tendency of surface air pressure
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: Pa s-1
has grib: E158
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time.
has standard name: tendency_of_surface_air_pressure

lwe thickness of snowfall amount
type: CFParameter
has standard name: lwe_thickness_of_snowfall_amount
has grib: E144
comment: "lwe" means liquid water equivalent. "Amount" means mass per unit area. The construction lwe_thickness_of_X_amount or _content means the vertical extent of a layer of liquid water having the same mass per unit area.
has canonical units: m

tropopause instantaneous longwave forcing
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
comment: "longwave" means longwave radiation. Instantaneous forcing is the radiative flux change caused instantaneously by an imposed change in radiative forcing agent (greenhouse gases, aerosol, solar radiation, etc.).
has standard name: tropopause_instantaneous_longwave_forcing

northward sea ice velocity
type: CFParameter
has standard name: northward_sea_ice_velocity
comment: A velocity is a vector quantity. "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). Sea ice velocity is defined as a two-dimensional vector, with no vertical component.
has grib: 96
has canonical units: m s-1

mass fraction of dimethyl sulfide in air
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: 1
has standard name: mass_fraction_of_dimethyl_sulfide_in_air
comment: Mass fraction is used in the construction mass_fraction_of_X_in_Y, where X is a material constituent of Y. It means the ratio of the mass of Y to the mass of X (including Y).

snow temperature
type: CFParameter
has grib: E238
has canonical units: K
comment: Snow temperature is the bulk temperature of the snow, not the surface (skin) temperature.
has standard name: snow_temperature

downwelling spectral radiance in air
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2 m-1 sr-1
comment: Downwelling radiation is radiation from above. It does not mean "net downward". "spectral" means per unit wavelength or as a function of wavelength; spectral quantities are sometimes called "monochromatic". Radiation wavelength has 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.
has standard name: downwelling_spectral_radiance_in_air

eastward mass flux of air
type: CFParameter
has standard name: eastward_mass_flux_of_air
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
comment: "Eastward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed eastward (negative westward). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.

subsurface runoff amount
type: CFParameter
has standard name: subsurface_runoff_amount
has canonical units: kg m-2
comment: "Amount" means mass per unit area. Runoff is the liquid water which drains from land. If not specified, "runoff" refers to the sum of surface runoff and subsurface drainage.

net upward longwave flux in air assuming clear sky
type: CFParameter
comment: A phrase assuming_condition indicates that the named quantity is the value which would obtain if all aspects of the system were unaltered except for the assumption of the circumstances specified by the condition. "longwave" means longwave radiation. "Upward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed upward (negative downward). Net upward radiation is the difference between radiation from below (upwelling) and radiation from above (downwelling). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has standard name: net_upward_longwave_flux_in_air_assuming_clear_sky
has canonical units: W m-2
has amip: rlntpcs

direction of sea ice velocity
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: degree
has standard name: direction_of_sea_ice_velocity
has grib: 93
comment: "direction_of_X" means direction of a vector, a bearing. A velocity is a vector quantity. Sea ice velocity is defined as a two-dimensional vector, with no vertical component.

surface water amount
type: CFParameter
has standard name: surface_water_amount
has canonical units: kg m-2
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "Amount" means mass per unit area. "Water" means water in all phases, including frozen i.e. ice and snow. Surface amount refers to the amount on the ground, excluding that on the plant or vegetation canopy.

upward dry static energy flux due to diffusion
type: CFParameter
has standard name: upward_dry_static_energy_flux_due_to_diffusion
comment: 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. "Upward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed upward (negative downward). Dry static energy is the sum of enthalpy and potential energy (itself the sum of gravitational and centripetal potential energy). Enthalpy can be written either as (1) CpT, where Cp is heat capacity at constant pressure, T is absolute temperature, or (2) U+pV, where U is internal energy, p is pressure and V is volume. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has canonical units: W m-2

sea floor depth below sea level
type: CFParameter
comment: sea_level means mean sea level, which is close to the geoid in sea areas.
has standard name: sea_floor_depth_below_sea_level
has canonical units: m

convective rainfall amount
type: CFParameter
comment: "Amount" means mass per unit area.
has canonical units: kg m-2
has standard name: convective_rainfall_amount

tendency of ocean barotropic streamfunction
type: CFParameter
comment: "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time.
has canonical units: m3 s-2
has standard name: tendency_of_ocean_barotropic_streamfunction

volume scattering coefficient of radiative flux in sea water
type: CFParameter
has standard name: volume_scattering_coefficient_of_radiative_flux_in_sea_water
has canonical units: m-1
comment: Radiative flux is the sum of shortwave and longwave radiative fluxes. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics. The volume scattering/absorption/attenuation coefficient is the fractional change of radiative flux per unit path length due to the stated process. Coefficients with canonical units of m2 s-1 i.e. multiplied by density have standard names with specific_ instead of volume_. The scattering/absorption/attenuation coefficient is assumed to be an integral over all wavelengths, unless a coordinate of radiation_wavelength is included to specify the wavelength. Scattering of radiation is its deflection from its incident path without loss of energy. The (range of) direction(s) of scattering can be specified by a coordinate of scattering_angle.

toa instantaneous radiative forcing
type: CFParameter
has standard name: toa_instantaneous_radiative_forcing
has canonical units: W m-2
comment: "toa" means top of atmosphere. Instantaneous forcing is the radiative flux change caused instantaneously by an imposed change in radiative forcing agent (greenhouse gases, aerosol, solar radiation, etc.).

atmosphere ln pressure coordinate
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: 1
comment: "ln_X" means natural logarithm of X. X must be dimensionless. See Appendix D of the CF convention for information about dimensionless vertical coordinates.
has standard name: atmosphere_ln_pressure_coordinate

tendency of dry energy content of atmosphere layer
type: CFParameter
comment: "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. "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). If the layers are model layers, the vertical coordinate can be model_level_number, but it is recommended to specify a physical coordinate (in a scalar or auxiliary coordinate variable) as well. Dry energy is the sum of dry static energy and kinetic energy. Dry static energy is the sum of enthalpy and potential energy (itself the sum of gravitational and centripetal potential energy). Enthalpy can be written either as (1) CpT, where Cp is heat capacity at constant pressure, T is absolute temperature, or (2) U+pV, where U is internal energy, p is pressure and V is volume.
has standard name: tendency_of_dry_energy_content_of_atmosphere_layer
has canonical units: W m-2

upwelling spectral radiance in air
type: CFParameter
has standard name: upwelling_spectral_radiance_in_air
comment: Upwelling radiation is radiation from below. It does not mean "net upward". "spectral" means per unit wavelength or as a function of wavelength; spectral quantities are sometimes called "monochromatic". Radiation wavelength has standard name radiation_wavelength. 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.
has canonical units: W m-2 m-1 sr-1

tendency of eastward wind due to gravity wave drag
type: CFParameter
has amip: tnmmugwd
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "Eastward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed eastward (negative westward). 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.)
has canonical units: m s-2
has standard name: tendency_of_eastward_wind_due_to_gravity_wave_drag

surface downward northward stress
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: Pa
has standard name: surface_downward_northward_stress
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). "Downward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed downward (negative upward). "Downward northward" indicates the ZY component of a tensor. A downward northward stress is a downward flux of northward momentum, which accelerates the lower medium northward and the upper medium southward. The surface downward stress is the windstress on the surface.
has amip: tauv
has grib: E181

sound intensity in air
type: CFParameter
comment: Sound intensity is the sound energy per unit time per unit area.
has canonical units: W m-2
has standard name: sound_intensity_in_air

downwelling spectral photon radiance in sea water
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: mol m-2 s-1 m-1 sr-1
has standard name: downwelling_spectral_photon_radiance_in_sea_water
comment: 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.

lwe thickness of convective precipitation amount
type: CFParameter
has grib: E143
comment: "lwe" means liquid water equivalent. "Amount" means mass per unit area. The construction lwe_thickness_of_X_amount or _content means the vertical extent of a layer of liquid water having the same mass per unit area.
has canonical units: m
has standard name: lwe_thickness_of_convective_precipitation_amount

downwelling radiative flux in sea water
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
has standard name: downwelling_radiative_flux_in_sea_water
comment: Downwelling radiation is radiation from above. It does not mean "net downward". Radiative flux is the sum of shortwave and longwave radiative fluxes. 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.

tendency of mass fraction of cloud ice in air
type: CFParameter
comment: "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. Mass fraction is used in the construction mass_fraction_of_X_in_Y, where X is a material constituent of Y. It means the ratio of the mass of Y to the mass of X (including Y).
has canonical units: s-1
has standard name: tendency_of_mass_fraction_of_cloud_ice_in_air

mass fraction of convective cloud ice in air
type: CFParameter
comment: Mass fraction is used in the construction mass_fraction_of_X_in_Y, where X is a material constituent of Y. It means the ratio of the mass of Y to the mass of X (including Y). Convective cloud is that produced by the convection schemes in an atmosphere model.
has canonical units: 1
has standard name: mass_fraction_of_convective_cloud_ice_in_air

eastward water vapor flux
type: CFParameter
has standard name: eastward_water_vapor_flux
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
comment: "Eastward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed eastward (negative westward). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.

y wind
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m s-1
has standard name: y_wind
comment: "y" indicates a vector component along the grid y-axis, when this is not true latitude, positive with increasing y. 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.)

mass fraction of sulfur dioxide in air
type: CFParameter
comment: Mass fraction is used in the construction mass_fraction_of_X_in_Y, where X is a material constituent of Y. It means the ratio of the mass of Y to the mass of X (including Y).
has canonical units: 1
has standard name: mass_fraction_of_sulfur_dioxide_in_air

surface downwelling shortwave flux in air
type: CFParameter
has amip: rsds
has canonical units: W m-2
has grib: 117 E169
has standard name: surface_downwelling_shortwave_flux_in_air
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "shortwave" means shortwave radiation. Downwelling radiation is radiation from above. It does not mean "net downward". Surface downwelling shortwave is the sum of direct and diffuse solar radiation incident on the surface, and is sometimes called "global radiation". 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.

product of omega and specific humidity
type: CFParameter
comment: "product_of_X_and_Y" means X*Y. "specific" means per unit mass. Specific humidity is the mass fraction of water vapor in (moist) air. "omegaX" is used for brevity to mean "lagrangian_tendency_of_air_pressure in standard names constructed as a combination of omega with some other quantity.
has standard name: product_of_omega_and_specific_humidity
has amip: mpwhusa
has canonical units: Pa s-1

model level number
type: CFParameter
comment: Model level number should be understood as equivalent to layer number.
has amip: lev
has canonical units: 1
has standard name: model_level_number

product of air temperature and omega
type: CFParameter
has standard name: product_of_air_temperature_and_omega
has canonical units: K Pa s-1
comment: "product_of_X_and_Y" means X*Y. Air temperature is the bulk temperature of the air, not the surface (skin) temperature. "omegaX" is used for brevity to mean "lagrangian_tendency_of_air_pressure in standard names constructed as a combination of omega with some other quantity.

air pressure
type: CFParameter
has amip: plev
has canonical units: Pa
has grib: 1
has standard name: air_pressure

atmosphere kinetic energy content
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: J m-2
comment: "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. The "atmosphere content" of a quantity refers to the vertical integral from the surface to the top of the atmosphere. For the content between specified levels in the atmosphere, standard names including content_of_atmosphere_layer are used.
has standard name: atmosphere_kinetic_energy_content

omnidirectional photosynthetic spherical irradiance in sea water
type: CFParameter
has standard name: omnidirectional_photosynthetic_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water
has canonical units: W m-2
comment: "Photosynthetic" radiation is the part of the spectrum which is used in photosynthesis e.g. 300-700 nm. The range of wavelengths could be specified precisely by the bounds of a coordinate of radiation_wavelength. 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.

downwelling longwave flux in air
type: CFParameter
comment: "longwave" means longwave radiation. 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.
has standard name: downwelling_longwave_flux_in_air
has canonical units: W m-2

downward eastward momentum flux in air
type: CFParameter
has grib: 124
has standard name: downward_eastward_momentum_flux_in_air
comment: "Eastward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed eastward (negative westward). "Downward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed downward (negative upward). "Downward eastward" indicates the ZX component of a tensor. Momentum flux is dimensionally equivalent to stress and pressure. It is a tensor quantity. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has canonical units: Pa

soil porosity
type: CFParameter
has standard name: soil_porosity
comment: The soil porosity is the proportion of its total volume not occupied by soil solids.
has canonical units: 1

lwe thickness of surface snow amount
type: CFParameter
has standard name: lwe_thickness_of_surface_snow_amount
has grib: E141
has canonical units: m
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "lwe" means liquid water equivalent. "Amount" means mass per unit area. The construction lwe_thickness_of_X_amount or _content means the vertical extent of a layer of liquid water having the same mass per unit area. Surface amount refers to the amount on the ground, excluding that on the plant or vegetation canopy.

atmosphere enthalpy content
type: CFParameter
comment: "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. The "atmosphere content" of a quantity refers to the vertical integral from the surface to the top of the atmosphere. For the content between specified levels in the atmosphere, standard names including content_of_atmosphere_layer are used. Enthalpy can be written either as (1) CpT, where Cp is heat capacity at constant pressure, T is absolute temperature, or (2) U+pV, where U is internal energy, p is pressure and V is volume.
has standard name: atmosphere_enthalpy_content
has canonical units: J m-2

snow soot content
type: CFParameter
has standard name: snow_soot_content
has canonical units: kg m-2
comment: "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area.

downwelling longwave radiance in air
type: CFParameter
has standard name: downwelling_longwave_radiance_in_air
comment: "longwave" means longwave radiation. 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.
has canonical units: W m-2 sr-1

sea surface wave variance spectral density
type: CFParameter
comment: Sea surface wave variance spectral density is the variance of wave amplitude within a range of wave frequency.
has standard name: sea_surface_wave_variance_spectral_density
has canonical units: m2 s-1

product of upward air velocity and specific humidity
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m s-1
has standard name: product_of_upward_air_velocity_and_specific_humidity
comment: "product_of_X_and_Y" means X*Y. "specific" means per unit mass. A velocity is a vector quantity. "Upward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed upward (negative downward). Specific humidity is the mass fraction of water vapor in (moist) air. Upward air velocity is the vertical component of the 3D air velocity vector.

sea surface salinity
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: 1e-3
has standard name: sea_surface_salinity
comment: The unit of salinity is PSU, which is dimensionless. The units attribute should be given as 1e-3 or 0.001 i.e. parts per thousand if salinity is in PSU. Sea surface salinity is often abbreviated as "SSS". For the salinity of sea water at a particular depth or layer, a data variable of sea_water_salinity with a vertical coordinate axis should be used.

heterotrophic respiration carbon flux
type: CFParameter
comment: "Respiration carbon" refers to the rate at which biomass is respired expressed as the mass of carbon which it contains. Heterotrophic respiration is respiration by heterotrophs ("consumers"), which are organisms (including animals and decomposers) that consume other organisms or dead organic material, rather than synthesising organic material from inorganic precursors using energy from the environment (especially sunlight) as autotrophs ("producers") do. Heterotrophic respiration goes on both above and within the soil. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
has standard name: heterotrophic_respiration_carbon_flux

aerosol angstrom exponent
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: 1
has standard name: aerosol_angstrom_exponent
comment: "Aerosol" means the suspended liquid or solid particles in air (except cloud droplets).

convective snowfall flux
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
has standard name: convective_snowfall_flux
comment: In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.

product of geopotential height and omega
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: Pa m s-1
comment: "product_of_X_and_Y" means X*Y. Geopotential is the sum of the specific gravitational potential energy relative to the geoid and the specific centripetal potential energy. Geopotential height is the geopotential divided by the standard acceleration due to gravity. It is numerically similar to the altitude (or geometric height) and not to the quantity with standard name height, which is relative to the surface. "omegaX" is used for brevity to mean "lagrangian_tendency_of_air_pressure in standard names constructed as a combination of omega with some other quantity.
has standard name: product_of_geopotential_height_and_omega

tendency of upward air velocity
type: CFParameter
has standard name: tendency_of_upward_air_velocity
has canonical units: m s-2
comment: "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. A velocity is a vector quantity. "Upward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed upward (negative downward). Upward air velocity is the vertical component of the 3D air velocity vector.

sea surface wind wave period
type: CFParameter
has standard name: sea_surface_wind_wave_period
has canonical units: s
comment: A period is an interval of time, or the time-period of an oscillation. 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.)
has grib: 103

product of eastward wind and omega
type: CFParameter
comment: "product_of_X_and_Y" means X*Y. "Eastward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed eastward (negative westward). 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.) "omegaX" is used for brevity to mean "lagrangian_tendency_of_air_pressure in standard names constructed as a combination of omega with some other quantity.
has canonical units: Pa m s-2
has standard name: product_of_eastward_wind_and_omega

sea ice draft
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m
comment: Sea ice draft is the depth of the sea-ice lower surface below the water surface.
has standard name: sea_ice_draft

cloud area fraction in atmosphere layer
type: CFParameter
comment: "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). If the layers are model layers, the vertical coordinate can be model_level_number, but it is recommended to specify a physical coordinate (in a scalar or auxiliary coordinate variable) as well. "X_area_fraction" means the fraction of horizontal area occupied by X. "X_area" means the horizontal area occupied by X within the grid cell. Cloud area fraction is also called "cloud amount" and "cloud cover".
has canonical units: 1
has standard name: cloud_area_fraction_in_atmosphere_layer
has amip: cl

dew point temperature
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: K
comment: Dew point temperature is the temperature at which a parcel of air reaches saturation upon being cooled at constant pressure and specific humidity.
has standard name: dew_point_temperature
has grib: 17

sea water y velocity
type: CFParameter
has standard name: sea_water_y_velocity
has canonical units: m s-1
comment: A velocity is a vector quantity. "y" indicates a vector component along the grid y-axis, when this is not true latitude, positive with increasing y.

sea surface wind wave to direction
type: CFParameter
has grib: 101
has canonical units: degree
has standard name: sea_surface_wind_wave_to_direction
comment: 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.

solar zenith angle
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: degree
has standard name: solar_zenith_angle
comment: Solar zenith angle is the the angle between the line of sight to the sun and the local vertical.

realization
type: CFParameter
comment: Realization is used to label a dimension that can be thought of asa statistical sample, e.g., labelling members of a model ensemble.
has canonical units: 1
has standard name: realization

downwelling photosynthetic spherical irradiance in sea water
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
comment: Downwelling radiation is radiation from above. It does not mean "net downward". "Photosynthetic" radiation is the part of the spectrum which is used in photosynthesis e.g. 300-700 nm. The range of wavelengths could be specified precisely by the bounds of a coordinate of radiation_wavelength. 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".
has standard name: downwelling_photosynthetic_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water

temperature of sensor for oxygen in sea water
type: CFParameter
has standard name: temperature_of_sensor_for_oxygen_in_sea_water
comment: Temperature_of_sensor_for_oxygen_in_sea_water is the instrument temperature used in calculating the concentration of oxygen in sea water; it is not a measurement of the ambient water temperature.
has canonical units: K

tendency of specific humidity
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: s-1
comment: "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "specific" means per unit mass. Specific humidity is the mass fraction of water vapor in (moist) air.
has standard name: tendency_of_specific_humidity

bedrock altitude change due to isostatic adjustment
type: CFParameter
comment: 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. Altitude is the (geometric) height above the geoid, which is the reference geopotential surface. The geoid is similar to mean sea level. "Bedrock" is the solid Earth surface beneath land ice or ocean water. The zero of bedrock altitude change is arbitrary. Isostatic adjustment is the vertical movement of the lithosphere due to changing surface ice and water loads.
has canonical units: m
has standard name: bedrock_altitude_change_due_to_isostatic_adjustment

potential energy content of atmosphere layer
type: CFParameter
has standard name: potential_energy_content_of_atmosphere_layer
comment: "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. "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). If the layers are model layers, the vertical coordinate can be model_level_number, but it is recommended to specify a physical coordinate (in a scalar or auxiliary coordinate variable) as well. Potential energy is the sum of the gravitational potential energy relative to the geoid and the centripetal potential energy. (The geopotential is the specific potential energy.)
has canonical units: J m-2

surface altitude
type: CFParameter
has standard name: surface_altitude
has amip: orog
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. Altitude is the (geometric) height above the geoid, which is the reference geopotential surface. The geoid is similar to mean sea level.
has canonical units: m

square of brunt vaisala frequency in air
type: CFParameter
comment: "square_of_X" means X*X. Frequency is the number of oscillations of a wave per unit time.
has canonical units: s-2
has standard name: square_of_brunt_vaisala_frequency_in_air
has grib: N138

isotropic longwave radiance in air
type: CFParameter
has standard name: isotropic_longwave_radiance_in_air
comment: "longwave" means longwave radiation. 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.
has canonical units: W m-2 sr-1

product of northward sea water velocity and temperature
type: CFParameter
comment: "product_of_X_and_Y" means X*Y. A velocity is a vector quantity. "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward).
has standard name: product_of_northward_sea_water_velocity_and_temperature
has canonical units: K m s-1

dimensionless exner function
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: 1
has standard name: dimensionless_exner_function
comment: The term "Exner function" is applied to various quantities in the literature. "Dimensionless Exner function" is the standard name of (p/p0)^(R/Cp), where p is pressure, p0 a reference pressure, R the gas constant and Cp the specific heat at constant pressure. This quantity is also the ratio of in-situ to potential temperature. Standard names for other variants can be defined on request.

product of eastward wind and specific humidity
type: CFParameter
comment: "product_of_X_and_Y" means X*Y. "specific" means per unit mass. "Eastward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed eastward (negative westward). Specific humidity is the mass fraction of water vapor in (moist) air. 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.)
has canonical units: m s-1
has standard name: product_of_eastward_wind_and_specific_humidity

model level number at convective cloud top
type: CFParameter
has standard name: model_level_number_at_convective_cloud_top
comment: cloud_top refers to the top of the highest cloud. Model level number should be understood as equivalent to layer number. Convective cloud is that produced by the convection schemes in an atmosphere model.
has canonical units: 1

air pressure at freezing level
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: Pa
has standard name: air_pressure_at_freezing_level

product of northward sea water velocity and salinity
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m s-1
comment: "product_of_X_and_Y" means X*Y. A velocity is a vector quantity. "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). The unit of salinity is PSU, which is dimensionless. The units attribute should be given as 1e-3 or 0.001 i.e. parts per thousand if salinity is in PSU.
has standard name: product_of_northward_sea_water_velocity_and_salinity

sea surface height above reference ellipsoid
type: CFParameter
has standard name: sea_surface_height_above_reference_ellipsoid
comment: "Sea surface height" is a time-varying quantity. A reference ellipsoid is a mathematical figure that approximates the geoid. The geoid is a surface of constant geopotential with which mean sea level would coincide if the ocean were at rest. The ellipsoid is an approximation because the geoid is an irregular shape. A number of reference ellipsoids are defined for use in the field of geodesy. The standard name for the height of the sea surface above the geoid is sea_surface_height_above_geoid. The standard name for the height of the sea surface above mean sea level is sea_surface_height_above_sea_level.
has canonical units: m

specific humidity
type: CFParameter
comment: "specific" means per unit mass. Specific humidity is the mass fraction of water vapor in (moist) air.
has grib: 51 E133
has standard name: specific_humidity
has canonical units: 1
has amip: hus

surface downwelling longwave flux in air
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
has amip: rlds
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "longwave" means longwave radiation. 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.
has standard name: surface_downwelling_longwave_flux_in_air

sea water density
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: kg m-3
has standard name: sea_water_density
comment: Sea water density is the in-situ density (not the potential density). If 1000 kg m-3 is subtracted, the standard name sea_water_sigma_t should be chosen instead.

