The direction towards which it is going must be specified, for instance with a coordinate of zenith_angle. If the radiation does not depend on direction, a standard name of isotropic radiance should be chosen instead. A coordinate variable for radiation wavelength should be given the standard name radiation_wavelength.
surface_downwelling_photon_spherical_irradiance_per_unit_wavelength_in_sea_water
Unit: mol m-2 s-1 m-1
Unit ref: http://vocab.ndg.nerc.ac.uk/term/P061/current/M2MM
The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "Water" means water in all phases, including frozen i.e. ice and snow. Downwelling radiation is radiation from above. It does not mean "net downward". Photon spherical irradiance is the photon flux incident on unit area of a hemispherical (or "2-pi") collector. A photon flux is specified in terms of numbers of photons expressed in moles. A coordinate variable for radiation wavelength should be given the standard name radiation_wavelength.
surface_upwelling_radiance_per_unit_wavelength_in_air_emerging_from_sea_water
Unit: W m-2 m-1 sr-1
Unit ref: http://vocab.ndg.nerc.ac.uk/term/P061/current/WM2S
The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "Water" means water in all phases, including frozen i.e. ice and snow. Upwelling radiation is radiation from below. It does not mean "net upward". Radiance is the radiative flux in a particular direction, per unit of solid angle. The direction towards which it is going must be specified, for instance with a coordinate of zenith_angle. If the radiation does not depend on direction, a standard name of isotropic radiance should be chosen instead. A coordinate variable for radiation wavelength should be given the standard name radiation_wavelength.
surface_upwelling_radiance_per_unit_wavelength_in_air_reflected_by_sea_water
Unit: W m-2 m-1 sr-1
Unit ref: http://vocab.ndg.nerc.ac.uk/term/P061/current/WM2S
The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "Water" means water in all phases, including frozen i.e. ice and snow. Upwelling radiation is radiation from below. It does not mean "net upward". Radiance is the radiative flux in a particular direction, per unit of solid angle. The direction towards which it is going must be specified, for instance with a coordinate of zenith_angle. If the radiation does not depend on direction, a standard name of isotropic radiance should be chosen instead. A coordinate variable for radiation wavelength should be given the standard name radiation_wavelength.
surface_downwelling_radiative_flux_per_unit_wavelength_in_sea_water
Unit: W m-2 m-1
Unit ref: http://vocab.ndg.nerc.ac.uk/term/P061/current/WM2M
The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "Water" means water in all phases, including frozen i.e. ice and snow. Downwelling radiation is radiation from above. It does not mean "net downward". When thought of as being incident on a surface, a radiative flux is sometimes called "irradiance". In addition, it is identical with the quantity measured by a cosine-collector light-meter and sometimes called "vector irradiance". In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics. A coordinate variable for radiation wavelength should be given the standard name radiation_wavelength.
downwelling_radiance_per_unit_wavelength_in_sea_water
Unit: W m-2 m-1 sr-1
Unit ref: http://vocab.ndg.nerc.ac.uk/term/P061/current/WM2S
Downwelling radiation is radiation from above. It does not mean "net downward". A coordinate variable for radiation wavelength should be given the standard name radiation_wavelength. Radiance is the radiative flux in a particular direction, per unit of solid angle. The direction from which it is coming must be specified, for instance with a coordinate of zenith_angle. If the radiation does not depend on direction, a standard name of isotropic radiance should be chosen instead.
upwelling_radiative_flux_per_unit_wavelength_in_air
Unit: W m-2 m-1
Unit ref: http://vocab.ndg.nerc.ac.uk/term/P061/current/WM2M
Upwelling radiation is radiation from below. It does not mean "net upward". When thought of as being incident on a surface, a radiative flux is sometimes called "irradiance". In addition, it is identical with the quantity measured by a cosine-collector light-meter and sometimes called "vector irradiance". In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics. A coordinate variable for radiation wavelength should be given the standard name radiation_wavelength.