tendency of water vapor content of atmosphere layer due to shallow convection
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
has standard name: tendency_of_water_vapor_content_of_atmosphere_layer_due_to_shallow_convection
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. "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). If the layers are model layers, the vertical coordinate can be model_level_number, but it is recommended to specify a physical coordinate (in a scalar or auxiliary coordinate variable) as well.

lwe thickness of water evaporation amount
type: CFParameter
has grib: E182
comment: "lwe" means liquid water equivalent. "Amount" means mass per unit area. The construction lwe_thickness_of_X_amount or _content means the vertical extent of a layer of liquid water having the same mass per unit area. "Water" means water in all phases. Evaporation is the conversion of liquid or solid into vapor. (The conversion of solid alone into vapor is called "sublimation".)
has canonical units: m
has standard name: lwe_thickness_of_water_evaporation_amount

air pressure at sea level
type: CFParameter
comment: 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.
has standard name: air_pressure_at_sea_level
has amip: psl
has grib: 2 E151
has canonical units: Pa

water flux into ocean
type: CFParameter
has amip: wfo
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
comment: "Water" means water in all phases. The water flux into the ocean is the freshwater entering the sea water as a result of precipitation, evaporation, river inflow, sea ice effects and water flux correction (if applied). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has standard name: water_flux_into_ocean

water evaporation amount
type: CFParameter
has standard name: water_evaporation_amount
has canonical units: kg m-2
comment: "Amount" means mass per unit area. "Water" means water in all phases. Evaporation is the conversion of liquid or solid into vapor. (The conversion of solid alone into vapor is called "sublimation".)
has grib: 57

tendency of atmosphere mass per unit area
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
comment: "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "X_area" means the horizontal area occupied by X within the grid cell.
has standard name: tendency_of_atmosphere_mass_per_unit_area

surface downwelling photosynthetic photon radiance in sea water
type: CFParameter
has standard name: surface_downwelling_photosynthetic_photon_radiance_in_sea_water
comment: 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. "Photosynthetic" radiation is the part of the spectrum which is used in photosynthesis e.g. 300-700 nm. The range of wavelengths could be specified precisely by the bounds of a coordinate of radiation_wavelength. A photon flux is specified in terms of numbers of photons expressed in moles.
has canonical units: mol m-2 s-1 sr-1

runoff amount excluding baseflow
type: CFParameter
has standard name: runoff_amount_excluding_baseflow
comment: Runoff is the liquid water which drains from land. "Runoff_excluding_baseflow" is the sum of surface runoff and subsurface runoff excluding baseflow. Baseflow is subsurface runoff which takes place below the level of the water table. "Amount" means mass per unit area.
has canonical units: kg m-2

isotropic shortwave radiance in air
type: CFParameter
has standard name: isotropic_shortwave_radiance_in_air
has canonical units: W m-2 sr-1
comment: "shortwave" means shortwave radiation. 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.

toa adjusted radiative forcing
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
has standard name: toa_adjusted_radiative_forcing
comment: "toa" means top of atmosphere. Adjusted forcing is the radiative flux change caused by an imposed change in radiative forcing agent (greenhouse gases, aerosol, solar radiation, etc.) after allowance for stratospheric temperature adjustment.

mass fraction of convective cloud liquid water in air
type: CFParameter
comment: Mass fraction is used in the construction mass_fraction_of_X_in_Y, where X is a material constituent of Y. It means the ratio of the mass of Y to the mass of X (including Y). Convective cloud is that produced by the convection schemes in an atmosphere model.
has standard name: mass_fraction_of_convective_cloud_liquid_water_in_air
has canonical units: 1

tendency of potential energy content of atmosphere layer due to advection
type: CFParameter
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. "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). If the layers are model layers, the vertical coordinate can be model_level_number, but it is recommended to specify a physical coordinate (in a scalar or auxiliary coordinate variable) as well. Potential energy is the sum of the gravitational potential energy relative to the geoid and the centripetal potential energy. (The geopotential is the specific potential energy.)
has canonical units: W m-2
has standard name: tendency_of_potential_energy_content_of_atmosphere_layer_due_to_advection

product of northward wind and geopotential height
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m2 s-1
has amip: mpvzga
comment: "product_of_X_and_Y" means X*Y. Geopotential is the sum of the specific gravitational potential energy relative to the geoid and the specific centripetal potential energy. Geopotential height is the geopotential divided by the standard acceleration due to gravity. It is numerically similar to the altitude (or geometric height) and not to the quantity with standard name height, which is relative to the surface. "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). 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.)
has standard name: product_of_northward_wind_and_geopotential_height

surface roughness length
type: CFParameter
has standard name: surface_roughness_length
has grib: 83 E173
has canonical units: m
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere.

specific dry energy of air
type: CFParameter
has standard name: specific_dry_energy_of_air
comment: "specific" means per unit mass. Dry energy is the sum of dry static energy and kinetic energy. Dry static energy is the sum of enthalpy and potential energy (itself the sum of gravitational and centripetal potential energy). Enthalpy can be written either as (1) CpT, where Cp is heat capacity at constant pressure, T is absolute temperature, or (2) U+pV, where U is internal energy, p is pressure and V is volume.
has canonical units: m2 s-2

upward sea ice basal heat flux
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
comment: "Upward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed upward (negative downward). The sea ice basal heat flux is the vertical heat flux (apart from radiation i.e. "diffusive") in sea water at the base of the sea ice. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has standard name: upward_sea_ice_basal_heat_flux

moles of nitrite per unit mass in sea water
type: CFParameter
has standard name: moles_of_nitrite_per_unit_mass_in_sea_water
comment: moles_of_X_per_unit_mass_inY is also called "molality" of X in Y, where X is a material constituent of Y.
has canonical units: mol kg-1

water evaporation flux from canopy where land
type: CFParameter
comment: Unless indicated, a quantity is assumed to apply to the whole area of each horizontal grid box. The qualifier where_type specifies instead that the quantity applies only to the part of the grid box of the named type. "Water" means water in all phases. "Canopy" means the plant or vegetation canopy. Evaporation is the conversion of liquid or solid into vapor. (The conversion of solid alone into vapor is called "sublimation".) In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has amip: evspsblveg
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
has standard name: water_evaporation_flux_from_canopy_where_land

product of upward air velocity and air temperature
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: K m s-1
has standard name: product_of_upward_air_velocity_and_air_temperature
comment: "product_of_X_and_Y" means X*Y. Air temperature is the bulk temperature of the air, not the surface (skin) temperature. A velocity is a vector quantity. "Upward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed upward (negative downward). Upward air velocity is the vertical component of the 3D air velocity vector.

upwelling shortwave flux in air
type: CFParameter
has standard name: upwelling_shortwave_flux_in_air
comment: "shortwave" means shortwave radiation. 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.
has canonical units: W m-2

mass fraction of stratiform cloud liquid water in air
type: CFParameter
comment: Mass fraction is used in the construction mass_fraction_of_X_in_Y, where X is a material constituent of Y. It means the ratio of the mass of Y to the mass of X (including Y). In an atmosphere model, stratiform cloud is that produced by large-scale convergence (not the convection schemes).
has canonical units: 1
has standard name: mass_fraction_of_stratiform_cloud_liquid_water_in_air

volume backwards scattering coefficient of radiative flux in sea water
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m-1
has standard name: volume_backwards_scattering_coefficient_of_radiative_flux_in_sea_water
comment: Radiative flux is the sum of shortwave and longwave radiative fluxes. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics. The volume scattering/absorption/attenuation coefficient is the fractional change of radiative flux per unit path length due to the stated process. Coefficients with canonical units of m2 s-1 i.e. multiplied by density have standard names with specific_ instead of volume_. The scattering/absorption/attenuation coefficient is assumed to be an integral over all wavelengths, unless a coordinate of radiation_wavelength is included to specify the wavelength. Scattering of radiation is its deflection from its incident path without loss of energy. Backwards scattering refers to the sum of scattering into all backward angles i.e. scattering_angle exceeding pi/2 radians. A scattering_angle should not be specified with this quantity.

soil albedo
type: CFParameter
comment: Soil albedo is the albedo of the soil surface assuming no snow.
has canonical units: 1
has standard name: soil_albedo

air temperature lapse rate
type: CFParameter
comment: 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.
has canonical units: K m-1
has standard name: air_temperature_lapse_rate
has grib: 19

water evaporation amount from canopy
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: kg m-2
comment: "Amount" means mass per unit area. "Water" means water in all phases. "Canopy" means the plant or vegetation canopy. Evaporation is the conversion of liquid or solid into vapor. (The conversion of solid alone into vapor is called "sublimation".)
has standard name: water_evaporation_amount_from_canopy

water flux into ocean from rivers
type: CFParameter
comment: "Water" means water in all phases. The water flux or volume transport into the ocean from rivers is the inflow to the ocean, often applied to the surface in ocean models. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has standard name: water_flux_into_ocean_from_rivers
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1

mass fraction of cloud ice in air
type: CFParameter
has amip: cli
has standard name: mass_fraction_of_cloud_ice_in_air
has canonical units: 1
comment: Mass fraction is used in the construction mass_fraction_of_X_in_Y, where X is a material constituent of Y. It means the ratio of the mass of Y to the mass of X (including Y).

water sublimation flux
type: CFParameter
has standard name: water_sublimation_flux
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
comment: "Water" means water in all phases. Sublimation is the conversion of solid into vapor. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.

atmosphere momentum diffusivity
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m2 s-1
has standard name: atmosphere_momentum_diffusivity

sea ice area fraction
type: CFParameter
has amip: sic
has grib: 91
has standard name: sea_ice_area_fraction
comment: "X_area_fraction" means the fraction of horizontal area occupied by X. "X_area" means the horizontal area occupied by X within the grid cell. Sea ice area fraction is area of the sea surface occupied by sea ice. It is also called "sea ice concentration".
has canonical units: 1

depth
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m
comment: Depth is the vertical distance below the surface.
has standard name: depth

equivalent potential temperature
type: CFParameter
has standard name: equivalent_potential_temperature
comment: Potential temperature is the temperature a parcel of air or sea water would have if moved adiabatically to sea level pressure.
has canonical units: K

convective cloud top height
type: CFParameter
has standard name: convective_cloud_top_height
comment: cloud_top refers to the top of the highest cloud. Height is the vertical distance above the surface. Convective cloud is that produced by the convection schemes in an atmosphere model.
has canonical units: m

altitude at top of dry convection
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m
comment: Altitude is the (geometric) height above the geoid, which is the reference geopotential surface. The geoid is similar to mean sea level.
has standard name: altitude_at_top_of_dry_convection

thickness of large scale snowfall amount
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m
comment: "Amount" means mass per unit area. The construction thickness_of_[X_]snowfall_amount means the accumulated "depth" of snow which fell i.e. the thickness of the layer of snow at its own density. There are corresponding standard names for liquid water equivalent (lwe) thickness.
has standard name: thickness_of_large_scale_snowfall_amount

isotropic spectral radiance in air
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2 m-1 sr-1
has standard name: isotropic_spectral_radiance_in_air
comment: "spectral" means per unit wavelength or as a function of wavelength; spectral quantities are sometimes called "monochromatic". Radiation wavelength has standard name radiation_wavelength. 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.

eastward atmosphere dry static energy transport across unit distance
type: CFParameter
comment: "Eastward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed eastward (negative westward). Transport across_unit_distance means expressed per unit distance normal to the direction of transport. Dry static energy is the sum of enthalpy and potential energy (itself the sum of gravitational and centripetal potential energy). Enthalpy can be written either as (1) CpT, where Cp is heat capacity at constant pressure, T is absolute temperature, or (2) U+pV, where U is internal energy, p is pressure and V is volume.
has canonical units: W m-1
has standard name: eastward_atmosphere_dry_static_energy_transport_across_unit_distance

downward northward momentum flux in air
type: CFParameter
has grib: 125
comment: "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). "Downward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed downward (negative upward). "Downward northward" indicates the ZY component of a tensor. Momentum flux is dimensionally equivalent to stress and pressure. It is a tensor quantity. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has standard name: downward_northward_momentum_flux_in_air
has canonical units: Pa

surface drag coefficient for momentum in air
type: CFParameter
has standard name: surface_drag_coefficient_for_momentum_in_air
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere.
has canonical units: 1

transpiration amount
type: CFParameter
has standard name: transpiration_amount
has canonical units: kg m-2
comment: "Amount" means mass per unit area.

land ice lwe calving rate
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m s-1
has standard name: land_ice_lwe_calving_rate
comment: "lwe" means liquid water equivalent. "Land ice" means glaciers, ice-caps and ice-sheets resting on bedrock. The land ice calving rate is the rate at which ice is lost per unit area through calving into the ocean.

product of northward wind and omega
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: Pa m s-2
comment: "product_of_X_and_Y" means X*Y. "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). 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.) "omegaX" is used for brevity to mean "lagrangian_tendency_of_air_pressure in standard names constructed as a combination of omega with some other quantity.
has standard name: product_of_northward_wind_and_omega

horizontal dry energy transport in atmosphere layer
type: CFParameter
has standard name: horizontal_dry_energy_transport_in_atmosphere_layer
comment: "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). If the layers are model layers, the vertical coordinate can be model_level_number, but it is recommended to specify a physical coordinate (in a scalar or auxiliary coordinate variable) as well. Dry energy is the sum of dry static energy and kinetic energy. Dry static energy is the sum of enthalpy and potential energy (itself the sum of gravitational and centripetal potential energy). Enthalpy can be written either as (1) CpT, where Cp is heat capacity at constant pressure, T is absolute temperature, or (2) U+pV, where U is internal energy, p is pressure and V is volume.
has canonical units: W m-2

volume fraction of frozen water in soil
type: CFParameter
has standard name: volume_fraction_of_frozen_water_in_soil
comment: "frozen_water" means ice. "Volume fraction" is used in the construction volume_fraction_of_X_in_Y, where X is a material constituent of Y.
has canonical units: 1

surface downwelling photosynthetic radiative flux in sea water
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
has standard name: surface_downwelling_photosynthetic_radiative_flux_in_sea_water
comment: 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". Radiative flux is the sum of shortwave and longwave radiative fluxes. "Photosynthetic" radiation is the part of the spectrum which is used in photosynthesis e.g. 300-700 nm. The range of wavelengths could be specified precisely by the bounds of a coordinate of radiation_wavelength. 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.

surface upwelling shortwave flux in air assuming clear sky
type: CFParameter
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. A phrase assuming_condition indicates that the named quantity is the value which would obtain if all aspects of the system were unaltered except for the assumption of the circumstances specified by the condition. "shortwave" means shortwave radiation. 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.
has canonical units: W m-2
has amip: rsuscs
has standard name: surface_upwelling_shortwave_flux_in_air_assuming_clear_sky

product of northward wind and upward air velocity
type: CFParameter
comment: "product_of_X_and_Y" means X*Y. A velocity is a vector quantity. "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). "Upward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed upward (negative downward). 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.) Upward air velocity is the vertical component of the 3D air velocity vector.
has standard name: product_of_northward_wind_and_upward_air_velocity
has canonical units: m2 s-2

wind from direction
type: CFParameter
comment: 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.) "from_direction" is used in the construction X_from_direction and indicates the direction from which the velocity vector of X is coming.
has grib: 31
has standard name: wind_from_direction
has canonical units: degree

liquid water content of soil layer
type: CFParameter
comment: "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. "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). If the layers are model layers, the vertical coordinate can be model_level_number, but it is recommended to specify a physical coordinate (in a scalar or auxiliary coordinate variable) as well. Quantities defined for a soil layer must have a vertical coordinate variable with boundaries indicating the extent of the layer(s).
has standard name: liquid_water_content_of_soil_layer
has canonical units: kg m-2

atmosphere water vapor content
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: kg m-2
has grib: 54
has standard name: atmosphere_water_vapor_content
has amip: prw
comment: "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. The "atmosphere content" of a quantity refers to the vertical integral from the surface to the top of the atmosphere. For the content between specified levels in the atmosphere, standard names including content_of_atmosphere_layer are used. Atmosphere water vapor content is sometimes referred to as "precipitable water", although this term does not imply the water could all be precipitated.

lwe thickness of large scale snowfall amount
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m
comment: "lwe" means liquid water equivalent. "Amount" means mass per unit area. The construction lwe_thickness_of_X_amount or _content means the vertical extent of a layer of liquid water having the same mass per unit area.
has standard name: lwe_thickness_of_large_scale_snowfall_amount

tendency of northward wind due to gravity wave drag
type: CFParameter
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). 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.)
has canonical units: m s-2
has amip: tnmmvgwd
has standard name: tendency_of_northward_wind_due_to_gravity_wave_drag

downwelling radiance in sea water
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2 sr-1
comment: 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.
has standard name: downwelling_radiance_in_sea_water

tendency of water vapor content of atmosphere layer
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
has standard name: tendency_of_water_vapor_content_of_atmosphere_layer
comment: "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. "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). If the layers are model layers, the vertical coordinate can be model_level_number, but it is recommended to specify a physical coordinate (in a scalar or auxiliary coordinate variable) as well.

tendency of specific humidity due to diffusion
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: s-1
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "specific" means per unit mass. Specific humidity is the mass fraction of water vapor in (moist) air.
has standard name: tendency_of_specific_humidity_due_to_diffusion

surface temperature anomaly
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: K
has standard name: surface_temperature_anomaly
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "anomaly" means difference from climatology. The surface temperature is the (skin) temperature at the interface, not the bulk temperature of the medium above or below.

surface upwelling radiance in air reflected by sea water
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2 sr-1
comment: 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.
has standard name: surface_upwelling_radiance_in_air_reflected_by_sea_water

lwe thickness of frozen water content of soil layer
type: CFParameter
comment: "frozen_water" means ice. "lwe" means liquid water equivalent. The construction lwe_thickness_of_X_amount or _content means the vertical extent of a layer of liquid water having the same mass per unit area. "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. "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). If the layers are model layers, the vertical coordinate can be model_level_number, but it is recommended to specify a physical coordinate (in a scalar or auxiliary coordinate variable) as well. Quantities defined for a soil layer must have a vertical coordinate variable with boundaries indicating the extent of the layer(s).
has canonical units: m
has standard name: lwe_thickness_of_frozen_water_content_of_soil_layer

air temperature
type: CFParameter
has amip: ta
comment: Air temperature is the bulk temperature of the air, not the surface (skin) temperature.
has canonical units: K
has standard name: air_temperature
has grib: 11 E130

tendency of bedrock altitude
type: CFParameter
comment: "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. Altitude is the (geometric) height above the geoid, which is the reference geopotential surface. The geoid is similar to mean sea level. "Bedrock" is the solid Earth surface beneath land ice or ocean water.
has canonical units: m s-1
has standard name: tendency_of_bedrock_altitude

platform speed wrt ground
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m s-1
has standard name: platform_speed_wrt_ground
comment: "wrt" means with respect to. Speed is the magnitude of velocity. Standard names for platform describe the motion and orientation of the vehicle from which observations are made e.g. aeroplane or ship. The platform speed with respect to ground is relative to the solid Earth beneath it i.e. the sea floor for a ship. It is often called the "ground speed" of the platform.

humidity mixing ratio
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: 1
has standard name: humidity_mixing_ratio
comment: Humidity mixing ratio of a parcel of moist air is the ratio of the mass of water vapor to the mass of dry air.
has grib: 53

northward atmosphere water transport across unit distance
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: kg s-1 m-1
comment: "Water" means water in all phases. "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). Transport across_unit_distance means expressed per unit distance normal to the direction of transport.
has standard name: northward_atmosphere_water_transport_across_unit_distance

specific gravitational potential energy
type: CFParameter
has standard name: specific_gravitational_potential_energy
has canonical units: J kg-1
comment: "specific" means per unit mass. Potential energy is the sum of the gravitational potential energy relative to the geoid and the centripetal potential energy. (The geopotential is the specific potential energy.)

radial velocity of scatterers away from instrument
type: CFParameter
comment: A velocity is a vector quantity. "Radial velocity away from instrument" means the component of the velocity of the scatterers along the line of sight of the instrument where positive implies movement away from the instrument (i.e. outward). The "instrument" (examples are radar and lidar) is the device used to make the observation, and the "scatterers" are what causes the transmitted signal to be returned to the instrument (examples are aerosols, hydrometeors and refractive index irregularities), of whatever kind the instrument detects.
has standard name: radial_velocity_of_scatterers_away_from_instrument
has canonical units: m s-1

atmosphere cloud ice content
type: CFParameter
has grib: 58
has amip: clivi
has canonical units: kg m-2
comment: "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. The "atmosphere content" of a quantity refers to the vertical integral from the surface to the top of the atmosphere. For the content between specified levels in the atmosphere, standard names including content_of_atmosphere_layer are used.
has standard name: atmosphere_cloud_ice_content

lwe water evaporation rate
type: CFParameter
comment: "lwe" means liquid water equivalent. "Water" means water in all phases. Evaporation is the conversion of liquid or solid into vapor. (The conversion of solid alone into vapor is called "sublimation".)
has canonical units: m s-1
has standard name: lwe_water_evaporation_rate

barotropic eastward sea water velocity
type: CFParameter
comment: A velocity is a vector quantity. "Eastward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed eastward (negative westward).
has standard name: barotropic_eastward_sea_water_velocity
has canonical units: m s-1

soil carbon content
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: kg m-2
has standard name: soil_carbon_content
comment: "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. The "soil content" of a quantity refers to the vertical integral from the surface down to the bottom of the soil model. For the content between specified levels in the soil, standard names including content_of_soil_layer are used.

land ice sigma coordinate
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: 1
comment: "Land ice" means glaciers, ice-caps and ice-sheets resting on bedrock.
has standard name: land_ice_sigma_coordinate

land cover
type: CFParameter
comment: A variable with the standard name of land_cover contains strings which indicate the nature of the anthropogenic land use or vegetation e.g. urban, grass, needleleaf trees, ice. These strings have not yet been standardised. The alternative standard name of surface_cover is a generalisation of land_cover. Alternatively, the data variable may contain integers which can be translated to strings using flag_values and flag_meanings attributes.
has standard name: land_cover
has canonical units: 1

cloud ice content of atmosphere layer
type: CFParameter
has standard name: cloud_ice_content_of_atmosphere_layer
has canonical units: kg m-2
comment: "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. "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). If the layers are model layers, the vertical coordinate can be model_level_number, but it is recommended to specify a physical coordinate (in a scalar or auxiliary coordinate variable) as well.

heat flux correction
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
comment: Flux correction is also called "flux adjustment". A positive flux correction is downward i.e. added to the ocean. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has standard name: heat_flux_correction
has amip: hfcorr

mass fraction of water in air
type: CFParameter
has standard name: mass_fraction_of_water_in_air
comment: "Water" means water in all phases. Mass fraction is used in the construction mass_fraction_of_X_in_Y, where X is a material constituent of Y. It means the ratio of the mass of Y to the mass of X (including Y).
has canonical units: 1

convective precipitation amount
type: CFParameter
comment: "Amount" means mass per unit area.
has grib: 63
has standard name: convective_precipitation_amount
has canonical units: kg m-2

atmosphere specific convective available potential energy
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: J kg-1
has standard name: atmosphere_specific_convective_available_potential_energy
comment: "specific" means per unit mass. Potential energy is the sum of the gravitational potential energy relative to the geoid and the centripetal potential energy. (The geopotential is the specific potential energy.) Convective(ly) available potential energy is often abbreviated as "CAPE".