toa_outgoing_radiance_per_unit_wavenumber_stdev_within_collocation_target
Unit: W m-2 sr-1 (m-1)-1
Unit ref: WMSW
toa_outgoing_radiance_per_unit_wavenumber_stdev_within_collocation_target is the standard deviation of observations of the quantity with standard name toa_outgoing_radiance_per_unit_wavenumber from a sensor's adjacent field-of-views within a collocation target. "toa" means top of atmosphere. The TOA outgoing radiance is the upwelling radiance, i.e., toward outer space. Radiance is the radiative flux in a particular direction, per unit of solid angle. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics. The "collocation target" is an area on the Earth's surface at which observations from at least two sensors are collected. Its size is defined by the sensor with the largest field-of-view footprint. Two events are deemed to be collocated based on some set of spatial, temporal, and viewing geometry criteria.
upwelling_radiance_per_unit_wavelength_in_air
Unit: W m-2 m-1 sr-1
Unit ref: http://vocab.ndg.nerc.ac.uk/term/P061/current/WM2S
Upwelling radiation is radiation from below. It does not mean "net upward". Radiance is the radiative flux in a particular direction, per unit of solid angle. The direction towards which it is going must be specified, for instance with a coordinate of zenith_angle. If the radiation does not depend on direction, a standard name of isotropic radiance should be chosen instead. A coordinate variable for radiation wavelength should be given the standard name radiation_wavelength.
net_primary_productivity_of_carbon_accumulated_in_leaves
Unit: kg m-2 s-1
Unit ref: http://vocab.ndg.nerc.ac.uk/term/P061/current/KSP2
Net primary productivity is the excess of gross_primary_productivity (rate of synthesis of biomass per unit area from inorganic precursors by autotrophs, or "producers", especially by photosynthesising plants using sunlight for energy) over the rate at which they themselves respire some of this biomass (plant_respiration, assuming all producers to be plants). "Productivity of carbon" refers to the production of biomass expressed as the mass of carbon which it contains. "Productivity" means production per unit area.
toa_outgoing_radiance_per_unit_wavenumber_mean_within_collocation_target
Unit: W m-2 sr-1 (m-1)-1
Unit ref: WMSW
toa_outgoing_radiance_per_unit_wavenumber_mean_within_collocation_target is an average of observations of the quantity with standard name toa_outgoing_radiance_per_unit_wavenumber from a sensor's adjacent field-of-views within a collocation target. "toa" means top of atmosphere. The TOA outgoing radiance is the upwelling radiance, i.e., toward outer space. Radiance is the radiative flux in a particular direction, per unit of solid angle. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics. The "collocation target" is an area on the Earth's surface at which observations from at least two sensors are collected. Its size is defined by the sensor with the largest field-of-view footprint. Two events are deemed to be collocated based on some set of spatial, temporal, and viewing geometry criteria.
downwelling_spherical_irradiance_per_unit_wavelength_in_sea_water
Unit: W m-2 m-1
Unit ref: http://vocab.ndg.nerc.ac.uk/term/P061/current/WM2M
Downwelling radiation is radiation from above. It does not mean "net downward". Spherical irradiance is the radiation incident on unit area of a hemispherical (or "2-pi") collector. It is sometimes called "scalar irradiance". The direction (up/downwelling) is specified. Radiation incident on a 4-pi collector has standard names of "omnidirectional spherical irradiance". A coordinate variable for radiation wavelength should be given the standard name radiation_wavelength.
sensor_band_central_radiation_frequency
Unit: s-1
Unit ref: PRSC
sensor_band_central_radiation_frequency is the central frequency of a sensor's band, calculated as the first moment of the band's normalized spectral response function.
ocean_s_coordinate_g2
Unit: 1
Unit ref: UUUU
See Appendix D of the CF convention for information about dimensionless vertical coordinates.
toa_outgoing_radiance_per_unit_wavelength
Unit: W m-2 sr-1 m-1
Unit ref: WM2S
"toa" means top of atmosphere. The TOA outgoing radiance is the upwelling radiance, i.e., toward outer space. Radiance is the radiative flux in a particular direction, per unit of solid angle. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
station_wmo_id
Unit:
A variable with the standard name of station_wmo_id contains strings which help to identify the platform from which an observation was made. For example, this may be a WMO station identification number.