lwe thickness of convective snowfall amount
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m
has standard name: lwe_thickness_of_convective_snowfall_amount
comment: "lwe" means liquid water equivalent. "Amount" means mass per unit area. The construction lwe_thickness_of_X_amount or _content means the vertical extent of a layer of liquid water having the same mass per unit area.

wind speed shear
type: CFParameter
has grib: N136
has canonical units: s-1
comment: Speed is the magnitude of velocity. 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.) The wind speed is the magnitude of the wind velocity. Wind speed shear is the derivative of wind speed with respect to height.
has standard name: wind_speed_shear

land ice basal y velocity
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m s-1
has standard name: land_ice_basal_y_velocity
comment: A velocity is a vector quantity. "y" indicates a vector component along the grid y-axis, when this is not true latitude, positive with increasing y. "Land ice" means glaciers, ice-caps and ice-sheets resting on bedrock.

northward ocean freshwater transport due to overturning
type: CFParameter
comment: 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. "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). Northward transport by (meridional) overturning is geometrically defined as being the part due to the vertical integral of the product of zonal means of velocity and tracer. The velocity does not include "bolus" or Gent-McWilliams velocity.
has canonical units: kg s-1
has standard name: northward_ocean_freshwater_transport_due_to_overturning

dew point depression
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: K
has grib: 18
has standard name: dew_point_depression
comment: Dew point depression is also called dew point deficit. It is the amount by which the air temperature exceeds its dew point temperature. Dew point temperature is the temperature at which a parcel of air reaches saturation upon being cooled at constant pressure and specific humidity.

net primary productivity of carbon
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
comment: Net primary productivity is the excess of gross_primary_producivity (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.
has standard name: net_primary_productivity_of_carbon

convective rainfall flux
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
has standard name: convective_rainfall_flux
comment: In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.

northward water vapor flux
type: CFParameter
has standard name: northward_water_vapor_flux
comment: "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1

eastward momentum flux correction
type: CFParameter
comment: "Eastward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed eastward (negative westward). Momentum flux is dimensionally equivalent to stress and pressure. It is a tensor quantity. Flux correction is also called "flux adjustment". A positive flux correction is downward i.e. added to the ocean. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has amip: tauucorr
has standard name: eastward_momentum_flux_correction
has canonical units: Pa

upwelling spectral radiative flux in air
type: CFParameter
comment: Upwelling radiation is radiation from below. It does not mean "net upward". "spectral" means per unit wavelength or as a function of wavelength; spectral quantities are sometimes called "monochromatic". Radiation wavelength has standard name radiation_wavelength. 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.
has standard name: upwelling_spectral_radiative_flux_in_air
has canonical units: W m-2 m-1

soil suction at saturation
type: CFParameter
comment: Soil suction is the tensile stress on water in soil due to molecular forces acting at the water-soil particle boundary. The forces may cause water to be drawn into the spaces within the soil matrix or cause it to be held in the soil without draining. Soil suction occurs in soil above the water table.
has canonical units: Pa
has standard name: soil_suction_at_saturation

height above sea floor
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m
has standard name: height_above_sea_floor

toa adjusted shortwave forcing
type: CFParameter
comment: "shortwave" means shortwave radiation. "toa" means top of atmosphere. Adjusted forcing is the radiative flux change caused by an imposed change in radiative forcing agent (greenhouse gases, aerosol, solar radiation, etc.) after allowance for stratospheric temperature adjustment.
has canonical units: W m-2
has standard name: toa_adjusted_shortwave_forcing

land ice lwe surface specific mass balance
type: CFParameter
comment: "lwe" means liquid water equivalent. "Land ice" means glaciers, ice-caps and ice-sheets resting on bedrock. Specific mass balance means the net rate at which ice is added per unit area at the land ice surface.
has canonical units: m s-1
has standard name: land_ice_lwe_surface_specific_mass_balance

land ice basal x velocity
type: CFParameter
comment: A velocity is a vector quantity. "x" indicates a vector component along the grid x-axis, when this is not true longitude, positive with increasing x. "Land ice" means glaciers, ice-caps and ice-sheets resting on bedrock.
has canonical units: m s-1
has standard name: land_ice_basal_x_velocity

surface downwelling longwave flux in air assuming clear sky
type: CFParameter
has standard name: surface_downwelling_longwave_flux_in_air_assuming_clear_sky
has amip: rldscs
has canonical units: W m-2
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. A phrase assuming_condition indicates that the named quantity is the value which would obtain if all aspects of the system were unaltered except for the assumption of the circumstances specified by the condition. "longwave" means longwave radiation. 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.

upward heat flux at ground level in soil
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
has standard name: upward_heat_flux_at_ground_level_in_soil
comment: ground_level means the land surface (beneath the snow and surface water, if any). "Upward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed upward (negative downward). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.

atmosphere cloud liquid water content
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: kg m-2
comment: "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. The "atmosphere content" of a quantity refers to the vertical integral from the surface to the top of the atmosphere. For the content between specified levels in the atmosphere, standard names including content_of_atmosphere_layer are used.
has standard name: atmosphere_cloud_liquid_water_content

northward ocean salt transport
type: CFParameter
has standard name: northward_ocean_salt_transport
has canonical units: kg s-1
comment: "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). Ocean transport means transport by all processes, both sea water and sea ice.

geopotential height anomaly
type: CFParameter
has grib: 27
comment: "anomaly" means difference from climatology. Geopotential is the sum of the specific gravitational potential energy relative to the geoid and the specific centripetal potential energy. Geopotential height is the geopotential divided by the standard acceleration due to gravity. It is numerically similar to the altitude (or geometric height) and not to the quantity with standard name height, which is relative to the surface.
has standard name: geopotential_height_anomaly
has canonical units: m

product of eastward wind and northward wind
type: CFParameter
has standard name: product_of_eastward_wind_and_northward_wind
has amip: mpuva
has canonical units: m2 s-2
comment: "product_of_X_and_Y" means X*Y. "Eastward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed eastward (negative westward). "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). 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.)

sea water pressure
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: dbar
has standard name: sea_water_pressure

northward wind shear
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: s-1
comment: "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). 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.) Wind shear is the derivative of wind with respect to height.
has standard name: northward_wind_shear
has grib: 46

sea water potential density
type: CFParameter
has standard name: sea_water_potential_density
has canonical units: kg m-3
comment: Potential density is the density a parcel of air or sea water would have if moved adiabatically to a reference pressure, by default assumed to be sea level pressure. For sea water potential density, if 1000 kg m-3 is subtracted, the standard name sea_water_sigma_theta should be chosen instead.

radiation wavelength
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m
has standard name: radiation_wavelength
comment: The radiation wavelength can refer to any electromagnetic wave, such as light, heat radiation and radio waves.

soil moisture content at field capacity
type: CFParameter
comment: "moisture" means water in all phases contained in soil. "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. The "soil content" of a quantity refers to the vertical integral from the surface down to the bottom of the soil model. For the content between specified levels in the soil, standard names including content_of_soil_layer are used. The field capacity of soil is the maximum content of water it can retain against gravitational drainage.
has amip: mrsofc
has canonical units: kg m-2
has standard name: soil_moisture_content_at_field_capacity

surface snow area fraction
type: CFParameter
has amip: snc
has standard name: surface_snow_area_fraction
has canonical units: 1
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "X_area_fraction" means the fraction of horizontal area occupied by X. "X_area" means the horizontal area occupied by X within the grid cell.

surface downwelling photosynthetic photon flux in sea water
type: CFParameter
comment: 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". "Photosynthetic" radiation is the part of the spectrum which is used in photosynthesis e.g. 300-700 nm. The range of wavelengths could be specified precisely by the bounds of a coordinate of radiation_wavelength. 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.
has canonical units: mol m-2 s-1
has standard name: surface_downwelling_photosynthetic_photon_flux_in_sea_water

atmosphere horizontal velocity potential
type: CFParameter
comment: A velocity is a vector quantity. "Horizontal" indicates that the velocity potential applies to a horizontal velocity field on a particular vertical level.
has canonical units: m2 s-1
has standard name: atmosphere_horizontal_velocity_potential
has grib: 36

moisture content of soil layer at field capacity
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: kg m-2
has amip: mrsofcs
comment: "moisture" means water in all phases contained in soil. "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. "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). If the layers are model layers, the vertical coordinate can be model_level_number, but it is recommended to specify a physical coordinate (in a scalar or auxiliary coordinate variable) as well. Quantities defined for a soil layer must have a vertical coordinate variable with boundaries indicating the extent of the layer(s). The field capacity of soil is the maximum content of water it can retain against gravitational drainage.
has standard name: moisture_content_of_soil_layer_at_field_capacity

tendency of northward wind due to convection
type: CFParameter
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). 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.)
has amip: tnmmvc
has canonical units: m s-2
has standard name: tendency_of_northward_wind_due_to_convection

surface eastward sea water velocity
type: CFParameter
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "Water" means water in all phases, including frozen i.e. ice and snow. A velocity is a vector quantity. "Eastward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed eastward (negative westward).
has canonical units: m s-1
has standard name: surface_eastward_sea_water_velocity

soil moisture content
type: CFParameter
has standard name: soil_moisture_content
has amip: mrso
comment: "moisture" means water in all phases contained in soil. "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. The "soil content" of a quantity refers to the vertical integral from the surface down to the bottom of the soil model. For the content between specified levels in the soil, standard names including content_of_soil_layer are used.
has grib: 86
has canonical units: kg m-2

sea water salinity
type: CFParameter
has grib: 88
comment: The unit of salinity is PSU, which is dimensionless. The units attribute should be given as 1e-3 or 0.001 i.e. parts per thousand if salinity is in PSU.
has standard name: sea_water_salinity
has canonical units: 1e-3
has amip: so

net downward radiative flux at top of atmosphere model
type: CFParameter
comment: Fluxes at the top_of_atmosphere_model differ from TOA fluxes only if the model TOA fluxes make some allowance for the atmosphere above the top of the model; if not, it is usual to give standard names with toa to the fluxes at the top of the model atmosphere. "Downward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed downward (negative upward). Net downward radiation is the difference between radiation from above (downwelling) and radiation from below (upwelling). Radiative flux is the sum of shortwave and longwave radiative fluxes. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has standard name: net_downward_radiative_flux_at_top_of_atmosphere_model
has canonical units: W m-2
has amip: rtmt

projection y coordinate
type: CFParameter
comment: "y" indicates a vector component along the grid y-axis, when this is not true latitude, positive with increasing y. Projection coordinates are distances in the x- and y-directions on a plane onto which the surface of the Earth has been projected according to a map projection. The relationship between the projection coordinates and latitude and longitude is described by the grid_mapping.
has canonical units: m
has standard name: projection_y_coordinate

change in energy content of atmosphere layer due to change in sigma coordinate wrt surface pressure
type: CFParameter
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. 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. "wrt" means with respect to. "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. "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). If the layers are model layers, the vertical coordinate can be model_level_number, but it is recommended to specify a physical coordinate (in a scalar or auxiliary coordinate variable) as well. See Appendix D of the CF convention for information about dimensionless vertical coordinates.
has standard name: change_in_energy_content_of_atmosphere_layer_due_to_change_in_sigma_coordinate_wrt_surface_pressure
has canonical units: J m-2

freezing temperature of sea water
type: CFParameter
has standard name: freezing_temperature_of_sea_water
has canonical units: K

downward northward stress at sea ice base
type: CFParameter
comment: "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). "Downward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed downward (negative upward). "Downward northward" indicates the ZY component of a tensor. A downward northward stress is a downward flux of northward momentum, which accelerates the lower medium northward and the upper medium southward.
has canonical units: Pa
has standard name: downward_northward_stress_at_sea_ice_base

platform pitch angle
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: degree
has standard name: platform_pitch_angle
comment: Standard names for platform describe the motion and orientation of the vehicle from which observations are made e.g. aeroplane or ship.

thickness of convective snowfall amount
type: CFParameter
has standard name: thickness_of_convective_snowfall_amount
has canonical units: m
comment: "Amount" means mass per unit area. The construction thickness_of_[X_]snowfall_amount means the accumulated "depth" of snow which fell i.e. the thickness of the layer of snow at its own density. There are corresponding standard names for liquid water equivalent (lwe) thickness.

surface downwelling shortwave flux in air assuming clear sky
type: CFParameter
has standard name: surface_downwelling_shortwave_flux_in_air_assuming_clear_sky
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. A phrase assuming_condition indicates that the named quantity is the value which would obtain if all aspects of the system were unaltered except for the assumption of the circumstances specified by the condition. "shortwave" means shortwave radiation. Downwelling radiation is radiation from above. It does not mean "net downward". Surface downwelling shortwave is the sum of direct and diffuse solar radiation incident on the surface, and is sometimes called "global radiation". 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.
has amip: rsdscs
has canonical units: W m-2

tendency of air temperature due to shortwave heating
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: K s-1
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "shortwave" means shortwave radiation. Air temperature is the bulk temperature of the air, not the surface (skin) temperature.
has standard name: tendency_of_air_temperature_due_to_shortwave_heating
has amip: tntsw

lwe thickness of large scale precipitation amount
type: CFParameter
has grib: E142
comment: "lwe" means liquid water equivalent. "Amount" means mass per unit area. The construction lwe_thickness_of_X_amount or _content means the vertical extent of a layer of liquid water having the same mass per unit area.
has standard name: lwe_thickness_of_large_scale_precipitation_amount
has canonical units: m

forecast period
type: CFParameter
has standard name: forecast_period
has canonical units: s
comment: Forecast period is the time interval between the forecast reference time and the validity time. A period is an interval of time, or the time-period of an oscillation.

surface upwelling shortwave flux in air
type: CFParameter
has standard name: surface_upwelling_shortwave_flux_in_air
has amip: rsus
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "shortwave" means shortwave radiation. 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.
has canonical units: W m-2

geostrophic eastward wind
type: CFParameter
comment: "Eastward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed eastward (negative westward). 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.)
has standard name: geostrophic_eastward_wind
has canonical units: m s-1

concentration of chlorophyll in sea water
type: CFParameter
has standard name: concentration_of_chlorophyll_in_sea_water
has canonical units: kg m-3

lagrangian tendency of atmosphere sigma coordinate
type: CFParameter
has standard name: lagrangian_tendency_of_atmosphere_sigma_coordinate
has canonical units: s-1
comment: "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. The Lagrangian tendency of a quantity is its rate of change following the motion of the fluid, also called the "material derivative" or "convective derivative". The Lagrangian tendency of sigma plays the role of the upward component of air velocity when the atmosphere sigma coordinate (a dimensionless atmosphere vertical coordinate) is being used as the vertical coordinate. If the vertical air velocity is upwards, it is negative when expressed as a tendency of sigma; downwards is positive. See Appendix D of the CF convention for information about dimensionless vertical coordinates.
has grib: 38

sea surface swell wave to direction
type: CFParameter
has grib: 104
has standard name: sea_surface_swell_wave_to_direction
has canonical units: degree
comment: 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.

tendency of eastward wind due to diffusion
type: CFParameter
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "Eastward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed eastward (negative westward). 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.)
has standard name: tendency_of_eastward_wind_due_to_diffusion
has canonical units: m s-2

tendency of atmosphere enthalpy content due to advection
type: CFParameter
has standard name: tendency_of_atmosphere_enthalpy_content_due_to_advection
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. The "atmosphere content" of a quantity refers to the vertical integral from the surface to the top of the atmosphere. For the content between specified levels in the atmosphere, standard names including content_of_atmosphere_layer are used. Enthalpy can be written either as (1) CpT, where Cp is heat capacity at constant pressure, T is absolute temperature, or (2) U+pV, where U is internal energy, p is pressure and V is volume.
has canonical units: W m-2

volume fraction of water in soil
type: CFParameter
has standard name: volume_fraction_of_water_in_soil
comment: "Water" means water in all phases. "Volume fraction" is used in the construction volume_fraction_of_X_in_Y, where X is a material constituent of Y.
has canonical units: 1

upward water vapor flux in air
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
has standard name: upward_water_vapor_flux_in_air
comment: "Upward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed upward (negative downward). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.

zenith angle
type: CFParameter
comment: Zenith angle is the angle to the local vertical; a value of zero is directly overhead.
has canonical units: degree
has standard name: zenith_angle

tendency of wind speed due to gravity wave drag
type: CFParameter
has standard name: tendency_of_wind_speed_due_to_gravity_wave_drag
has canonical units: m s-2
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. Speed is the magnitude of velocity. 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.) The wind speed is the magnitude of the wind velocity.

surface net upward shortwave flux
type: CFParameter
has grib: 111 E177
has standard name: surface_net_upward_shortwave_flux
has canonical units: W m-2
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "shortwave" means shortwave radiation. "Upward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed upward (negative downward). Net upward radiation is the difference between radiation from below (upwelling) and radiation from above (downwelling). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.

tendency of air temperature due to longwave heating assuming clear sky
type: CFParameter
has standard name: tendency_of_air_temperature_due_to_longwave_heating_assuming_clear_sky
comment: 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. A phrase assuming_condition indicates that the named quantity is the value which would obtain if all aspects of the system were unaltered except for the assumption of the circumstances specified by the condition. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "longwave" means longwave radiation. Air temperature is the bulk temperature of the air, not the surface (skin) temperature.
has canonical units: K s-1

surface roughness length for heat in air
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m
has standard name: surface_roughness_length_for_heat_in_air
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere.

sea ice freeboard
type: CFParameter
comment: Sea ice freeboard is the height of the sea-ice upper surface above the water surface.
has canonical units: m
has standard name: sea_ice_freeboard

sea surface height above geoid
type: CFParameter
has standard name: sea_surface_height_above_geoid
comment: The geoid is a surface of constant geopotential with which mean sea level would coincide if the ocean were at rest. (The volume enclosed between the geoid and the sea floor equals the mean volume of water in the ocean.) In an ocean GCM the geoid is the surface of zero depth, or the rigid lid if the model uses that approximation. "Sea surface height" is a time-varying quantity. By definition of the geoid, the global average of the time-mean sea surface height (i.e. mean sea level) above the geoid must be zero. The standard name for the height of the sea surface above mean sea level is sea_surface_height_above_sea_level. The standard name for the height of the sea surface above the reference ellipsoid is sea_surface_height_above_reference_ellipsoid.
has canonical units: m

longitude
type: CFParameter
comment: Longitude is positive eastward; its units of degree_east (or equivalent) indicate this explicitly. In a latitude-longitude system defined with respect to a rotated North Pole, the standard name of grid_longitude should be used instead of longitude. Grid longitude is positive in the grid-eastward direction, but its units should be plain degree.
has standard name: longitude
has amip: longitude
has canonical units: degree_east

atmosphere eastward stress due to gravity wave drag
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: Pa
has amip: tauugwd
comment: 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. "Eastward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed eastward (negative westward). Atmosphere_Xward_stress is a stress which tends to accelerate the atmosphere in direction X.
has standard name: atmosphere_eastward_stress_due_to_gravity_wave_drag

surface eastward geostrophic sea water velocity assuming sea level for geoid
type: CFParameter
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. A velocity is a vector quantity. "Eastward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed eastward (negative westward). "Geostrophic" indicates that geostrophic balance is assumed. "Water" means water in all phases. "sea_level" means mean sea level. The geoid is a surface of constant geopotential with which mean sea level would coincide if the ocean were at rest. surface_eastward_sea_water_geostrophic_velocity_assuming_sea_level_for_geoid is the variable part of surface_eastward_sea_water_geostrophic_velocity. The assumption that sea level is equal to the geoid means that the stationary component of ocean circulation is equal to zero.
has standard name: surface_eastward_geostrophic_sea_water_velocity_assuming_sea_level_for_geoid
has canonical units: m s-1

integral of air temperature deficit wrt time
type: CFParameter
has standard name: integral_of_air_temperature_deficit_wrt_time
comment: "integral_of_Y_wrt_X" means int Y dX. The data variable should have an axis for X specifying the limits of the integral as bounds. "wrt" means with respect to. Air temperature is the bulk temperature of the air, not the surface (skin) temperature. The air temperature deficit is the air temperature threshold minus the air temperature. Its integral with respect to time is often called after its units of "degree-days".
has canonical units: K s

tendency of northward wind
type: CFParameter
has amip: tnmmvtot
has canonical units: m s-2
has standard name: tendency_of_northward_wind
comment: "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). 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.)

surface downwelling photon flux in sea water
type: CFParameter
comment: 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.
has standard name: surface_downwelling_photon_flux_in_sea_water
has canonical units: mol m-2 s-1

sea surface swell wave significant height
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m
has standard name: sea_surface_swell_wave_significant_height
comment: Height is the vertical distance above the surface. Swell waves are waves on the ocean surface.
has grib: 105

dissipation in atmosphere boundary layer
type: CFParameter
has standard name: dissipation_in_atmosphere_boundary_layer
has grib: E145
has canonical units: W m-2

lwe thickness of atmosphere water vapor content
type: CFParameter
has grib: E137
has canonical units: m
has standard name: lwe_thickness_of_atmosphere_water_vapor_content
comment: "lwe" means liquid water equivalent. The construction lwe_thickness_of_X_amount or _content means the vertical extent of a layer of liquid water having the same mass per unit area. "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. The "atmosphere content" of a quantity refers to the vertical integral from the surface to the top of the atmosphere. For the content between specified levels in the atmosphere, standard names including content_of_atmosphere_layer are used. Atmosphere water vapor content is sometimes referred to as "precipitable water", although this term does not imply the water could all be precipitated.

northward water vapor transport across unit distance in atmosphere layer
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: kg m-1 s-1
has standard name: northward_water_vapor_transport_across_unit_distance_in_atmosphere_layer
comment: "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). If the layers are model layers, the vertical coordinate can be model_level_number, but it is recommended to specify a physical coordinate (in a scalar or auxiliary coordinate variable) as well. "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). Transport across_unit_distance means expressed per unit distance normal to the direction of transport.

surface net downward longwave flux assuming clear sky
type: CFParameter
has grib: E211
has canonical units: W m-2
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. A phrase assuming_condition indicates that the named quantity is the value which would obtain if all aspects of the system were unaltered except for the assumption of the circumstances specified by the condition. "longwave" means longwave radiation. "Downward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed downward (negative upward). Net downward radiation is the difference between radiation from above (downwelling) and radiation from below (upwelling). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has standard name: surface_net_downward_longwave_flux_assuming_clear_sky

global average thermosteric sea level change
type: CFParameter
comment: Global average thermosteric sea level change is the part caused by change in density due to change in temperature i.e. thermal expansion. Zero sea level change is an arbitrary level.
has canonical units: m
has standard name: global_average_thermosteric_sea_level_change

air pressure anomaly
type: CFParameter
has grib: 26
has standard name: air_pressure_anomaly
comment: "anomaly" means difference from climatology.
has canonical units: Pa

sea water x velocity
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m s-1
comment: A velocity is a vector quantity. "x" indicates a vector component along the grid x-axis, when this is not true longitude, positive with increasing x.
has standard name: sea_water_x_velocity

tendency of atmosphere kinetic energy content due to advection
type: CFParameter
has standard name: tendency_of_atmosphere_kinetic_energy_content_due_to_advection
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. The "atmosphere content" of a quantity refers to the vertical integral from the surface to the top of the atmosphere. For the content between specified levels in the atmosphere, standard names including content_of_atmosphere_layer are used.
has canonical units: W m-2

pseudo equivalent potential temperature
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: K
comment: Potential temperature is the temperature a parcel of air or sea water would have if moved adiabatically to sea level pressure.
has grib: 14
has standard name: pseudo_equivalent_potential_temperature

convective cloud base height
type: CFParameter
comment: cloud_base refers to the base of the lowest cloud. Height is the vertical distance above the surface. Convective cloud is that produced by the convection schemes in an atmosphere model.
has standard name: convective_cloud_base_height
has canonical units: m

surface runoff flux
type: CFParameter
has amip: mrros
has standard name: surface_runoff_flux
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. Runoff is the liquid water which drains from land. If not specified, "runoff" refers to the sum of surface runoff and subsurface drainage. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.

surface downwelling photosynthetic photon flux in air
type: CFParameter
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. Downwelling radiation is radiation from above. It does not mean "net downward". "Photosynthetic" radiation is the part of the spectrum which is used in photosynthesis e.g. 300-700 nm. The range of wavelengths could be specified precisely by the bounds of a coordinate of radiation_wavelength. 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.
has canonical units: mol m-2 s-1
has standard name: surface_downwelling_photosynthetic_photon_flux_in_air

equilibrium line altitude
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m
has standard name: equilibrium_line_altitude
comment: Altitude is the (geometric) height above the geoid, which is the reference geopotential surface. The geoid is similar to mean sea level. The equilibrium line is the locus of points on a land ice surface at which ice accumulation balances ice ablation over the year.

surface downwelling photon spherical irradiance in sea water
type: CFParameter
has standard name: surface_downwelling_photon_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water
has canonical units: mol m-2 s-1
comment: 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.

water flux correction
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
has standard name: water_flux_correction
comment: "Water" means water in all phases. Flux correction is also called "flux adjustment". A positive flux correction is downward i.e. added to the ocean. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.

sea surface wind wave significant height
type: CFParameter
has grib: 102
comment: Height is the vertical distance above the surface. 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.)
has standard name: sea_surface_wind_wave_significant_height
has canonical units: m

change in atmosphere energy content due to change in sigma coordinate wrt surface pressure
type: CFParameter
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. 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. "wrt" means with respect to. "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. The "atmosphere content" of a quantity refers to the vertical integral from the surface to the top of the atmosphere. For the content between specified levels in the atmosphere, standard names including content_of_atmosphere_layer are used. "Atmosphere energy content" has not yet been precisely defined! Please express your views on this quantity on the CF email list. See Appendix D of the CF convention for information about dimensionless vertical coordinates.
has standard name: change_in_atmosphere_energy_content_due_to_change_in_sigma_coordinate_wrt_surface_pressure
has canonical units: J m-2

atmosphere sulfate content
type: CFParameter
comment: "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. The "atmosphere content" of a quantity refers to the vertical integral from the surface to the top of the atmosphere. For the content between specified levels in the atmosphere, standard names including content_of_atmosphere_layer are used.
has standard name: atmosphere_sulfate_content
has canonical units: kg m-2

soil hydraulic conductivity at saturation
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m s-1
comment: Hydraulic conductivity is the constant k in Darcy's Law q=-k grad h for fluid flow q (volume transport per unit area i.e. velocity) through a porous medium, where h is the hydraulic head (pressure expressed as an equivalent depth of water).
has standard name: soil_hydraulic_conductivity_at_saturation

vegetation area fraction
type: CFParameter
has grib: 87
comment: "X_area_fraction" means the fraction of horizontal area occupied by X. "X_area" means the horizontal area occupied by X within the grid cell. "Vegetation" means any plants e.g. trees, shrubs, grass.
has standard name: vegetation_area_fraction
has canonical units: 1

downward x stress at sea ice base
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: Pa
has standard name: downward_x_stress_at_sea_ice_base
comment: "x" indicates a vector component along the grid x-axis, when this is not true longitude, positive with increasing x. "Downward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed downward (negative upward).

northward sea water velocity
type: CFParameter
comment: A velocity is a vector quantity. "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward).
has canonical units: m s-1
has standard name: northward_sea_water_velocity
has grib: 50

tendency of air temperature
type: CFParameter
has standard name: tendency_of_air_temperature
comment: "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. Air temperature is the bulk temperature of the air, not the surface (skin) temperature.
has canonical units: K s-1

sea ice thickness
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m
has standard name: sea_ice_thickness
has amip: sit
has grib: 92

cloud condensed water content of atmosphere layer
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: kg m-2
comment: "condensed_water" means liquid and ice. "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. "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). If the layers are model layers, the vertical coordinate can be model_level_number, but it is recommended to specify a physical coordinate (in a scalar or auxiliary coordinate variable) as well.
has standard name: cloud_condensed_water_content_of_atmosphere_layer

square of geopotential height
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m2
comment: "square_of_X" means X*X. Geopotential is the sum of the specific gravitational potential energy relative to the geoid and the specific centripetal potential energy. Geopotential height is the geopotential divided by the standard acceleration due to gravity. It is numerically similar to the altitude (or geometric height) and not to the quantity with standard name height, which is relative to the surface.
has standard name: square_of_geopotential_height

downwelling photosynthetic photon spherical irradiance in sea water
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: mol m-2 s-1
comment: Downwelling radiation is radiation from above. It does not mean "net downward". "Photosynthetic" radiation is the part of the spectrum which is used in photosynthesis e.g. 300-700 nm. The range of wavelengths could be specified precisely by the bounds of a coordinate of 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.
has standard name: downwelling_photosynthetic_photon_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water

leaf area index
type: CFParameter
has standard name: leaf_area_index
has canonical units: 1
comment: "X_area" means the horizontal area occupied by X within the grid cell.

product of northward wind and specific humdity
type: CFParameter
comment: "product_of_X_and_Y" means X*Y. "specific" means per unit mass. "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). 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.)
has canonical units: m s-1
has standard name: product_of_northward_wind_and_specific_humdity

downwelling photon spherical irradiance in sea water
type: CFParameter
comment: 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.
has canonical units: mol m-2 s-1
has standard name: downwelling_photon_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water

surface drag coefficient in air
type: CFParameter
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere.
has canonical units: 1
has standard name: surface_drag_coefficient_in_air

surface upward sensible heat flux where sea
type: CFParameter
has standard name: surface_upward_sensible_heat_flux_where_sea
has canonical units: W m-2
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. Unless indicated, a quantity is assumed to apply to the whole area of each horizontal grid box. The qualifier where_type specifies instead that the quantity applies only to the part of the grid box of the named type. "Upward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed upward (negative downward). The surface sensible heat flux, also called "turbulent" heat flux, is the exchange of heat between the surface and the air by motion of air. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.

convective cloud area fraction
type: CFParameter
has standard name: convective_cloud_area_fraction
has canonical units: 1
has grib: 72 E185
comment: "X_area_fraction" means the fraction of horizontal area occupied by X. "X_area" means the horizontal area occupied by X within the grid cell. Cloud area fraction is also called "cloud amount" and "cloud cover". The cloud area fraction is for the whole atmosphere column, as seen from the surface or the top of the atmosphere. The cloud area fraction in a layer of the atmosphere has the standard name cloud_area_fraction_in_atmosphere_layer. Convective cloud is that produced by the convection schemes in an atmosphere model.

rainfall amount
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: kg m-2
comment: "Amount" means mass per unit area.
has standard name: rainfall_amount

tendency of eastward wind
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m s-2
comment: "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "Eastward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed eastward (negative westward). 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.)
has standard name: tendency_of_eastward_wind
has amip: tnmmutot

surface diffuse downwelling photosynthetic radiative flux in air
type: CFParameter
has standard name: surface_diffuse_downwelling_photosynthetic_radiative_flux_in_air
has canonical units: W m-2
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. Downwelling radiation is radiation from above. It does not mean "net downward". Radiative flux is the sum of shortwave and longwave radiative fluxes. "Photosynthetic" radiation is the part of the spectrum which is used in photosynthesis e.g. 300-700 nm. The range of wavelengths could be specified precisely by the bounds of a coordinate of radiation_wavelength. 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.

surface upwelling spectral radiative flux in air
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2 m-1
has standard name: surface_upwelling_spectral_radiative_flux_in_air
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. Upwelling radiation is radiation from below. It does not mean "net upward". "spectral" means per unit wavelength or as a function of wavelength; spectral quantities are sometimes called "monochromatic". Radiation wavelength has standard name radiation_wavelength. 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.

northward ocean salt transport due to diffusion
type: CFParameter
has standard name: northward_ocean_salt_transport_due_to_diffusion
has canonical units: kg s-1
has amip: sltovdiff
comment: 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. "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). Northward transport by diffusion means the part due to horizontal or isopyncal diffusion schemes in an ocean model, but not including the "bolus" or Gent-McWilliams velocity.

sea surface wave zero upcrossing period
type: CFParameter
comment: A period is an interval of time, or the time-period of an oscillation. The zero upcrossing period is defined as the time interval between consecutive occasions on which the surface height passes upward above the mean level.
has standard name: sea_surface_wave_zero_upcrossing_period
has canonical units: s

surface upwelling longwave flux in air assuming clear sky
type: CFParameter
has standard name: surface_upwelling_longwave_flux_in_air_assuming_clear_sky
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. A phrase assuming_condition indicates that the named quantity is the value which would obtain if all aspects of the system were unaltered except for the assumption of the circumstances specified by the condition. "longwave" means longwave radiation. 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.
has canonical units: W m-2

mass concentration of oxygen in sea water
type: CFParameter
comment: Mass concentration means mass per unit volume and is used in the construction mass_concentration_of_X_in_Y, where X is a material constituent of Y.
has standard name: mass_concentration_of_oxygen_in_sea_water
has canonical units: kg m-3

atmosphere dry energy content
type: CFParameter
comment: "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. The "atmosphere content" of a quantity refers to the vertical integral from the surface to the top of the atmosphere. For the content between specified levels in the atmosphere, standard names including content_of_atmosphere_layer are used. Dry energy is the sum of dry static energy and kinetic energy. Dry static energy is the sum of enthalpy and potential energy (itself the sum of gravitational and centripetal potential energy). Enthalpy can be written either as (1) CpT, where Cp is heat capacity at constant pressure, T is absolute temperature, or (2) U+pV, where U is internal energy, p is pressure and V is volume.
has canonical units: J m-2
has standard name: atmosphere_dry_energy_content

area fraction
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: 1
has standard name: area_fraction
comment: "Area fraction" means the fraction of horizontal area. To specify which area is quantified by a variable of area_fraction, provide a coordinate variable or scalar coordinate variable of land_cover or surface_cover. Alternatively, if one is defined, use a more specific standard name of "X_area_fraction" for the fraction of horizontal area occupied by X.

tropopause adjusted radiative forcing
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
has standard name: tropopause_adjusted_radiative_forcing
comment: Adjusted forcing is the radiative flux change caused by an imposed change in radiative forcing agent (greenhouse gases, aerosol, solar radiation, etc.) after allowance for stratospheric temperature adjustment.

volume mixing ratio of oxygen at stp in sea water
type: CFParameter
comment: "ratio_of_X_to_Y" means X/Y. "stp" means standard temperature (0 degC) and pressure (101325 Pa).
has canonical units: 1
has standard name: volume_mixing_ratio_of_oxygen_at_stp_in_sea_water

moles of nitrate per unit mass in sea water
type: CFParameter
comment: moles_of_X_per_unit_mass_inY is also called "molality" of X in Y, where X is a material constituent of Y.
has standard name: moles_of_nitrate_per_unit_mass_in_sea_water
has canonical units: mol kg-1

surface upward water flux
type: CFParameter
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "Water" means water in all phases, including frozen i.e. ice and snow. "Upward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed upward (negative downward). The surface water flux is the result of precipitation and evaporation. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
has standard name: surface_upward_water_flux

downwelling photon radiance in sea water
type: CFParameter
has standard name: downwelling_photon_radiance_in_sea_water
has canonical units: mol m-2 s-1 sr-1
comment: 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.

atmosphere content of sulfate aerosol
type: CFParameter
has standard name: atmosphere_content_of_sulfate_aerosol
has amip: trsult
has canonical units: kg m-2
comment: "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. "Aerosol" means the suspended liquid or solid particles in air (except cloud droplets).

downwelling photosynthetic radiative flux in sea water
type: CFParameter
has standard name: downwelling_photosynthetic_radiative_flux_in_sea_water
comment: Downwelling radiation is radiation from above. It does not mean "net downward". Radiative flux is the sum of shortwave and longwave radiative fluxes. "Photosynthetic" radiation is the part of the spectrum which is used in photosynthesis e.g. 300-700 nm. The range of wavelengths could be specified precisely by the bounds of a coordinate of radiation_wavelength. 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.
has canonical units: W m-2

downwelling spectral photon spherical irradiance in sea water
type: CFParameter
comment: Downwelling radiation is radiation from above. It does not mean "net downward". "spectral" means per unit wavelength or as a function of wavelength; spectral quantities are sometimes called "monochromatic". Radiation wavelength has 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.
has canonical units: mol m-2 s-1 m-1
has standard name: downwelling_spectral_photon_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water

tropopause net downward shortwave flux
type: CFParameter
comment: "shortwave" means shortwave radiation. "Downward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed downward (negative upward). Net downward radiation is the difference between radiation from above (downwelling) and radiation from below (upwelling). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has canonical units: W m-2
has standard name: tropopause_net_downward_shortwave_flux

toa net upward longwave flux
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
comment: "longwave" means longwave radiation. "toa" means top of atmosphere. "Upward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed upward (negative downward). Net upward radiation is the difference between radiation from below (upwelling) and radiation from above (downwelling). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has standard name: toa_net_upward_longwave_flux

equivalent thickness at stp of atmosphere ozone content
type: CFParameter
comment: "stp" means standard temperature (0 degC) and pressure (101325 Pa). "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. The "atmosphere content" of a quantity refers to the vertical integral from the surface to the top of the atmosphere. For the content between specified levels in the atmosphere, standard names including content_of_atmosphere_layer are used. The equivalent thickness at STP of a particular constituent of the atmosphere is the thickness of the layer that the gas would occupy if it was separated from the other constituents and gathered together at STP.
has canonical units: m
has standard name: equivalent_thickness_at_stp_of_atmosphere_ozone_content
has grib: 10

surface downwelling spectral photon flux in sea water
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: mol m-2 s-1 m-1
has standard name: surface_downwelling_spectral_photon_flux_in_sea_water
comment: 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.

sea ice x velocity
type: CFParameter
has standard name: sea_ice_x_velocity
has canonical units: m s-1
comment: A velocity is a vector quantity. "x" indicates a vector component along the grid x-axis, when this is not true longitude, positive with increasing x.

net downward longwave flux in air
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
comment: "longwave" means longwave radiation. "Downward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed downward (negative upward). Net downward radiation is the difference between radiation from above (downwelling) and radiation from below (upwelling). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has standard name: net_downward_longwave_flux_in_air

tendency of atmosphere water content due to advection
type: CFParameter
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. The "atmosphere content" of a quantity refers to the vertical integral from the surface to the top of the atmosphere. For the content between specified levels in the atmosphere, standard names including content_of_atmosphere_layer are used. "Water" means water in all phases.
has standard name: tendency_of_atmosphere_water_content_due_to_advection
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1

toa outgoing shortwave flux
type: CFParameter
has amip: rsut
has canonical units: W m-2
has standard name: toa_outgoing_shortwave_flux
comment: "shortwave" means shortwave radiation. "toa" means top of atmosphere. The TOA outgoing shortwave flux is the reflected and scattered solar radiative flux i.e. the "upwelling" TOA shortwave flux, sometimes called the "outgoing shortwave radiation" or "OSR". In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.

tendency of kinetic energy content of atmosphere layer due to advection
type: CFParameter
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. "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). If the layers are model layers, the vertical coordinate can be model_level_number, but it is recommended to specify a physical coordinate (in a scalar or auxiliary coordinate variable) as well.
has standard name: tendency_of_kinetic_energy_content_of_atmosphere_layer_due_to_advection
has canonical units: W m-2

cloud liquid water content of atmosphere layer
type: CFParameter
comment: "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. "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). If the layers are model layers, the vertical coordinate can be model_level_number, but it is recommended to specify a physical coordinate (in a scalar or auxiliary coordinate variable) as well.
has standard name: cloud_liquid_water_content_of_atmosphere_layer
has canonical units: kg m-2

precipitation amount
type: CFParameter
has grib: 61
has standard name: precipitation_amount
has canonical units: kg m-2
comment: "Amount" means mass per unit area.

stratiform cloud area fraction in atmosphere layer
type: CFParameter
comment: "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). If the layers are model layers, the vertical coordinate can be model_level_number, but it is recommended to specify a physical coordinate (in a scalar or auxiliary coordinate variable) as well. "X_area_fraction" means the fraction of horizontal area occupied by X. "X_area" means the horizontal area occupied by X within the grid cell. Cloud area fraction is also called "cloud amount" and "cloud cover". In an atmosphere model, stratiform cloud is that produced by large-scale convergence (not the convection schemes).
has standard name: stratiform_cloud_area_fraction_in_atmosphere_layer
has canonical units: 1

downwelling spectral radiance in sea water
type: CFParameter
has standard name: downwelling_spectral_radiance_in_sea_water
has canonical units: W m-2 m-1 sr-1
comment: Downwelling radiation is radiation from above. It does not mean "net downward". "spectral" means per unit wavelength or as a function of wavelength; spectral quantities are sometimes called "monochromatic". Radiation wavelength has 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.

divergence of wind
type: CFParameter
has standard name: divergence_of_wind
has grib: 44 E155
comment: "[horizontal_]divergence_of_X" means [horizontal] divergence of a vector X; if X does not have a vertical component then "horizontal" should be omitted. 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.)
has canonical units: s-1

toa outgoing longwave flux
type: CFParameter
comment: "longwave" means longwave radiation. "toa" means top of atmosphere. The TOA outgoing longwave flux is the upwelling thermal radiative flux, often called the "outgoing longwave radiation" or "OLR". In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has canonical units: W m-2
has grib: 114 E179
has amip: rlut
has standard name: toa_outgoing_longwave_flux

toa instantaneous longwave forcing
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
comment: "longwave" means longwave radiation. "toa" means top of atmosphere. Instantaneous forcing is the radiative flux change caused instantaneously by an imposed change in radiative forcing agent (greenhouse gases, aerosol, solar radiation, etc.).
has standard name: toa_instantaneous_longwave_forcing

ocean mixed layer thickness
type: CFParameter
has standard name: ocean_mixed_layer_thickness
comment: The ocean mixed layer is the upper part of the ocean, regarded as being well-mixed. Various criteria are used to define the mixed layer; this can be specified by using a standard name of ocean_mixed_layer_defined_byX.
has canonical units: m
has grib: 67

upward heat flux in air
type: CFParameter
has standard name: upward_heat_flux_in_air
comment: "Upward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed upward (negative downward). The vertical heat flux in air is the sum of all heat fluxes i.e. radiative, latent and sensible. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has canonical units: W m-2

toa incoming shortwave flux
type: CFParameter
comment: "shortwave" means shortwave radiation. "toa" means top of atmosphere. The TOA incoming shortwave flux is the radiative flux from the sun i.e. the "downwelling" TOA shortwave flux. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has amip: rsdt
has canonical units: W m-2
has standard name: toa_incoming_shortwave_flux

atmosphere potential energy content
type: CFParameter
has standard name: atmosphere_potential_energy_content
has canonical units: J m-2
comment: "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. The "atmosphere content" of a quantity refers to the vertical integral from the surface to the top of the atmosphere. For the content between specified levels in the atmosphere, standard names including content_of_atmosphere_layer are used. Potential energy is the sum of the gravitational potential energy relative to the geoid and the centripetal potential energy. (The geopotential is the specific potential energy.)

northward ocean salt transport due to bolus advection
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: kg s-1
comment: 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. "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). Northward transport by bolus advection in an ocean model means the part due to a scheme representing eddy-induced effects not included in the velocity field.
has standard name: northward_ocean_salt_transport_due_to_bolus_advection

eastward water vapor transport across unit distance in atmosphere layer
type: CFParameter
comment: "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). If the layers are model layers, the vertical coordinate can be model_level_number, but it is recommended to specify a physical coordinate (in a scalar or auxiliary coordinate variable) as well. "Eastward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed eastward (negative westward). Transport across_unit_distance means expressed per unit distance normal to the direction of transport.
has canonical units: kg m-1 s-1
has standard name: eastward_water_vapor_transport_across_unit_distance_in_atmosphere_layer

change over time in surface snow amount
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: kg m-2
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "change_over_time_in_X" means change in a quantity X over a time-interval, which should be defined by the bounds of the time coordinate. "Amount" means mass per unit area. Surface amount refers to the amount on the ground, excluding that on the plant or vegetation canopy.
has standard name: change_over_time_in_surface_snow_amount

barotropic northward sea water velocity
type: CFParameter
comment: A velocity is a vector quantity. "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward).
has canonical units: m s-1
has standard name: barotropic_northward_sea_water_velocity

volume beam attenuation coefficient of radiative flux in sea water
type: CFParameter
has standard name: volume_beam_attenuation_coefficient_of_radiative_flux_in_sea_water
has canonical units: m-1
comment: Radiative flux is the sum of shortwave and longwave radiative fluxes. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics. The volume scattering/absorption/attenuation coefficient is the fractional change of radiative flux per unit path length due to the stated process. Coefficients with canonical units of m2 s-1 i.e. multiplied by density have standard names with specific_ instead of volume_. The scattering/absorption/attenuation coefficient is assumed to be an integral over all wavelengths, unless a coordinate of radiation_wavelength is included to specify the wavelength. Attenuation is the sum of absorption and scattering. Attenuation is sometimes called "extinction". Beam attenuation refers to the decrease of radiative flux along the direction of the incident path. It is distinguished from attenuation of the downwelling component of radiative flux from any incident direction, also called "diffuse" attenuation.

sea ice volume
type: CFParameter
has standard name: sea_ice_volume
has canonical units: m3

mass fraction of cloud liquid water in air
type: CFParameter
has amip: clw
has canonical units: 1
comment: Mass fraction is used in the construction mass_fraction_of_X_in_Y, where X is a material constituent of Y. It means the ratio of the mass of Y to the mass of X (including Y).
has standard name: mass_fraction_of_cloud_liquid_water_in_air

tendency of atmosphere water vapor content due to deep convection
type: CFParameter
has standard name: tendency_of_atmosphere_water_vapor_content_due_to_deep_convection
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. The "atmosphere content" of a quantity refers to the vertical integral from the surface to the top of the atmosphere. For the content between specified levels in the atmosphere, standard names including content_of_atmosphere_layer are used. Atmosphere water vapor content is sometimes referred to as "precipitable water", although this term does not imply the water could all be precipitated.
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1

wind speed
type: CFParameter
has grib: 32
comment: Speed is the magnitude of velocity. 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.) The wind speed is the magnitude of the wind velocity.
has standard name: wind_speed
has canonical units: m s-1

sea floor depth below geoid
type: CFParameter
has amip: zobt
has canonical units: m
comment: The geoid is a surface of constant geopotential with which mean sea level would coincide if the ocean were at rest. (The volume enclosed between the geoid and the sea floor equals the mean volume of water in the ocean.) In an ocean GCM the geoid is the surface of zero depth, or the rigid lid if the model uses that approximation.
has standard name: sea_floor_depth_below_geoid

air temperature threshold
type: CFParameter
has standard name: air_temperature_threshold
has canonical units: K
comment: 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.

surface downwelling radiative flux in sea water
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
comment: 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". Radiative flux is the sum of shortwave and longwave radiative fluxes. 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.
has standard name: surface_downwelling_radiative_flux_in_sea_water

sound intensity level in water
type: CFParameter
has standard name: sound_intensity_level_in_water
comment: Sound intensity is the sound energy per unit time per unit area. Sound intensity level in water is expressed on a logarithmic scale with reference to a sound intensity of 6.7e-19 W m-2. LI = 10 log10(I/I0) where LI is sound intensity level, I is sound intensity and I0 is the reference sound intensity.
has canonical units: dB

atmosphere relative vorticity
type: CFParameter
comment: Relative vorticity is the upward component of the vorticity vector i.e. the component which arises from horizontal velocity.
has grib: 43 E138
has canonical units: s-1
has standard name: atmosphere_relative_vorticity

sea ice amount
type: CFParameter
has standard name: sea_ice_amount
comment: "Amount" means mass per unit area.
has canonical units: kg m-2

lwe thickness of canopy water amount
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m
comment: "lwe" means liquid water equivalent. "Amount" means mass per unit area. The construction lwe_thickness_of_X_amount or _content means the vertical extent of a layer of liquid water having the same mass per unit area. "Water" means water in all phases, including frozen i.e. ice and snow. "Canopy" means the plant or vegetation canopy. The canopy water is the water on the canopy.
has standard name: lwe_thickness_of_canopy_water_amount

surface downwelling photon radiance in sea water
type: CFParameter
has standard name: surface_downwelling_photon_radiance_in_sea_water
has canonical units: mol m-2 s-1 sr-1
comment: 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.

atmosphere net rate of absorption of longwave energy
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
comment: "longwave" means longwave radiation. Net absorbed radiation is the difference between absorbed and emitted radiation.
has standard name: atmosphere_net_rate_of_absorption_of_longwave_energy

altitude
type: CFParameter
has standard name: altitude
has grib: 8
comment: Altitude is the (geometric) height above the geoid, which is the reference geopotential surface. The geoid is similar to mean sea level.
has canonical units: m

downwelling shortwave flux in air
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
comment: "shortwave" means shortwave radiation. 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.
has standard name: downwelling_shortwave_flux_in_air

lwe thickness of moisture content of soil layer
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m
comment: "lwe" means liquid water equivalent. "moisture" means water in all phases contained in soil. The construction lwe_thickness_of_X_amount or _content means the vertical extent of a layer of liquid water having the same mass per unit area. "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. "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). If the layers are model layers, the vertical coordinate can be model_level_number, but it is recommended to specify a physical coordinate (in a scalar or auxiliary coordinate variable) as well. Quantities defined for a soil layer must have a vertical coordinate variable with boundaries indicating the extent of the layer(s).
has standard name: lwe_thickness_of_moisture_content_of_soil_layer

downwelling spectral spherical irradiance in sea water
type: CFParameter
has standard name: downwelling_spectral_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water
has canonical units: W m-2 m-1
comment: Downwelling radiation is radiation from above. It does not mean "net downward". "spectral" means per unit wavelength or as a function of wavelength; spectral quantities are sometimes called "monochromatic". Radiation wavelength has standard name radiation_wavelength. 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".

sea surface wave from direction
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: degree
has standard name: sea_surface_wave_from_direction
comment: "from_direction" is used in the construction X_from_direction and indicates the direction from which the velocity vector of X is coming.

surface upwelling spectral radiance in air
type: CFParameter
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. Upwelling radiation is radiation from below. It does not mean "net upward". "spectral" means per unit wavelength or as a function of wavelength; spectral quantities are sometimes called "monochromatic". Radiation wavelength has standard name radiation_wavelength. 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.
has canonical units: W m-2 m-1 sr-1
has standard name: surface_upwelling_spectral_radiance_in_air

tropopause air temperature
type: CFParameter
has standard name: tropopause_air_temperature
has canonical units: K
comment: Air temperature is the bulk temperature of the air, not the surface (skin) temperature.

northward ocean salt transport due to gyre
type: CFParameter
has standard name: northward_ocean_salt_transport_due_to_gyre
has amip: sltovgyre
has canonical units: kg s-1
comment: 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. "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). Northward transport by the ocean gyre is geometrically defined as being the part due to the vertical integral of the product of deviations of velocity and tracer from their zonal means. The velocity does not include "bolus" or Gent-McWilliams velocity.

air pressure at cloud top
type: CFParameter
comment: cloud_top refers to the top of the highest cloud.
has standard name: air_pressure_at_cloud_top
has canonical units: Pa

surface downward x stress
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: Pa
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "x" indicates a vector component along the grid x-axis, when this is not true longitude, positive with increasing x. "Downward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed downward (negative upward).
has standard name: surface_downward_x_stress

surface downward heat flux in air
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
has amip: hfns
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "Downward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed downward (negative upward). The vertical heat flux in air is the sum of all heat fluxes i.e. radiative, latent and sensible. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has standard name: surface_downward_heat_flux_in_air

water content of atmosphere layer
type: CFParameter
has standard name: water_content_of_atmosphere_layer
comment: "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. "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). If the layers are model layers, the vertical coordinate can be model_level_number, but it is recommended to specify a physical coordinate (in a scalar or auxiliary coordinate variable) as well. "Water" means water in all phases.
has canonical units: kg m-2

surface snow melt heat flux
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
has standard name: surface_snow_melt_heat_flux
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. The snow melt heat flux is the supply of latent heat which is melting snow at freezing point. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.

mass fraction of precipitation in air
type: CFParameter
comment: Mass fraction is used in the construction mass_fraction_of_X_in_Y, where X is a material constituent of Y. It means the ratio of the mass of Y to the mass of X (including Y).
has standard name: mass_fraction_of_precipitation_in_air
has canonical units: 1

surface upwelling photosynthetic photon flux in air
type: CFParameter
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. Upwelling radiation is radiation from below. It does not mean "net upward". "Photosynthetic" radiation is the part of the spectrum which is used in photosynthesis e.g. 300-700 nm. The range of wavelengths could be specified precisely by the bounds of a coordinate of radiation_wavelength. 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.
has canonical units: mol m-2 s-1
has standard name: surface_upwelling_photosynthetic_photon_flux_in_air

moles of oxygen per unit mass in sea water
type: CFParameter
comment: moles_of_X_per_unit_mass_inY is also called "molality" of X in Y, where X is a material constituent of Y.
has canonical units: mol kg-1
has standard name: moles_of_oxygen_per_unit_mass_in_sea_water

subsurface runoff flux
type: CFParameter
has standard name: subsurface_runoff_flux
comment: Runoff is the liquid water which drains from land. If not specified, "runoff" refers to the sum of surface runoff and subsurface drainage. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1

difference of air pressure from model reference
type: CFParameter
has standard name: difference_of_air_pressure_from_model_reference
comment: In some atmosphere models, the difference of air pressure from model reference is a prognostic variable, instead of the air pressure itself. The model reference air pressure is a model-dependent constant.
has canonical units: Pa

runoff flux
type: CFParameter
comment: Runoff is the liquid water which drains from land. If not specified, "runoff" refers to the sum of surface runoff and subsurface drainage. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has amip: mrro
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
has standard name: runoff_flux

potential vorticity of atmosphere layer
type: CFParameter
comment: "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). If the layers are model layers, the vertical coordinate can be model_level_number, but it is recommended to specify a physical coordinate (in a scalar or auxiliary coordinate variable) as well. Atmosphere potential vorticity is the vertically averaged absolute vorticity of a layer of the atmosphere divided by the pressure difference from the bottom to the top of the layer.
has standard name: potential_vorticity_of_atmosphere_layer
has canonical units: Pa-1 s-1

surface upwelling radiance in air
type: CFParameter
comment: 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.
has standard name: surface_upwelling_radiance_in_air
has canonical units: W m-2 sr-1

eastward sea water velocity
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m s-1
has standard name: eastward_sea_water_velocity
has grib: 49
comment: A velocity is a vector quantity. "Eastward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed eastward (negative westward).

product of eastward sea water velocity and temperature
type: CFParameter
has standard name: product_of_eastward_sea_water_velocity_and_temperature
comment: "product_of_X_and_Y" means X*Y. A velocity is a vector quantity. "Eastward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed eastward (negative westward).
has canonical units: K m s-1

ocean mixed layer thickness defined by temperature
type: CFParameter
comment: The ocean mixed layer is the upper part of the ocean, regarded as being well-mixed. The base of the mixed layer defined by temperature, sigma or sigma_theta is the level at which the quantity indicated differs from its surface value by a certain amount.
has standard name: ocean_mixed_layer_thickness_defined_by_temperature
has canonical units: m

surface upwelling radiance in air emerging from sea water
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2 sr-1
has standard name: surface_upwelling_radiance_in_air_emerging_from_sea_water
comment: 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.

tendency of land ice thickness
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m s-1
has standard name: tendency_of_land_ice_thickness
comment: "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "Land ice" means glaciers, ice-caps and ice-sheets resting on bedrock.

thickness of convective rainfall amount
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m
comment: "Amount" means mass per unit area. The construction thickness_of_[X_]rainfall_amount means the accumulated "depth" of rainfall i.e. the thickness of a layer of liquid water having the same mass per unit area as the rainfall amount.
has standard name: thickness_of_convective_rainfall_amount

northward ocean freshwater transport due to diffusion
type: CFParameter
has standard name: northward_ocean_freshwater_transport_due_to_diffusion
has canonical units: kg s-1
comment: 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. "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). Northward transport by diffusion means the part due to horizontal or isopyncal diffusion schemes in an ocean model, but not including the "bolus" or Gent-McWilliams velocity.

projection x coordinate
type: CFParameter
has standard name: projection_x_coordinate
has canonical units: m
comment: "x" indicates a vector component along the grid x-axis, when this is not true longitude, positive with increasing x. Projection coordinates are distances in the x- and y-directions on a plane onto which the surface of the Earth has been projected according to a map projection. The relationship between the projection coordinates and latitude and longitude is described by the grid_mapping.

tropopause adjusted longwave forcing
type: CFParameter
has standard name: tropopause_adjusted_longwave_forcing
has canonical units: W m-2
comment: "longwave" means longwave radiation. Adjusted forcing is the radiative flux change caused by an imposed change in radiative forcing agent (greenhouse gases, aerosol, solar radiation, etc.) after allowance for stratospheric temperature adjustment.

downward heat flux in sea ice
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
comment: "Downward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed downward (negative upward). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has standard name: downward_heat_flux_in_sea_ice

wind mixing energy flux into ocean
type: CFParameter
has grib: 126
has standard name: wind_mixing_energy_flux_into_ocean
comment: 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 accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has canonical units: W m-2

baroclinic eastward sea water velocity
type: CFParameter
comment: A velocity is a vector quantity. "Eastward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed eastward (negative westward).
has standard name: baroclinic_eastward_sea_water_velocity
has canonical units: m s-1

downward heat flux in air
type: CFParameter
comment: "Downward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed downward (negative upward). The vertical heat flux in air is the sum of all heat fluxes i.e. radiative, latent and sensible. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has standard name: downward_heat_flux_in_air
has canonical units: W m-2

tropopause adjusted shortwave forcing
type: CFParameter
comment: "shortwave" means shortwave radiation. Adjusted forcing is the radiative flux change caused by an imposed change in radiative forcing agent (greenhouse gases, aerosol, solar radiation, etc.) after allowance for stratospheric temperature adjustment.
has canonical units: W m-2
has standard name: tropopause_adjusted_shortwave_forcing

sea surface swell wave period
type: CFParameter
comment: A period is an interval of time, or the time-period of an oscillation. Swell waves are waves on the ocean surface.
has grib: 106
has standard name: sea_surface_swell_wave_period
has canonical units: s

surface downwelling spectral photon radiance in sea water
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: mol m-2 s-1 m-1 sr-1
comment: 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.
has standard name: surface_downwelling_spectral_photon_radiance_in_sea_water

surface downwelling radiance in sea water
type: CFParameter
comment: 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.
has canonical units: W m-2 sr-1
has standard name: surface_downwelling_radiance_in_sea_water

surface roughness length for momentum in air
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m
has standard name: surface_roughness_length_for_momentum_in_air
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere.

tendency of specific humidity due to convection
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: s-1
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "specific" means per unit mass. Specific humidity is the mass fraction of water vapor in (moist) air.
has amip: tnmrc
has standard name: tendency_of_specific_humidity_due_to_convection

surface net downward longwave flux
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
has amip: rls
has standard name: surface_net_downward_longwave_flux
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "longwave" means longwave radiation. "Downward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed downward (negative upward). Net downward radiation is the difference between radiation from above (downwelling) and radiation from below (upwelling). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.

northward ocean salt transport due to overturning
type: CFParameter
comment: 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. "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). Northward transport by (meridional) overturning is geometrically defined as being the part due to the vertical integral of the product of zonal means of velocity and tracer. The velocity does not include "bolus" or Gent-McWilliams velocity.
has canonical units: kg s-1
has standard name: northward_ocean_salt_transport_due_to_overturning
has amip: sltovovrt

tendency of mass fraction of cloud liquid water in air
type: CFParameter
comment: "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. Mass fraction is used in the construction mass_fraction_of_X_in_Y, where X is a material constituent of Y. It means the ratio of the mass of Y to the mass of X (including Y).
has standard name: tendency_of_mass_fraction_of_cloud_liquid_water_in_air
has canonical units: s-1

upward eastward stress at sea ice base
type: CFParameter
comment: "Eastward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed eastward (negative westward). "Upward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed upward (negative downward). "Upward eastward" indicates the ZX component of a tensor. An upward eastward stress is an upward flux of eastward momentum, which accelerates the upper medium eastward and the lower medium westward.
has canonical units: Pa
has standard name: upward_eastward_stress_at_sea_ice_base

northward ocean freshwater transport due to bolus advection
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: kg s-1
comment: 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. "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). Northward transport by bolus advection in an ocean model means the part due to a scheme representing eddy-induced effects not included in the velocity field.
has standard name: northward_ocean_freshwater_transport_due_to_bolus_advection

lagrangian tendency of air pressure
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: Pa s-1
has amip: wap
comment: "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. The Lagrangian tendency of a quantity is its rate of change following the motion of the fluid, also called the "material derivative" or "convective derivative". The Lagrangian tendency of air pressure, often called "omega", plays the role of the upward component of air velocity when air pressure is being used as the vertical coordinate. If the vertical air velocity is upwards, it is negative when expressed as a tendency of air pressure; downwards is positive.
has standard name: lagrangian_tendency_of_air_pressure
has grib: 39 E135

volume fraction of silt in soil
type: CFParameter
has standard name: volume_fraction_of_silt_in_soil
comment: "Volume fraction" is used in the construction volume_fraction_of_X_in_Y, where X is a material constituent of Y.
has canonical units: 1

kinetic energy content of atmosphere layer
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: J m-2
comment: "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. "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). If the layers are model layers, the vertical coordinate can be model_level_number, but it is recommended to specify a physical coordinate (in a scalar or auxiliary coordinate variable) as well.
has standard name: kinetic_energy_content_of_atmosphere_layer

toa net upward longwave flux assuming clear sky
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
comment: A phrase assuming_condition indicates that the named quantity is the value which would obtain if all aspects of the system were unaltered except for the assumption of the circumstances specified by the condition. "longwave" means longwave radiation. "toa" means top of atmosphere. "Upward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed upward (negative downward). Net upward radiation is the difference between radiation from below (upwelling) and radiation from above (downwelling). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has standard name: toa_net_upward_longwave_flux_assuming_clear_sky

large scale rainfall flux
type: CFParameter
has standard name: large_scale_rainfall_flux
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
comment: In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.

net downward shortwave flux in air assuming clear sky
type: CFParameter
has amip: rsntpcs
comment: A phrase assuming_condition indicates that the named quantity is the value which would obtain if all aspects of the system were unaltered except for the assumption of the circumstances specified by the condition. "shortwave" means shortwave radiation. "Downward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed downward (negative upward). Net downward radiation is the difference between radiation from above (downwelling) and radiation from below (upwelling). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has standard name: net_downward_shortwave_flux_in_air_assuming_clear_sky
has canonical units: W m-2

grid latitude
type: CFParameter
has standard name: grid_latitude
comment: Latitude is positive northward; its units of degree_north (or equivalent) indicate this explicitly. In a latitude-longitude system defined with respect to a rotated North Pole, the standard name of grid_latitude should be used instead of latitude. Grid latitude is positive in the grid-northward direction, but its units should be plain degree.
has canonical units: degree

water vapor content of atmosphere layer
type: CFParameter
has standard name: water_vapor_content_of_atmosphere_layer
comment: "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. "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). If the layers are model layers, the vertical coordinate can be model_level_number, but it is recommended to specify a physical coordinate (in a scalar or auxiliary coordinate variable) as well.
has canonical units: kg m-2

horizontal atmosphere dry energy transport
type: CFParameter
comment: Dry energy is the sum of dry static energy and kinetic energy. Dry static energy is the sum of enthalpy and potential energy (itself the sum of gravitational and centripetal potential energy). Enthalpy can be written either as (1) CpT, where Cp is heat capacity at constant pressure, T is absolute temperature, or (2) U+pV, where U is internal energy, p is pressure and V is volume.
has standard name: horizontal_atmosphere_dry_energy_transport
has canonical units: W m-2

plant respiration carbon flux
type: CFParameter
comment: "Respiration carbon" refers to the rate at which biomass is respired expressed as the mass of carbon which it contains. Plant respiration is the sum of respiration by parts of plants both above and below the soil. Plants which photosynthesise are autotrophs i.e. "producers" of the biomass which they respire from inorganic precursors using sunlight for energy. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
has standard name: plant_respiration_carbon_flux

tendency of eastward wind due to advection
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m s-2
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "Eastward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed eastward (negative westward). 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.)
has standard name: tendency_of_eastward_wind_due_to_advection

product of eastward wind and upward air velocity
type: CFParameter
has standard name: product_of_eastward_wind_and_upward_air_velocity
has canonical units: m2 s-2
comment: "product_of_X_and_Y" means X*Y. A velocity is a vector quantity. "Eastward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed eastward (negative westward). "Upward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed upward (negative downward). 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.) Upward air velocity is the vertical component of the 3D air velocity vector.

convective precipitation flux
type: CFParameter
has amip: prc
comment: In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
has standard name: convective_precipitation_flux

surface snow thickness where sea ice
type: CFParameter
has standard name: surface_snow_thickness_where_sea_ice
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. Unless indicated, a quantity is assumed to apply to the whole area of each horizontal grid box. The qualifier where_type specifies instead that the quantity applies only to the part of the grid box of the named type.
has canonical units: m

thickness of snowfall amount
type: CFParameter
comment: "Amount" means mass per unit area. The construction thickness_of_[X_]snowfall_amount means the accumulated "depth" of snow which fell i.e. the thickness of the layer of snow at its own density. There are corresponding standard names for liquid water equivalent (lwe) thickness.
has canonical units: m
has standard name: thickness_of_snowfall_amount

forecast reference time
type: CFParameter
has standard name: forecast_reference_time
has canonical units: s
comment: The forecast reference time in NWP is the "data time", the time of the analysis from which the forecast was made. It is not the time for which the forecast is valid; the standard name of time should be used for that time.

northward atmosphere heat transport
type: CFParameter
has standard name: northward_atmosphere_heat_transport
has canonical units: W
comment: "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). "Atmosphere heat transport" means total heat transport by the atmosphere by all processes.

surface downwelling spectral spherical irradiance in sea water
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2 m-1
comment: 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". "spectral" means per unit wavelength or as a function of wavelength; spectral quantities are sometimes called "monochromatic". Radiation wavelength has standard name radiation_wavelength. 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".
has standard name: surface_downwelling_spectral_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water

geostrophic northward wind
type: CFParameter
comment: "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). 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.)
has canonical units: m s-1
has standard name: geostrophic_northward_wind

tendency of specific humidity due to advection
type: CFParameter
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "specific" means per unit mass. Specific humidity is the mass fraction of water vapor in (moist) air.
has canonical units: s-1
has standard name: tendency_of_specific_humidity_due_to_advection

platform yaw angle
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: degree
comment: Standard names for platform describe the motion and orientation of the vehicle from which observations are made e.g. aeroplane or ship.
has standard name: platform_yaw_angle

eastward sea ice velocity
type: CFParameter
has standard name: eastward_sea_ice_velocity
has canonical units: m s-1
comment: A velocity is a vector quantity. "Eastward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed eastward (negative westward). Sea ice velocity is defined as a two-dimensional vector, with no vertical component.
has grib: 95

frozen water content of soil layer
type: CFParameter
has standard name: frozen_water_content_of_soil_layer
has canonical units: kg m-2
comment: "frozen_water" means ice. "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. "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). If the layers are model layers, the vertical coordinate can be model_level_number, but it is recommended to specify a physical coordinate (in a scalar or auxiliary coordinate variable) as well. Quantities defined for a soil layer must have a vertical coordinate variable with boundaries indicating the extent of the layer(s).

downward water vapor flux in air due to diffusion
type: CFParameter
comment: 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. "Downward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed downward (negative upward). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has standard name: downward_water_vapor_flux_in_air_due_to_diffusion
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1

virtual temperature
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: K
comment: The virtual temperature of air is the temperature at which the dry air constituent of a parcel of moist air would have the same density as the moist air at the same pressure.
has standard name: virtual_temperature
has grib: 12

volume fraction of water in soil at critical point
type: CFParameter
has standard name: volume_fraction_of_water_in_soil_at_critical_point
comment: "Water" means water in all phases. "Volume fraction" is used in the construction volume_fraction_of_X_in_Y, where X is a material constituent of Y. When soil moisture equals or exceeds the critical point evapotranspiration takes place at the potential rate and is controlled by the ambient meteorological conditions (temperature, wind, relative humidity). Evapotranspiration is the sum of evaporation and plant transpiration. Potential evapotranspiration is the rate at which evapotranspiration would occur under ambient conditions from a uniformly vegetated area when the water supply is not limiting.
has canonical units: 1

surface downward y stress
type: CFParameter
has standard name: surface_downward_y_stress
has canonical units: Pa
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "y" indicates a vector component along the grid y-axis, when this is not true latitude, positive with increasing y. "Downward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed downward (negative upward).

freezing level altitude
type: CFParameter
has standard name: freezing_level_altitude
comment: Altitude is the (geometric) height above the geoid, which is the reference geopotential surface. The geoid is similar to mean sea level.
has canonical units: m

height
type: CFParameter
comment: Height is the vertical distance above the surface.
has standard name: height
has canonical units: m
has amip: zh

brightness temperature
type: CFParameter
has grib: 118
has canonical units: K
has standard name: brightness_temperature
comment: 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.

ocean isopycnal layer thickness diffusivity
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m2 s-1
has standard name: ocean_isopycnal_layer_thickness_diffusivity

volume absorption coefficient of radiative flux in sea water
type: CFParameter
comment: Radiative flux is the sum of shortwave and longwave radiative fluxes. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics. The volume scattering/absorption/attenuation coefficient is the fractional change of radiative flux per unit path length due to the stated process. Coefficients with canonical units of m2 s-1 i.e. multiplied by density have standard names with specific_ instead of volume_. The scattering/absorption/attenuation coefficient is assumed to be an integral over all wavelengths, unless a coordinate of radiation_wavelength is included to specify the wavelength.
has canonical units: m-1
has standard name: volume_absorption_coefficient_of_radiative_flux_in_sea_water

northward ocean heat transport due to bolus advection
type: CFParameter
has standard name: northward_ocean_heat_transport_due_to_bolus_advection
comment: 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. "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). Northward transport by bolus advection in an ocean model means the part due to a scheme representing eddy-induced effects not included in the velocity field.
has canonical units: W

volume scattering function of radiative flux in sea water
type: CFParameter
comment: Radiative flux is the sum of shortwave and longwave radiative fluxes. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics. Scattering of radiation is its deflection from its incident path without loss of energy. The volume scattering function is the fraction of incident radiative flux scattered into unit solid angle per unit path length. The (range of) direction(s) of scattering can be specified by a coordinate of scattering_angle.
has standard name: volume_scattering_function_of_radiative_flux_in_sea_water
has canonical units: m-1 sr-1

surface downwelling photosynthetic spherical irradiance in sea water
type: CFParameter
comment: 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". "Photosynthetic" radiation is the part of the spectrum which is used in photosynthesis e.g. 300-700 nm. The range of wavelengths could be specified precisely by the bounds of a coordinate of radiation_wavelength. 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".
has standard name: surface_downwelling_photosynthetic_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water
has canonical units: W m-2

atmosphere water content
type: CFParameter
comment: "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. The "atmosphere content" of a quantity refers to the vertical integral from the surface to the top of the atmosphere. For the content between specified levels in the atmosphere, standard names including content_of_atmosphere_layer are used. "Water" means water in all phases.
has standard name: atmosphere_water_content
has canonical units: kg m-2

toa net downward shortwave flux
type: CFParameter
comment: "shortwave" means shortwave radiation. "toa" means top of atmosphere. "Downward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed downward (negative upward). Net downward radiation is the difference between radiation from above (downwelling) and radiation from below (upwelling). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has canonical units: W m-2
has amip: rst
has standard name: toa_net_downward_shortwave_flux

surface downwelling spectral radiance in sea water
type: CFParameter
has standard name: surface_downwelling_spectral_radiance_in_sea_water
has canonical units: W m-2 m-1 sr-1
comment: 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". "spectral" means per unit wavelength or as a function of wavelength; spectral quantities are sometimes called "monochromatic". Radiation wavelength has 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.

tendency of mass fraction of cloud condensed water in air due to advection
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: s-1
has standard name: tendency_of_mass_fraction_of_cloud_condensed_water_in_air_due_to_advection
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "condensed_water" means liquid and ice. Mass fraction is used in the construction mass_fraction_of_X_in_Y, where X is a material constituent of Y. It means the ratio of the mass of Y to the mass of X (including Y).

region
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: string
has standard name: region
comment: A variable with the standard name of region contains strings which indicate geographical regions. These strings must be chosen from the standard region list.

northward ocean heat transport due to overturning
type: CFParameter
has amip: htovovrt
comment: 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. "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). Northward transport by (meridional) overturning is geometrically defined as being the part due to the vertical integral of the product of zonal means of velocity and tracer. The velocity does not include "bolus" or Gent-McWilliams velocity.
has standard name: northward_ocean_heat_transport_due_to_overturning
has canonical units: W

large scale snowfall flux
type: CFParameter
has standard name: large_scale_snowfall_flux
comment: In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1

cloud base altitude
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m
comment: cloud_base refers to the base of the lowest cloud. Altitude is the (geometric) height above the geoid, which is the reference geopotential surface. The geoid is similar to mean sea level.
has standard name: cloud_base_altitude

mass fraction of ozone in air
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: 1
has standard name: mass_fraction_of_ozone_in_air
comment: Mass fraction is used in the construction mass_fraction_of_X_in_Y, where X is a material constituent of Y. It means the ratio of the mass of Y to the mass of X (including Y).

isccp cloud area fraction
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: 1
has amip: clisccp
comment: "X_area_fraction" means the fraction of horizontal area occupied by X. "X_area" means the horizontal area occupied by X within the grid cell. Cloud area fraction is also called "cloud amount" and "cloud cover". The cloud area fraction is for the whole atmosphere column, as seen from the surface or the top of the atmosphere. The cloud area fraction in a layer of the atmosphere has the standard name cloud_area_fraction_in_atmosphere_layer. The ISCCP cloud area fraction is diagnosed from atmosphere model output by the ISCCP simulator software in such a way as to be comparable with the observational diagnostics of ISCCP (the International Satellite Cloud Climatology Project).
has standard name: isccp_cloud_area_fraction

water evaporation flux from soil
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
has standard name: water_evaporation_flux_from_soil
comment: "Water" means water in all phases. Evaporation is the conversion of liquid or solid into vapor. (The conversion of solid alone into vapor is called "sublimation".) In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.

snowfall flux
type: CFParameter
comment: In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has standard name: snowfall_flux
has amip: prsn
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
has grib: 64

platform yaw rate
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: degree s-1
has standard name: platform_yaw_rate
comment: Standard names for platform describe the motion and orientation of the vehicle from which observations are made e.g. aeroplane or ship.

tendency of atmosphere water vapor content due to advection
type: CFParameter
has standard name: tendency_of_atmosphere_water_vapor_content_due_to_advection
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. The "atmosphere content" of a quantity refers to the vertical integral from the surface to the top of the atmosphere. For the content between specified levels in the atmosphere, standard names including content_of_atmosphere_layer are used. Atmosphere water vapor content is sometimes referred to as "precipitable water", although this term does not imply the water could all be precipitated.

sound frequency
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: s-1
has standard name: sound_frequency
comment: Frequency is the number of oscillations of a wave per unit time.

sea ice speed
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m s-1
comment: Speed is the magnitude of velocity.
has standard name: sea_ice_speed
has grib: 94

surface downwelling photosynthetic photon spherical irradiance in sea water
type: CFParameter
has standard name: surface_downwelling_photosynthetic_photon_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water
has canonical units: mol m-2 s-1
comment: 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". "Photosynthetic" radiation is the part of the spectrum which is used in photosynthesis e.g. 300-700 nm. The range of wavelengths could be specified precisely by the bounds of a coordinate of 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.

mass fraction of frozen water in soil moisture
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: 1
has standard name: mass_fraction_of_frozen_water_in_soil_moisture
comment: "frozen_water" means ice. "moisture" means water in all phases contained in soil. Mass fraction is used in the construction mass_fraction_of_X_in_Y, where X is a material constituent of Y. It means the ratio of the mass of Y to the mass of X (including Y).

speed of sound in sea water
type: CFParameter
has standard name: speed_of_sound_in_sea_water
has canonical units: m s-1
comment: Speed is the magnitude of velocity.

tendency of atmosphere water vapor content
type: CFParameter
comment: "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. The "atmosphere content" of a quantity refers to the vertical integral from the surface to the top of the atmosphere. For the content between specified levels in the atmosphere, standard names including content_of_atmosphere_layer are used. Atmosphere water vapor content is sometimes referred to as "precipitable water", although this term does not imply the water could all be precipitated.
has standard name: tendency_of_atmosphere_water_vapor_content
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1

atmosphere hybrid sigma pressure coordinate
type: CFParameter
has standard name: atmosphere_hybrid_sigma_pressure_coordinate
comment: See Appendix D of the CF convention for information about dimensionless vertical coordinates.
has canonical units: 1

tendency of air temperature due to dry convection
type: CFParameter
has standard name: tendency_of_air_temperature_due_to_dry_convection
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. Air temperature is the bulk temperature of the air, not the surface (skin) temperature.
has canonical units: K s-1
has amip: tntdc

northward atmosphere dry static energy transport across unit distance
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-1
comment: "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). Transport across_unit_distance means expressed per unit distance normal to the direction of transport. Dry static energy is the sum of enthalpy and potential energy (itself the sum of gravitational and centripetal potential energy). Enthalpy can be written either as (1) CpT, where Cp is heat capacity at constant pressure, T is absolute temperature, or (2) U+pV, where U is internal energy, p is pressure and V is volume.
has standard name: northward_atmosphere_dry_static_energy_transport_across_unit_distance

dry static energy content of atmosphere layer
type: CFParameter
has standard name: dry_static_energy_content_of_atmosphere_layer
has canonical units: J m-2
comment: "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. "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). If the layers are model layers, the vertical coordinate can be model_level_number, but it is recommended to specify a physical coordinate (in a scalar or auxiliary coordinate variable) as well. Dry static energy is the sum of enthalpy and potential energy (itself the sum of gravitational and centripetal potential energy). Enthalpy can be written either as (1) CpT, where Cp is heat capacity at constant pressure, T is absolute temperature, or (2) U+pV, where U is internal energy, p is pressure and V is volume.

soil temperature
type: CFParameter
has standard name: soil_temperature
has grib: 85
has canonical units: K
comment: Soil temperature is the bulk temperature of the soil, not the surface (skin) temperature.

water potential evaporation flux
type: CFParameter
comment: "Water" means water in all phases. Evaporation is the conversion of liquid or solid into vapor. (The conversion of solid alone into vapor is called "sublimation".) Potential evaporation is the rate at which evaporation would take place under unaltered ambient conditions (temperature, relative humidity, wind, etc.) if the supply of water were unlimited, as if from an open water surface. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
has standard name: water_potential_evaporation_flux

lwe thickness of precipitation amount
type: CFParameter
comment: "lwe" means liquid water equivalent. "Amount" means mass per unit area. The construction lwe_thickness_of_X_amount or _content means the vertical extent of a layer of liquid water having the same mass per unit area.
has standard name: lwe_thickness_of_precipitation_amount
has canonical units: m

land ice basal melt rate
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m s-1
comment: "Land ice" means glaciers, ice-caps and ice-sheets resting on bedrock. The land ice basal melt rate is the rate at which ice is lost per unit area at the base of the ice.
has standard name: land_ice_basal_melt_rate

moisture content of soil layer
type: CFParameter
has standard name: moisture_content_of_soil_layer
has amip: mrsos
has canonical units: kg m-2
comment: "moisture" means water in all phases contained in soil. "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. "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). If the layers are model layers, the vertical coordinate can be model_level_number, but it is recommended to specify a physical coordinate (in a scalar or auxiliary coordinate variable) as well. Quantities defined for a soil layer must have a vertical coordinate variable with boundaries indicating the extent of the layer(s).

lwe convective precipitation rate
type: CFParameter
has standard name: lwe_convective_precipitation_rate
has canonical units: m s-1
comment: "lwe" means liquid water equivalent.

surface downward heat flux in sea water
type: CFParameter
has standard name: surface_downward_heat_flux_in_sea_water
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "Water" means water in all phases, including frozen i.e. ice and snow. "Downward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed downward (negative upward). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has canonical units: W m-2

surface downward sensible heat flux
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
has standard name: surface_downward_sensible_heat_flux
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "Downward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed downward (negative upward). The surface sensible heat flux, also called "turbulent" heat flux, is the exchange of heat between the surface and the air by motion of air. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.

surface upwelling spectral radiance in air reflected by sea water
type: CFParameter
comment: 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". "spectral" means per unit wavelength or as a function of wavelength; spectral quantities are sometimes called "monochromatic". Radiation wavelength has standard name radiation_wavelength. 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.
has canonical units: W m-2 m-1 sr-1
has standard name: surface_upwelling_spectral_radiance_in_air_reflected_by_sea_water

tendency of water vapor content of atmosphere layer due to convection
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
has standard name: tendency_of_water_vapor_content_of_atmosphere_layer_due_to_convection
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. "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). If the layers are model layers, the vertical coordinate can be model_level_number, but it is recommended to specify a physical coordinate (in a scalar or auxiliary coordinate variable) as well.

large scale precipitation amount
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: kg m-2
has grib: 62
comment: "Amount" means mass per unit area.
has standard name: large_scale_precipitation_amount

product of air temperature and specific humidity
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: K
comment: "product_of_X_and_Y" means X*Y. "specific" means per unit mass. Air temperature is the bulk temperature of the air, not the surface (skin) temperature. Specific humidity is the mass fraction of water vapor in (moist) air.
has standard name: product_of_air_temperature_and_specific_humidity

northward ocean heat transport due to diffusion
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W
has standard name: northward_ocean_heat_transport_due_to_diffusion
has amip: htovdiff
comment: 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. "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). Northward transport by diffusion means the part due to horizontal or isopyncal diffusion schemes in an ocean model, but not including the "bolus" or Gent-McWilliams velocity.

sea water temperature
type: CFParameter
has amip: to
has grib: 80
has standard name: sea_water_temperature
has canonical units: K

surface net upward radiative flux
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
has standard name: surface_net_upward_radiative_flux
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "Upward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed upward (negative downward). Net upward radiation is the difference between radiation from below (upwelling) and radiation from above (downwelling). Radiative flux is the sum of shortwave and longwave radiative fluxes. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.

water vapor pressure
type: CFParameter
has grib: 55
comment: Vapor pressure is the partial pressure of a constituent of air, such as water, which exists as liquid or solid under "normal" conditions. "Water" is specified when the term is being applied to water.
has standard name: water_vapor_pressure
has canonical units: Pa

bioluminescent photon rate in sea water
type: CFParameter
has standard name: bioluminescent_photon_rate_in_sea_water
has canonical units: s-1 m-3

ocean integral of sea water temperature wrt depth
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: K m
comment: "integral_of_Y_wrt_X" means int Y dX. The data variable should have an axis for X specifying the limits of the integral as bounds. "wrt" means with respect to. Depth is the vertical distance below the surface.
has standard name: ocean_integral_of_sea_water_temperature_wrt_depth

sea area fraction
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: 1
has standard name: sea_area_fraction
comment: "X_area_fraction" means the fraction of horizontal area occupied by X. "X_area" means the horizontal area occupied by X within the grid cell.

tropopause instantaneous shortwave forcing
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
has standard name: tropopause_instantaneous_shortwave_forcing
comment: "shortwave" means shortwave radiation. Instantaneous forcing is the radiative flux change caused instantaneously by an imposed change in radiative forcing agent (greenhouse gases, aerosol, solar radiation, etc.).

sea water electrical conductivity
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: S m-1
has standard name: sea_water_electrical_conductivity

volume absorption coefficient of radiative flux in sea water due to dissolved organic matter
type: CFParameter
comment: 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. Radiative flux is the sum of shortwave and longwave radiative fluxes. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics. The volume scattering/absorption/attenuation coefficient is the fractional change of radiative flux per unit path length due to the stated process. Coefficients with canonical units of m2 s-1 i.e. multiplied by density have standard names with specific_ instead of volume_. The scattering/absorption/attenuation coefficient is assumed to be an integral over all wavelengths, unless a coordinate of radiation_wavelength is included to specify the wavelength.
has standard name: volume_absorption_coefficient_of_radiative_flux_in_sea_water_due_to_dissolved_organic_matter
has canonical units: m-1

sea ice transport across line
type: CFParameter
has standard name: sea_ice_transport_across_line
has canonical units: kg s-1
comment: Transport across_line means that which crosses a particular line on the Earth's surface; formally this means the integral along the line of the normal component of the transport.

moles of nitrate and nitrite per unit mass in sea water
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: mol kg-1
comment: moles_of_X_per_unit_mass_inY is also called "molality" of X in Y, where X is a material constituent of Y.
has standard name: moles_of_nitrate_and_nitrite_per_unit_mass_in_sea_water

downward heat flux at ground level in snow
type: CFParameter
comment: ground_level means the land surface (beneath the snow and surface water, if any). "Downward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed downward (negative upward). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has standard name: downward_heat_flux_at_ground_level_in_snow
has canonical units: W m-2

surface downwelling spectral photon spherical irradiance in sea water
type: CFParameter
comment: 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". "spectral" means per unit wavelength or as a function of wavelength; spectral quantities are sometimes called "monochromatic". Radiation wavelength has 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.
has standard name: surface_downwelling_spectral_photon_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water
has canonical units: mol m-2 s-1 m-1

tendency of water vapor content of atmosphere layer due to deep convection
type: CFParameter
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. "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). If the layers are model layers, the vertical coordinate can be model_level_number, but it is recommended to specify a physical coordinate (in a scalar or auxiliary coordinate variable) as well.
has standard name: tendency_of_water_vapor_content_of_atmosphere_layer_due_to_deep_convection
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1

surface snow amount
type: CFParameter
has amip: snw
has standard name: surface_snow_amount
has grib: 65
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "Amount" means mass per unit area. Surface amount refers to the amount on the ground, excluding that on the plant or vegetation canopy.
has canonical units: kg m-2

tendency of air temperature due to shortwave heating assuming clear sky
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: K s-1
comment: 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. A phrase assuming_condition indicates that the named quantity is the value which would obtain if all aspects of the system were unaltered except for the assumption of the circumstances specified by the condition. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "shortwave" means shortwave radiation. Air temperature is the bulk temperature of the air, not the surface (skin) temperature.
has standard name: tendency_of_air_temperature_due_to_shortwave_heating_assuming_clear_sky

tendency of air pressure
type: CFParameter
has standard name: tendency_of_air_pressure
has grib: 3
comment: "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time.
has canonical units: Pa s-1

correction for model negative specific humidity
type: CFParameter
has standard name: correction_for_model_negative_specific_humidity
has canonical units: 1
comment: A numerical correction which is added to modelled negative specific humidities in order to obtain a value of zero.

soil thermal capacity
type: CFParameter
comment: Thermal capacity, or heat capacity, is the amount of heat energy required to increase the temperature of 1 kg of material by 1 K. It is a property of the material.
has standard name: soil_thermal_capacity
has canonical units: J kg-1 K-1

surface snow sublimation amount
type: CFParameter
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "Amount" means mass per unit area. Sublimation is the conversion of solid into vapor.
has standard name: surface_snow_sublimation_amount
has canonical units: kg m-2

liquid water content of snow layer
type: CFParameter
comment: "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area.
has canonical units: kg m-2
has standard name: liquid_water_content_of_snow_layer

bedrock altitude
type: CFParameter
comment: Altitude is the (geometric) height above the geoid, which is the reference geopotential surface. The geoid is similar to mean sea level. "Bedrock" is the solid Earth surface beneath land ice or ocean water.
has standard name: bedrock_altitude
has canonical units: m

global average sea level change
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m
comment: 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.
has standard name: global_average_sea_level_change

toa net downward shortwave flux assuming clear sky
type: CFParameter
has standard name: toa_net_downward_shortwave_flux_assuming_clear_sky
has canonical units: W m-2
comment: A phrase assuming_condition indicates that the named quantity is the value which would obtain if all aspects of the system were unaltered except for the assumption of the circumstances specified by the condition. "shortwave" means shortwave radiation. "toa" means top of atmosphere. "Downward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed downward (negative upward). Net downward radiation is the difference between radiation from above (downwelling) and radiation from below (upwelling). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.

downward heat flux in soil
type: CFParameter
has standard name: downward_heat_flux_in_soil
comment: "Downward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed downward (negative upward). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has canonical units: W m-2

model level number at top of atmosphere boundary layer
type: CFParameter
has standard name: model_level_number_at_top_of_atmosphere_boundary_layer
comment: Model level number should be understood as equivalent to layer number.
has canonical units: 1

tendency of northward wind due to advection
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m s-2
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). 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.)
has standard name: tendency_of_northward_wind_due_to_advection

surface drag coefficient for heat in air
type: CFParameter
has standard name: surface_drag_coefficient_for_heat_in_air
has canonical units: 1
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere.

northward ocean freshwater transport due to gyre
type: CFParameter
has standard name: northward_ocean_freshwater_transport_due_to_gyre
has canonical units: kg s-1
comment: 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. "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). Northward transport by the ocean gyre is geometrically defined as being the part due to the vertical integral of the product of deviations of velocity and tracer from their zonal means. The velocity does not include "bolus" or Gent-McWilliams velocity.

sound pressure level in air
type: CFParameter
comment: Sound pressure is the difference from the local ambient pressure caused by a sound wave at a particular location and time. Sound pressure level in air is expressed on a logarithmic scale with reference to a sound pressure of 2e-5 Pa. Lp = 20 log10(p/p0) where Lp is the sound pressure level, p is the rms sound pressure and p0 is the reference sound pressure.
has standard name: sound_pressure_level_in_air
has canonical units: dB

net rate of absorption of shortwave energy in atmosphere layer
type: CFParameter
comment: "shortwave" means shortwave radiation. "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). If the layers are model layers, the vertical coordinate can be model_level_number, but it is recommended to specify a physical coordinate (in a scalar or auxiliary coordinate variable) as well. Net absorbed radiation is the difference between absorbed and emitted radiation.
has canonical units: W m-2
has standard name: net_rate_of_absorption_of_shortwave_energy_in_atmosphere_layer

rainfall flux
type: CFParameter
has standard name: rainfall_flux
comment: In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1

large scale precipitation flux
type: CFParameter
comment: In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has standard name: large_scale_precipitation_flux
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1

height at cloud top
type: CFParameter
comment: cloud_top refers to the top of the highest cloud. Height is the vertical distance above the surface.
has canonical units: m
has standard name: height_at_cloud_top

surface temperature where land
type: CFParameter
comment: Unless indicated, a quantity is assumed to apply to the whole area of each horizontal grid box. The qualifier where_type specifies instead that the quantity applies only to the part of the grid box of the named type. The surface temperature is the (skin) temperature at the interface, not the bulk temperature of the medium above or below.
has standard name: surface_temperature_where_land
has canonical units: K

atmosphere optical thickness due to aerosol
type: CFParameter
comment: 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. The optical thickness is the integral along the path of radiation of a volume scattering/absorption/attenuation coefficient. The radiative flux is reduced by a factor exp(-optical_thickness) on traversing the path. The atmosphere optical thickness applies to radiation passing through the entire atmosphere. "Aerosol" means the suspended liquid or solid particles in air (except cloud droplets).
has standard name: atmosphere_optical_thickness_due_to_aerosol
has canonical units: 1

surface carbon dioxide partial pressure difference between air and sea water
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: Pa
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "Water" means water in all phases, including frozen i.e. ice and snow. The partial pressure of a gaseous constituent of air is the pressure which it alone would exert with unchanged temperature and number of moles per unit volume.
has standard name: surface_carbon_dioxide_partial_pressure_difference_between_air_and_sea_water

change over time in atmospheric water content due to advection
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: kg m-2
has standard name: change_over_time_in_atmospheric_water_content_due_to_advection
comment: 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. "change_over_time_in_X" means change in a quantity X over a time-interval, which should be defined by the bounds of the time coordinate. "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. "Water" means water in all phases.

wet bulb temperature
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: K
has standard name: wet_bulb_temperature

tendency of sea ice thickness due to thermodynamics
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m s-1
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time.
has standard name: tendency_of_sea_ice_thickness_due_to_thermodynamics
has grib: 97

upwelling longwave flux in air
type: CFParameter
comment: "longwave" means longwave radiation. 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.
has standard name: upwelling_longwave_flux_in_air
has canonical units: W m-2

product of eastward sea water velocity and salinity
type: CFParameter
comment: "product_of_X_and_Y" means X*Y. A velocity is a vector quantity. "Eastward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed eastward (negative westward). The unit of salinity is PSU, which is dimensionless. The units attribute should be given as 1e-3 or 0.001 i.e. parts per thousand if salinity is in PSU.
has canonical units: m s-1
has standard name: product_of_eastward_sea_water_velocity_and_salinity

upwelling longwave radiance in air
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2 sr-1
has standard name: upwelling_longwave_radiance_in_air
comment: "longwave" means longwave radiation. 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.

lwe convective snowfall rate
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m s-1
has standard name: lwe_convective_snowfall_rate
comment: "lwe" means liquid water equivalent.

land ice area fraction
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: 1
has standard name: land_ice_area_fraction
comment: "X_area_fraction" means the fraction of horizontal area occupied by X. "X_area" means the horizontal area occupied by X within the grid cell. "Land ice" means glaciers, ice-caps and ice-sheets resting on bedrock.
has amip: sftgif

tendency of atmosphere water vapor content due to convection
type: CFParameter
has standard name: tendency_of_atmosphere_water_vapor_content_due_to_convection
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. The "atmosphere content" of a quantity refers to the vertical integral from the surface to the top of the atmosphere. For the content between specified levels in the atmosphere, standard names including content_of_atmosphere_layer are used. Atmosphere water vapor content is sometimes referred to as "precipitable water", although this term does not imply the water could all be precipitated.

mass fraction of rain in air
type: CFParameter
has standard name: mass_fraction_of_rain_in_air
comment: Mass fraction is used in the construction mass_fraction_of_X_in_Y, where X is a material constituent of Y. It means the ratio of the mass of Y to the mass of X (including Y).
has canonical units: 1

surface temperature where open sea
type: CFParameter
has standard name: surface_temperature_where_open_sea
has canonical units: K
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. Unless indicated, a quantity is assumed to apply to the whole area of each horizontal grid box. The qualifier where_type specifies instead that the quantity applies only to the part of the grid box of the named type. The surface temperature is the (skin) temperature at the interface, not the bulk temperature of the medium above or below.

surface snow melt amount
type: CFParameter
has grib: 99
has canonical units: kg m-2
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "Amount" means mass per unit area.
has standard name: surface_snow_melt_amount

normalized difference vegetation index
type: CFParameter
has standard name: normalized_difference_vegetation_index
comment: "Normalized_difference_vegetation_index", usually abbreviated to NDVI, is an index calculated from reflectances measured in the visible and near infrared channels. It is calculated as NDVI = (NIR - R) / (NIR + R) where NIR is the reflectance in the near-infrared band and R is the reflectance in the red visible band. Reflectance is the ratio of the reflected over the incoming radiation in each spectral band. The calculated value of NDVI depends on the precise definitions of the spectral bands and these definitions may vary between different models and remote sensing instruments.
has canonical units: 1

convective cloud area fraction in atmosphere layer
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: 1
has standard name: convective_cloud_area_fraction_in_atmosphere_layer
comment: "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). If the layers are model layers, the vertical coordinate can be model_level_number, but it is recommended to specify a physical coordinate (in a scalar or auxiliary coordinate variable) as well. "X_area_fraction" means the fraction of horizontal area occupied by X. "X_area" means the horizontal area occupied by X within the grid cell. Cloud area fraction is also called "cloud amount" and "cloud cover". Convective cloud is that produced by the convection schemes in an atmosphere model.

net rate of absorption of longwave energy in atmosphere layer
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
has standard name: net_rate_of_absorption_of_longwave_energy_in_atmosphere_layer
comment: "longwave" means longwave radiation. "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). If the layers are model layers, the vertical coordinate can be model_level_number, but it is recommended to specify a physical coordinate (in a scalar or auxiliary coordinate variable) as well. Net absorbed radiation is the difference between absorbed and emitted radiation.

eastward atmosphere water transport across unit distance
type: CFParameter
has standard name: eastward_atmosphere_water_transport_across_unit_distance
comment: "Water" means water in all phases. "Eastward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed eastward (negative westward). Transport across_unit_distance means expressed per unit distance normal to the direction of transport.
has canonical units: kg s-1 m-1

upward water vapor flux in air due to diffusion
type: CFParameter
has standard name: upward_water_vapor_flux_in_air_due_to_diffusion
comment: 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. "Upward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed upward (negative downward). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1

mass fraction of snow in air
type: CFParameter
comment: Mass fraction is used in the construction mass_fraction_of_X_in_Y, where X is a material constituent of Y. It means the ratio of the mass of Y to the mass of X (including Y).
has canonical units: 1
has standard name: mass_fraction_of_snow_in_air

upward heat flux at ground level in snow
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
comment: ground_level means the land surface (beneath the snow and surface water, if any). "Upward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed upward (negative downward). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has standard name: upward_heat_flux_at_ground_level_in_snow

optical thickness of atmosphere layer due to aerosol
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: 1
comment: 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. "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). If the layers are model layers, the vertical coordinate can be model_level_number, but it is recommended to specify a physical coordinate (in a scalar or auxiliary coordinate variable) as well. The optical thickness is the integral along the path of radiation of a volume scattering/absorption/attenuation coefficient. The radiative flux is reduced by a factor exp(-optical_thickness) on traversing the path. "Aerosol" means the suspended liquid or solid particles in air (except cloud droplets).
has standard name: optical_thickness_of_atmosphere_layer_due_to_aerosol

tendency of air temperature due to moist convection
type: CFParameter
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. Air temperature is the bulk temperature of the air, not the surface (skin) temperature.
has standard name: tendency_of_air_temperature_due_to_moist_convection
has amip: tntmc
has canonical units: K s-1

tendency of atmosphere potential energy content due to advection
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. The "atmosphere content" of a quantity refers to the vertical integral from the surface to the top of the atmosphere. For the content between specified levels in the atmosphere, standard names including content_of_atmosphere_layer are used. Potential energy is the sum of the gravitational potential energy relative to the geoid and the centripetal potential energy. (The geopotential is the specific potential energy.)
has standard name: tendency_of_atmosphere_potential_energy_content_due_to_advection

product of specific humidity and omega
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: Pa s-1
has standard name: product_of_specific_humidity_and_omega
comment: "product_of_X_and_Y" means X*Y. "specific" means per unit mass. Specific humidity is the mass fraction of water vapor in (moist) air. "omegaX" is used for brevity to mean "lagrangian_tendency_of_air_pressure in standard names constructed as a combination of omega with some other quantity.

surface downwelling spectral radiative flux in sea water
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2 m-1
comment: 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". "spectral" means per unit wavelength or as a function of wavelength; spectral quantities are sometimes called "monochromatic". Radiation wavelength has standard name radiation_wavelength. 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.
has standard name: surface_downwelling_spectral_radiative_flux_in_sea_water

tropopause downwelling longwave flux
type: CFParameter
has standard name: tropopause_downwelling_longwave_flux
has canonical units: W m-2
comment: "longwave" means longwave radiation. 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.

downwelling photosynthetic photon flux in sea water
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: mol m-2 s-1
comment: Downwelling radiation is radiation from above. It does not mean "net downward". "Photosynthetic" radiation is the part of the spectrum which is used in photosynthesis e.g. 300-700 nm. The range of wavelengths could be specified precisely by the bounds of a coordinate of radiation_wavelength. 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.
has standard name: downwelling_photosynthetic_photon_flux_in_sea_water

atmosphere net rate of absorption of shortwave energy
type: CFParameter
comment: "shortwave" means shortwave radiation. Net absorbed radiation is the difference between absorbed and emitted radiation.
has standard name: atmosphere_net_rate_of_absorption_of_shortwave_energy
has canonical units: W m-2

downward y stress at sea ice base
type: CFParameter
comment: "y" indicates a vector component along the grid y-axis, when this is not true latitude, positive with increasing y. "Downward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed downward (negative upward).
has standard name: downward_y_stress_at_sea_ice_base
has canonical units: Pa

convective cloud base altitude
type: CFParameter
comment: cloud_base refers to the base of the lowest cloud. Altitude is the (geometric) height above the geoid, which is the reference geopotential surface. The geoid is similar to mean sea level. Convective cloud is that produced by the convection schemes in an atmosphere model.
has canonical units: m
has standard name: convective_cloud_base_altitude

duration of sunshine
type: CFParameter
comment: The WMO definition of sunshine is that the surface incident radiative flux from the solar beam (i.e. excluding diffuse skylight) exceeds 120 W m-2. "Duration" is the length of time for which a condition holds.
has standard name: duration_of_sunshine
has canonical units: s

air pressure at convective cloud top
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: Pa
comment: cloud_top refers to the top of the highest cloud. Convective cloud is that produced by the convection schemes in an atmosphere model.
has standard name: air_pressure_at_convective_cloud_top

sound pressure level in water
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: dB
comment: Sound pressure is the difference from the local ambient pressure caused by a sound wave at a particular location and time. Sound pressure level in water is expressed on a logarithmic scale with reference to a sound pressure of 1e-6 Pa. Lp = 20 log10(p/p0) where Lp is the sound pressure level, p is the rms sound pressure and p0 is the reference sound pressure.
has standard name: sound_pressure_level_in_water

mass fraction of stratiform cloud ice in air
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: 1
has standard name: mass_fraction_of_stratiform_cloud_ice_in_air
comment: Mass fraction is used in the construction mass_fraction_of_X_in_Y, where X is a material constituent of Y. It means the ratio of the mass of Y to the mass of X (including Y). In an atmosphere model, stratiform cloud is that produced by large-scale convergence (not the convection schemes).

cloud top altitude
type: CFParameter
comment: cloud_top refers to the top of the highest cloud. Altitude is the (geometric) height above the geoid, which is the reference geopotential surface. The geoid is similar to mean sea level.
has canonical units: m
has standard name: cloud_top_altitude

sea water potential temperature
type: CFParameter
comment: Potential temperature is the temperature a parcel of air or sea water would have if moved adiabatically to sea level pressure.
has canonical units: K
has standard name: sea_water_potential_temperature

surface snow thickness
type: CFParameter
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere.
has grib: 66
has amip: snd
has standard name: surface_snow_thickness
has canonical units: m

model level number at convective cloud base
type: CFParameter
comment: cloud_base refers to the base of the lowest cloud. Model level number should be understood as equivalent to layer number. Convective cloud is that produced by the convection schemes in an atmosphere model.
has standard name: model_level_number_at_convective_cloud_base
has canonical units: 1

tropopause net downward longwave flux
type: CFParameter
has standard name: tropopause_net_downward_longwave_flux
has canonical units: W m-2
comment: "longwave" means longwave radiation. "Downward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed downward (negative upward). Net downward radiation is the difference between radiation from above (downwelling) and radiation from below (upwelling). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.

x wind
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m s-1
comment: "x" indicates a vector component along the grid x-axis, when this is not true longitude, positive with increasing x. 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.)
has standard name: x_wind

scattering angle
type: CFParameter
comment: The scattering angle is that between the direction of the beam of incident radiation and the direction into which it is scattered.
has canonical units: rad
has standard name: scattering_angle

integral of air temperature excess wrt time
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: K s
comment: "integral_of_Y_wrt_X" means int Y dX. The data variable should have an axis for X specifying the limits of the integral as bounds. "wrt" means with respect to. Air temperature is the bulk temperature of the air, not the surface (skin) temperature. The air temperature excess is the air temperature minus the air temperature threshold. Its integral with respect to time is often called after its units of "degree-days".
has standard name: integral_of_air_temperature_excess_wrt_time

sound intensity level in air
type: CFParameter
has standard name: sound_intensity_level_in_air
has canonical units: dB
comment: Sound intensity is the sound energy per unit time per unit area. Sound intensity level in air is expressed on a logarithmic scale with reference to a sound intensity of 1e-12 W m-2. LI = 10 log10(I/I0) where LI is sound intensity level, I is sound intensity and I0 is the reference sound intensity.

moles of phosphate per unit mass in sea water
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: mol kg-1
comment: moles_of_X_per_unit_mass_inY is also called "molality" of X in Y, where X is a material constituent of Y.
has standard name: moles_of_phosphate_per_unit_mass_in_sea_water

land ice thickness
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m
comment: "Land ice" means glaciers, ice-caps and ice-sheets resting on bedrock.
has standard name: land_ice_thickness

tendency of mass fraction of cloud liquid water in air due to advection
type: CFParameter
has standard name: tendency_of_mass_fraction_of_cloud_liquid_water_in_air_due_to_advection
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. Mass fraction is used in the construction mass_fraction_of_X_in_Y, where X is a material constituent of Y. It means the ratio of the mass of Y to the mass of X (including Y).
has canonical units: s-1

sea ice y velocity
type: CFParameter
has standard name: sea_ice_y_velocity
comment: A velocity is a vector quantity. "y" indicates a vector component along the grid y-axis, when this is not true latitude, positive with increasing y.
has canonical units: m s-1

surface albedo assuming no snow
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: 1
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. A phrase assuming_condition indicates that the named quantity is the value which would obtain if all aspects of the system were unaltered except for the assumption of the circumstances specified by the condition.
has standard name: surface_albedo_assuming_no_snow

product of eastward wind and geopotential height
type: CFParameter
has standard name: product_of_eastward_wind_and_geopotential_height
comment: "product_of_X_and_Y" means X*Y. Geopotential is the sum of the specific gravitational potential energy relative to the geoid and the specific centripetal potential energy. Geopotential height is the geopotential divided by the standard acceleration due to gravity. It is numerically similar to the altitude (or geometric height) and not to the quantity with standard name height, which is relative to the surface. "Eastward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed eastward (negative westward). 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.)
has canonical units: m2 s-1
has amip: mpuzga

atmosphere mass per unit area
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: kg m-2
comment: "X_area" means the horizontal area occupied by X within the grid cell.
has standard name: atmosphere_mass_per_unit_area

convective snowfall amount
type: CFParameter
has grib: 78
comment: "Amount" means mass per unit area.
has canonical units: kg m-2
has standard name: convective_snowfall_amount

biomass burning carbon flux
type: CFParameter
comment: "Biomass burning carbon" refers to the rate at which biomass is burned by forest fires etc., expressed as the mass of carbon which it contains. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has standard name: biomass_burning_carbon_flux
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1

downwelling photosynthetic photon radiance in sea water
type: CFParameter
has standard name: downwelling_photosynthetic_photon_radiance_in_sea_water
has canonical units: mol m-2 s-1 sr-1
comment: 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. "Photosynthetic" radiation is the part of the spectrum which is used in photosynthesis e.g. 300-700 nm. The range of wavelengths could be specified precisely by the bounds of a coordinate of radiation_wavelength. A photon flux is specified in terms of numbers of photons expressed in moles.

volume fraction of clay in soil
type: CFParameter
comment: "Volume fraction" is used in the construction volume_fraction_of_X_in_Y, where X is a material constituent of Y.
has canonical units: 1
has standard name: volume_fraction_of_clay_in_soil

net downward longwave flux in air assuming clear sky
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
has standard name: net_downward_longwave_flux_in_air_assuming_clear_sky
comment: A phrase assuming_condition indicates that the named quantity is the value which would obtain if all aspects of the system were unaltered except for the assumption of the circumstances specified by the condition. "longwave" means longwave radiation. "Downward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed downward (negative upward). Net downward radiation is the difference between radiation from above (downwelling) and radiation from below (upwelling). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.

sea ice mass
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: kg
has standard name: sea_ice_mass

soil type
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: 1
has standard name: soil_type
comment: A variable with the standard name of soil_type contains strings which indicate the character of the soil e.g. clay. These strings have not yet been standardised. Alternatively, the data variable may contain integers which can be translated to strings using flag_values and flag_meanings attributes.

gross primary productivity of carbon
type: CFParameter
has standard name: gross_primary_productivity_of_carbon
comment: 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_producivity. "Productivity of carbon" refers to the production of biomass expressed as the mass of carbon which it contains.
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1

snowfall amount
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: kg m-2
has standard name: snowfall_amount
comment: "Amount" means mass per unit area.

surface cover
type: CFParameter
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. A variable with the standard name of surface_cover contains strings which indicate the nature of the surface e.g. urban, forest, vegetation, land, sea_ice, open_sea. These strings have not yet been standardised. This standard name is a generalisation of land_cover.
has canonical units: string
has standard name: surface_cover

speed of sound in air
type: CFParameter
has standard name: speed_of_sound_in_air
has canonical units: m s-1
comment: Speed is the magnitude of velocity.

sea surface height above sea level
type: CFParameter
has standard name: sea_surface_height_above_sea_level
has canonical units: m
has grib: 82
comment: sea_level means mean sea level, which is close to the geoid in sea areas. "Sea surface height" is a time-varying quantity. The standard name for the height of the sea surface above the geoid is sea_surface_height_above_geoid. The standard name for the height of the sea surface above the reference ellipsoid is sea_surface_height_above_reference_ellipsoid.

tendency of air temperature due to turbulence
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: K s-1
has standard name: tendency_of_air_temperature_due_to_turbulence
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. Air temperature is the bulk temperature of the air, not the surface (skin) temperature.

sea surface wave significant height
type: CFParameter
has grib: 100
has standard name: sea_surface_wave_significant_height
comment: Height is the vertical distance above the surface.
has canonical units: m

sea surface wave to direction
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: degree
comment: "to_direction" is used in the construction X_to_direction and indicates the direction towards which the velocity vector of X is headed.
has standard name: sea_surface_wave_to_direction

atmosphere hybrid height coordinate
type: CFParameter
has standard name: atmosphere_hybrid_height_coordinate
comment: See Appendix D of the CF convention for information about dimensionless vertical coordinates.
has canonical units: m

downward eastward stress at sea ice base
type: CFParameter
comment: "Eastward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed eastward (negative westward). "Downward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed downward (negative upward). "Downward eastward" indicates the ZX component of a tensor. A downward eastward stress is a downward flux of eastward momentum, which accelerates the lower medium eastward and the upper medium westward.
has canonical units: Pa
has standard name: downward_eastward_stress_at_sea_ice_base

downwelling shortwave radiance in air
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2 sr-1
comment: "shortwave" means shortwave radiation. 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.
has standard name: downwelling_shortwave_radiance_in_air

thickness of rainfall amount
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m
comment: "Amount" means mass per unit area. The construction thickness_of_[X_]rainfall_amount means the accumulated "depth" of rainfall i.e. the thickness of a layer of liquid water having the same mass per unit area as the rainfall amount.
has standard name: thickness_of_rainfall_amount

canopy and surface water amount
type: CFParameter
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "Amount" means mass per unit area. "Water" means water in all phases, including frozen i.e. ice and snow. "Canopy" means the plant or vegetation canopy. "Canopy and surface water" means the sum of water on the ground and on the canopy.
has standard name: canopy_and_surface_water_amount
has canonical units: kg m-2

volume attenuation coefficient of downwelling radiative flux in sea water
type: CFParameter
has standard name: volume_attenuation_coefficient_of_downwelling_radiative_flux_in_sea_water
has canonical units: m-1
comment: Downwelling radiation is radiation from above. It does not mean "net downward". Radiative flux is the sum of shortwave and longwave radiative fluxes. 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. The volume scattering/absorption/attenuation coefficient is the fractional change of radiative flux per unit path length due to the stated process. Coefficients with canonical units of m2 s-1 i.e. multiplied by density have standard names with specific_ instead of volume_. The scattering/absorption/attenuation coefficient is assumed to be an integral over all wavelengths, unless a coordinate of radiation_wavelength is included to specify the wavelength. Attenuation is the sum of absorption and scattering. Attenuation is sometimes called "extinction". Also called "diffuse" attenuation, the attenuation of downwelling radiative flux refers to the decrease with decreasing height or increasing depth of the downwelling component of radiative flux, regardless of incident direction.

water volume transport into ocean from rivers
type: CFParameter
has standard name: water_volume_transport_into_ocean_from_rivers
comment: "Water" means water in all phases. The water flux or volume transport into the ocean from rivers is the inflow to the ocean, often applied to the surface in ocean models.
has canonical units: m3 s-1

tendency of atmosphere dry energy content
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
comment: "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. The "atmosphere content" of a quantity refers to the vertical integral from the surface to the top of the atmosphere. For the content between specified levels in the atmosphere, standard names including content_of_atmosphere_layer are used. Dry energy is the sum of dry static energy and kinetic energy. Dry static energy is the sum of enthalpy and potential energy (itself the sum of gravitational and centripetal potential energy). Enthalpy can be written either as (1) CpT, where Cp is heat capacity at constant pressure, T is absolute temperature, or (2) U+pV, where U is internal energy, p is pressure and V is volume.
has standard name: tendency_of_atmosphere_dry_energy_content

atmosphere northward stress due to gravity wave drag
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: Pa
has amip: tauvgwd
comment: 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. "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). Atmosphere_Xward_stress is a stress which tends to accelerate the atmosphere in direction X.
has standard name: atmosphere_northward_stress_due_to_gravity_wave_drag

surface upward heat flux in air
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "Upward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed upward (negative downward). The vertical heat flux in air is the sum of all heat fluxes i.e. radiative, latent and sensible. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has standard name: surface_upward_heat_flux_in_air

water evaporation flux from canopy
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
has standard name: water_evaporation_flux_from_canopy
comment: "Water" means water in all phases. "Canopy" means the plant or vegetation canopy. Evaporation is the conversion of liquid or solid into vapor. (The conversion of solid alone into vapor is called "sublimation".) In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.

northward mass flux of air
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
comment: "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has standard name: northward_mass_flux_of_air

moles of silicate per unit mass in sea water
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: mol kg-1
has standard name: moles_of_silicate_per_unit_mass_in_sea_water
comment: moles_of_X_per_unit_mass_inY is also called "molality" of X in Y, where X is a material constituent of Y.

water potential evaporation amount
type: CFParameter
comment: "Amount" means mass per unit area. "Water" means water in all phases. Evaporation is the conversion of liquid or solid into vapor. (The conversion of solid alone into vapor is called "sublimation".) Potential evaporation is the rate at which evaporation would take place under unaltered ambient conditions (temperature, relative humidity, wind, etc.) if the supply of water were unlimited, as if from an open water surface.
has canonical units: kg m-2
has standard name: water_potential_evaporation_amount

coriolis parameter
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: s-1
has standard name: coriolis_parameter
comment: The Coriolis parameter is twice the component of the earth's angular velocity about the local vertical i.e. 2 W sin L, where L is latitude and W the angular speed of the earth.

square of upward air velocity
type: CFParameter
comment: "square_of_X" means X*X. A velocity is a vector quantity. "Upward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed upward (negative downward). Upward air velocity is the vertical component of the 3D air velocity vector.
has standard name: square_of_upward_air_velocity
has canonical units: m2 s-2

land ice surface specific mass balance
type: CFParameter
comment: "Land ice" means glaciers, ice-caps and ice-sheets resting on bedrock. Specific mass balance means the net rate at which ice is added per unit area at the land ice surface.
has standard name: land_ice_surface_specific_mass_balance
has canonical units: m s-1

platform speed wrt sea water
type: CFParameter
has standard name: platform_speed_wrt_sea_water
has canonical units: m s-1
comment: "wrt" means with respect to. Speed is the magnitude of velocity. Standard names for platform describe the motion and orientation of the vehicle from which observations are made e.g. aeroplane or ship.

snow grain size
type: CFParameter
has standard name: snow_grain_size
has canonical units: m

downward sea ice basal salt flux
type: CFParameter
has standard name: downward_sea_ice_basal_salt_flux
comment: "Downward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed downward (negative upward). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1

litter carbon content
type: CFParameter
has standard name: litter_carbon_content
comment: "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. "Litter carbon" is dead inorganic material in or above the soil quantified as the mass of carbon which it contains.
has canonical units: kg m-2

surface net downward radiative flux where land
type: CFParameter
has standard name: surface_net_downward_radiative_flux_where_land
has canonical units: W m-2
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "Downward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed downward (negative upward). Net downward radiation is the difference between radiation from above (downwelling) and radiation from below (upwelling). Radiative flux is the sum of shortwave and longwave radiative fluxes. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics. Unless indicated, a quantity is assumed to apply to the whole area of each horizontal grid box. The qualifier where_type specifies instead that the quantity applies only to the part of the grid box of the named type.

water evaporation flux where sea ice
type: CFParameter
has standard name: water_evaporation_flux_where_sea_ice
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
comment: Unless indicated, a quantity is assumed to apply to the whole area of each horizontal grid box. The qualifier where_type specifies instead that the quantity applies only to the part of the grid box of the named type. "Water" means water in all phases. Evaporation is the conversion of liquid or solid into vapor. (The conversion of solid alone into vapor is called "sublimation".) In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.

tendency of dry static energy content of atmosphere layer
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
comment: "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. "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). If the layers are model layers, the vertical coordinate can be model_level_number, but it is recommended to specify a physical coordinate (in a scalar or auxiliary coordinate variable) as well. Dry static energy is the sum of enthalpy and potential energy (itself the sum of gravitational and centripetal potential energy). Enthalpy can be written either as (1) CpT, where Cp is heat capacity at constant pressure, T is absolute temperature, or (2) U+pV, where U is internal energy, p is pressure and V is volume.
has standard name: tendency_of_dry_static_energy_content_of_atmosphere_layer

solar elevation angle
type: CFParameter
comment: Solar elevation angle is the angle between the line of sight to the sun and the local horizontal.
has standard name: solar_elevation_angle
has canonical units: degree

direction of sea water velocity
type: CFParameter
has grib: 47
has canonical units: degree
comment: "direction_of_X" means direction of a vector, a bearing. A velocity is a vector quantity.
has standard name: direction_of_sea_water_velocity

large scale rainfall amount
type: CFParameter
comment: "Amount" means mass per unit area.
has standard name: large_scale_rainfall_amount
has canonical units: kg m-2

air temperature at cloud top
type: CFParameter
has standard name: air_temperature_at_cloud_top
has canonical units: K
comment: cloud_top refers to the top of the highest cloud. Air temperature is the bulk temperature of the air, not the surface (skin) temperature.

surface upwelling radiance in sea water
type: CFParameter
has standard name: surface_upwelling_radiance_in_sea_water
has canonical units: W m-2 sr-1
comment: 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.

surface northward sea water velocity
type: CFParameter
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "Water" means water in all phases, including frozen i.e. ice and snow. A velocity is a vector quantity. "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward).
has standard name: surface_northward_sea_water_velocity
has canonical units: m s-1

lwe large scale snowfall rate
type: CFParameter
comment: "lwe" means liquid water equivalent.
has standard name: lwe_large_scale_snowfall_rate
has canonical units: m s-1

downward dry static energy flux due to diffusion
type: CFParameter
has standard name: downward_dry_static_energy_flux_due_to_diffusion
comment: 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. "Downward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed downward (negative upward). Dry static energy is the sum of enthalpy and potential energy (itself the sum of gravitational and centripetal potential energy). Enthalpy can be written either as (1) CpT, where Cp is heat capacity at constant pressure, T is absolute temperature, or (2) U+pV, where U is internal energy, p is pressure and V is volume. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has canonical units: W m-2

tropopause air pressure
type: CFParameter
has standard name: tropopause_air_pressure
has canonical units: Pa

tendency of air temperature due to diabatic processes
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: K s-1
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. Air temperature is the bulk temperature of the air, not the surface (skin) temperature.
has amip: tnt
has standard name: tendency_of_air_temperature_due_to_diabatic_processes

ocean volume
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m3
has standard name: ocean_volume

geopotential
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m2 s-2
has grib: 6 E129
has standard name: geopotential
comment: Geopotential is the sum of the specific gravitational potential energy relative to the geoid and the specific centripetal potential energy.

surface snow melt and sublimation heat flux
type: CFParameter
has standard name: surface_snow_melt_and_sublimation_heat_flux
has canonical units: W m-2
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. Sublimation is the conversion of solid into vapor. The snow melt and sublimation heat flux is the supply of latent heat which converting snow to liquid water (melting) and water vapor (sublimation). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.

surface albedo
type: CFParameter
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere.
has canonical units: 1
has standard name: surface_albedo
has grib: 84 E174

square of northward wind
type: CFParameter
has amip: mpvva
has standard name: square_of_northward_wind
has canonical units: m2 s-2
comment: "square_of_X" means X*X. "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). 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.)

platform roll rate
type: CFParameter
has standard name: platform_roll_rate
comment: Standard names for platform describe the motion and orientation of the vehicle from which observations are made e.g. aeroplane or ship.
has canonical units: degree s-1

net upward longwave flux in air
type: CFParameter
has grib: 115
comment: "longwave" means longwave radiation. "Upward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed upward (negative downward). Net upward radiation is the difference between radiation from below (upwelling) and radiation from above (downwelling). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has canonical units: W m-2
has standard name: net_upward_longwave_flux_in_air

canopy water amount
type: CFParameter
has standard name: canopy_water_amount
comment: "Amount" means mass per unit area. "Water" means water in all phases, including frozen i.e. ice and snow. "Canopy" means the plant or vegetation canopy. The canopy water is the water on the canopy.
has canonical units: kg m-2

potential vorticity of ocean layer
type: CFParameter
comment: "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). If the layers are model layers, the vertical coordinate can be model_level_number, but it is recommended to specify a physical coordinate (in a scalar or auxiliary coordinate variable) as well. Ocean potential vorticity is the vertically averaged absolute vorticity of a layer of the ocean divided by the thickness of the layer.
has standard name: potential_vorticity_of_ocean_layer
has canonical units: m-1 s-1

baseflow amount
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: kg m-2
has standard name: baseflow_amount
comment: "Baseflow" is subsurface runoff which takes place below the level of the water table. Runoff is the liquid water which drains from land. "Amount" means mass per unit area.

pseudo equivalent temperature
type: CFParameter
has standard name: pseudo_equivalent_temperature
has canonical units: K

surface albedo assuming deep snow
type: CFParameter
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. A phrase assuming_condition indicates that the named quantity is the value which would obtain if all aspects of the system were unaltered except for the assumption of the circumstances specified by the condition.
has canonical units: 1
has standard name: surface_albedo_assuming_deep_snow

atmosphere boundary layer thickness
type: CFParameter
comment: The atmosphere boundary layer thickness is the "depth" or "height" of the (atmosphere) planetary boundary layer.
has standard name: atmosphere_boundary_layer_thickness
has canonical units: m
has amip: zmla

platform orientation
type: CFParameter
has standard name: platform_orientation
has canonical units: degree
comment: Standard names for platform describe the motion and orientation of the vehicle from which observations are made e.g. aeroplane or ship. The platform orientation is the direction in which the "front" or longitudinal axis of the platform is pointing (not necessarily the same as the direction in which it is travelling, called platform_course).

atmosphere heat diffusivity
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m2 s-1
has standard name: atmosphere_heat_diffusivity

net upward shortwave flux in air assuming clear sky
type: CFParameter
comment: A phrase assuming_condition indicates that the named quantity is the value which would obtain if all aspects of the system were unaltered except for the assumption of the circumstances specified by the condition. "shortwave" means shortwave radiation. "Upward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed upward (negative downward). Net upward radiation is the difference between radiation from below (upwelling) and radiation from above (downwelling). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has standard name: net_upward_shortwave_flux_in_air_assuming_clear_sky
has canonical units: W m-2

air temperature anomaly
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: K
comment: "anomaly" means difference from climatology. Air temperature is the bulk temperature of the air, not the surface (skin) temperature.
has standard name: air_temperature_anomaly
has grib: 25

runoff amount
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: kg m-2
has standard name: runoff_amount
comment: "Amount" means mass per unit area. Runoff is the liquid water which drains from land. If not specified, "runoff" refers to the sum of surface runoff and subsurface drainage.

downward heat flux at ground level in soil
type: CFParameter
comment: ground_level means the land surface (beneath the snow and surface water, if any). "Downward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed downward (negative upward). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has standard name: downward_heat_flux_at_ground_level_in_soil
has canonical units: W m-2

surface upward latent heat flux
type: CFParameter
has grib: 121 E147
has amip: hfls
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "Upward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed upward (negative downward). The surface latent heat flux is the exchange of heat between the surface and the air on account of evaporation (including sublimation). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has standard name: surface_upward_latent_heat_flux
has canonical units: W m-2

sound pressure in water
type: CFParameter
comment: Sound pressure is the difference from the local ambient pressure caused by a sound wave at a particular location and time.
has canonical units: Pa
has standard name: sound_pressure_in_water

northward ocean heat transport
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W
has standard name: northward_ocean_heat_transport
comment: "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). Ocean transport means transport by all processes, both sea water and sea ice.

tendency of atmosphere water vapor content due to shallow convection
type: CFParameter
has standard name: tendency_of_atmosphere_water_vapor_content_due_to_shallow_convection
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. The "atmosphere content" of a quantity refers to the vertical integral from the surface to the top of the atmosphere. For the content between specified levels in the atmosphere, standard names including content_of_atmosphere_layer are used. Atmosphere water vapor content is sometimes referred to as "precipitable water", although this term does not imply the water could all be precipitated.

brunt vaisala frequency in air
type: CFParameter
has standard name: brunt_vaisala_frequency_in_air
comment: Frequency is the number of oscillations of a wave per unit time.
has canonical units: s-1

atmosphere horizontal streamfunction
type: CFParameter
has grib: 35
comment: "Horizontal" indicates that the streamfunction applies to a horizontal velocity field on a particular vertical level.
has standard name: atmosphere_horizontal_streamfunction
has canonical units: m2 s-1

tendency of mass fraction of cloud ice in air due to advection
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: s-1
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. Mass fraction is used in the construction mass_fraction_of_X_in_Y, where X is a material constituent of Y. It means the ratio of the mass of Y to the mass of X (including Y).
has standard name: tendency_of_mass_fraction_of_cloud_ice_in_air_due_to_advection

tendency of enthalpy content of atmosphere layer due to advection
type: CFParameter
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. "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). If the layers are model layers, the vertical coordinate can be model_level_number, but it is recommended to specify a physical coordinate (in a scalar or auxiliary coordinate variable) as well. Enthalpy can be written either as (1) CpT, where Cp is heat capacity at constant pressure, T is absolute temperature, or (2) U+pV, where U is internal energy, p is pressure and V is volume.
has standard name: tendency_of_enthalpy_content_of_atmosphere_layer_due_to_advection
has canonical units: W m-2

toa net downward radiative flux
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
has standard name: toa_net_downward_radiative_flux
comment: "toa" means top of atmosphere. "Downward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed downward (negative upward). Net downward radiation is the difference between radiation from above (downwelling) and radiation from below (upwelling). Radiative flux is the sum of shortwave and longwave radiative fluxes. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.

northward momentum flux correction
type: CFParameter
has amip: tauvcorr
has standard name: northward_momentum_flux_correction
has canonical units: Pa
comment: "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). Momentum flux is dimensionally equivalent to stress and pressure. It is a tensor quantity. Flux correction is also called "flux adjustment". A positive flux correction is downward i.e. added to the ocean. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.

net upward shortwave flux in air
type: CFParameter
has standard name: net_upward_shortwave_flux_in_air
comment: "shortwave" means shortwave radiation. "Upward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed upward (negative downward). Net upward radiation is the difference between radiation from below (upwelling) and radiation from above (downwelling). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has grib: 116
has canonical units: W m-2

mass fraction of unfrozen water in soil moisture
type: CFParameter
comment: "moisture" means water in all phases contained in soil. "unfrozen_water" means liquid and vapour. Mass fraction is used in the construction mass_fraction_of_X_in_Y, where X is a material constituent of Y. It means the ratio of the mass of Y to the mass of X (including Y).
has canonical units: 1
has standard name: mass_fraction_of_unfrozen_water_in_soil_moisture

tendency of northward wind due to diffusion
type: CFParameter
has standard name: tendency_of_northward_wind_due_to_diffusion
has canonical units: m s-2
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). 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.)

atmosphere sigma coordinate
type: CFParameter
comment: See Appendix D of the CF convention for information about dimensionless vertical coordinates.
has standard name: atmosphere_sigma_coordinate
has canonical units: 1

transpiration flux
type: CFParameter
comment: In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
has standard name: transpiration_flux

product of omega and air temperature
type: CFParameter
comment: "product_of_X_and_Y" means X*Y. Air temperature is the bulk temperature of the air, not the surface (skin) temperature. "omegaX" is used for brevity to mean "lagrangian_tendency_of_air_pressure in standard names constructed as a combination of omega with some other quantity.
has canonical units: K Pa s-1
has standard name: product_of_omega_and_air_temperature
has amip: mpwapta

time
type: CFParameter
has amip: time
has canonical units: s
has standard name: time

convective rainfall rate
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m s-1
has standard name: convective_rainfall_rate

surface downward eastward stress
type: CFParameter
has standard name: surface_downward_eastward_stress
has grib: E180
has canonical units: Pa
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "Eastward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed eastward (negative westward). "Downward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed downward (negative upward). "Downward eastward" indicates the ZX component of a tensor. A downward eastward stress is a downward flux of eastward momentum, which accelerates the lower medium eastward and the upper medium westward. The surface downward stress is the windstress on the surface.
has amip: tauu

downwelling spectral radiative flux in air
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2 m-1
has standard name: downwelling_spectral_radiative_flux_in_air
comment: Downwelling radiation is radiation from above. It does not mean "net downward". "spectral" means per unit wavelength or as a function of wavelength; spectral quantities are sometimes called "monochromatic". Radiation wavelength has standard name radiation_wavelength. 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.

baroclinic northward sea water velocity
type: CFParameter
has standard name: baroclinic_northward_sea_water_velocity
has canonical units: m s-1
comment: A velocity is a vector quantity. "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward).

land ice x velocity
type: CFParameter
has standard name: land_ice_x_velocity
has canonical units: m s-1
comment: A velocity is a vector quantity. "x" indicates a vector component along the grid x-axis, when this is not true longitude, positive with increasing x. "Land ice" means glaciers, ice-caps and ice-sheets resting on bedrock.

surface northward geostrophic sea water velocity
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m s-1
has standard name: surface_northward_geostrophic_sea_water_velocity
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. A velocity is a vector quantity. "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). "Geostrophic" indicates that geostrophic balance is assumed. "Water" means water in all phases. surface_northward_sea_water_geostrophic_velocity is the sum of a variable part, surface_northward_sea_water_geostrophic_velocity_assuming_sea_level_for_geoid, and a constant part due to the stationary component of ocean circulation.

relative humidity
type: CFParameter
has grib: 52 E157
has canonical units: 1
has standard name: relative_humidity
has amip: hur

precipitation flux
type: CFParameter
has grib: 59
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
comment: In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has standard name: precipitation_flux
has amip: pr

air pressure at cloud base
type: CFParameter
comment: cloud_base refers to the base of the lowest cloud.
has canonical units: Pa
has standard name: air_pressure_at_cloud_base

surface downwelling spherical irradiance in sea water
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
comment: 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".
has standard name: surface_downwelling_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water

large scale snowfall amount
type: CFParameter
has grib: 79
comment: "Amount" means mass per unit area.
has canonical units: kg m-2
has standard name: large_scale_snowfall_amount

precipitation flux onto canopy where land
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
comment: Unless indicated, a quantity is assumed to apply to the whole area of each horizontal grid box. The qualifier where_type specifies instead that the quantity applies only to the part of the grid box of the named type. "Canopy" means the plant or vegetation canopy. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has amip: prveg
has standard name: precipitation_flux_onto_canopy_where_land

vegetation carbon content
type: CFParameter
comment: "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. "Vegetation" means any plants e.g. trees, shrubs, grass.
has standard name: vegetation_carbon_content
has canonical units: kg m-2

surface carbon dioxide mole flux
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: mol m-2 s-1
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has standard name: surface_carbon_dioxide_mole_flux

surface downward latent heat flux
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
has standard name: surface_downward_latent_heat_flux
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "Downward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed downward (negative upward). The surface latent heat flux is the exchange of heat between the surface and the air on account of evaporation (including sublimation). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.

net downward shortwave flux in air
type: CFParameter
has standard name: net_downward_shortwave_flux_in_air
comment: "shortwave" means shortwave radiation. "Downward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed downward (negative upward). Net downward radiation is the difference between radiation from above (downwelling) and radiation from below (upwelling). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has canonical units: W m-2

cloud area fraction
type: CFParameter
has amip: clt
has grib: 71 E164
comment: "X_area_fraction" means the fraction of horizontal area occupied by X. "X_area" means the horizontal area occupied by X within the grid cell. Cloud area fraction is also called "cloud amount" and "cloud cover". The cloud area fraction is for the whole atmosphere column, as seen from the surface or the top of the atmosphere. The cloud area fraction in a layer of the atmosphere has the standard name cloud_area_fraction_in_atmosphere_layer.
has canonical units: 1
has standard name: cloud_area_fraction

land ice lwe basal melt rate
type: CFParameter
has standard name: land_ice_lwe_basal_melt_rate
has canonical units: m s-1
comment: "lwe" means liquid water equivalent. "Land ice" means glaciers, ice-caps and ice-sheets resting on bedrock. The land ice basal melt rate is the rate at which ice is lost per unit area at the base of the ice.

tendency of air temperature due to radiative heating
type: CFParameter
has standard name: tendency_of_air_temperature_due_to_radiative_heating
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. Air temperature is the bulk temperature of the air, not the surface (skin) temperature.
has canonical units: K s-1

eastward atmosphere water vapor transport across unit distance
type: CFParameter
has standard name: eastward_atmosphere_water_vapor_transport_across_unit_distance
comment: "Eastward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed eastward (negative westward). Transport across_unit_distance means expressed per unit distance normal to the direction of transport.
has canonical units: kg m-1 s-1

water vapor saturation deficit
type: CFParameter
comment: Water vapor saturation deficit is the difference between the saturation water vapor pressure and the actual water vapor pressure.
has standard name: water_vapor_saturation_deficit
has grib: 56
has canonical units: Pa

platform course
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: degree
comment: Standard names for platform describe the motion and orientation of the vehicle from which observations are made e.g. aeroplane or ship. The platform course is the direction in which the platform is travelling (not necessarily the same as the direction in which it is pointing, called platform_orientation).
has standard name: platform_course

surface upwelling spectral radiance in sea water
type: CFParameter
comment: 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". "spectral" means per unit wavelength or as a function of wavelength; spectral quantities are sometimes called "monochromatic". Radiation wavelength has standard name radiation_wavelength. 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.
has canonical units: W m-2 m-1 sr-1
has standard name: surface_upwelling_spectral_radiance_in_sea_water

tendency of specific humidity due to model physics
type: CFParameter
has standard name: tendency_of_specific_humidity_due_to_model_physics
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "specific" means per unit mass. Specific humidity is the mass fraction of water vapor in (moist) air.
has amip: tnmrd
has canonical units: s-1

solar azimuth angle
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: degree
has standard name: solar_azimuth_angle
comment: 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.

tendency of atmosphere mass per unit area due to advection
type: CFParameter
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "X_area" means the horizontal area occupied by X within the grid cell.
has standard name: tendency_of_atmosphere_mass_per_unit_area_due_to_advection
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1

ocean volume fraction
type: CFParameter
has standard name: ocean_volume_fraction
has canonical units: 1
comment: "X_volume_fraction" means the fraction of volume occupied by X.

toa instantaneous shortwave forcing
type: CFParameter
comment: "shortwave" means shortwave radiation. "toa" means top of atmosphere. Instantaneous forcing is the radiative flux change caused instantaneously by an imposed change in radiative forcing agent (greenhouse gases, aerosol, solar radiation, etc.).
has canonical units: W m-2
has standard name: toa_instantaneous_shortwave_forcing

surface snow melt flux
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
has amip: snm
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has standard name: surface_snow_melt_flux

lwe thickness of soil moisture content
type: CFParameter
has grib: E140
comment: "lwe" means liquid water equivalent. "moisture" means water in all phases contained in soil. The construction lwe_thickness_of_X_amount or _content means the vertical extent of a layer of liquid water having the same mass per unit area. "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. The "soil content" of a quantity refers to the vertical integral from the surface down to the bottom of the soil model. For the content between specified levels in the soil, standard names including content_of_soil_layer are used.
has canonical units: m
has standard name: lwe_thickness_of_soil_moisture_content

northward wind
type: CFParameter
comment: "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). 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.)
has amip: va
has standard name: northward_wind
has grib: 34 E132
has canonical units: m s-1

upwelling spectral radiative flux in sea water
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2 m-1
comment: Upwelling radiation is radiation from below. It does not mean "net upward". "spectral" means per unit wavelength or as a function of wavelength; spectral quantities are sometimes called "monochromatic". Radiation wavelength has standard name radiation_wavelength. 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.
has standard name: upwelling_spectral_radiative_flux_in_sea_water

tendency of water vapor content of atmosphere layer due to turbulence
type: CFParameter
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. "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). If the layers are model layers, the vertical coordinate can be model_level_number, but it is recommended to specify a physical coordinate (in a scalar or auxiliary variable) as well.
has standard name: tendency_of_water_vapor_content_of_atmosphere_layer_due_to_turbulence
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1

sea water sigma theta
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: kg m-3
comment: Sigma-theta of sea water is the potential density (i.e. the density when moved adiabatically to a reference pressure) of water having the same temperature and salinity, minus 1000 kg m-3. Note that sea water sigma is not the same quantity as the dimensionless ocean sigma coordinate (see Appendix D of the CF convention), for which there is another standard name.
has standard name: sea_water_sigma_theta

atmosphere absolute vorticity
type: CFParameter
has grib: 41
has canonical units: s-1
comment: Absolute vorticity is the sum of relative vorticity and the upward component of vorticity due to the Earth's rotation.
has standard name: atmosphere_absolute_vorticity

upward air velocity
type: CFParameter
has standard name: upward_air_velocity
comment: A velocity is a vector quantity. "Upward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed upward (negative downward). Upward air velocity is the vertical component of the 3D air velocity vector.
has grib: 40
has canonical units: m s-1

surface net upward longwave flux
type: CFParameter
has standard name: surface_net_upward_longwave_flux
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "longwave" means longwave radiation. "Upward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed upward (negative downward). Net upward radiation is the difference between radiation from below (upwelling) and radiation from above (downwelling). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has canonical units: W m-2
has grib: 112 E176

surface downwelling photosynthetic radiance in sea water
type: CFParameter
has standard name: surface_downwelling_photosynthetic_radiance_in_sea_water
has canonical units: W m-2 sr-1
comment: 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. "Photosynthetic" radiation is the part of the spectrum which is used in photosynthesis e.g. 300-700 nm. The range of wavelengths could be specified precisely by the bounds of a coordinate of radiation_wavelength.

thickness of large scale rainfall amount
type: CFParameter
has standard name: thickness_of_large_scale_rainfall_amount
comment: "Amount" means mass per unit area. The construction thickness_of_[X_]rainfall_amount means the accumulated "depth" of rainfall i.e. the thickness of a layer of liquid water having the same mass per unit area as the rainfall amount.
has canonical units: m

land ice y velocity
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m s-1
comment: A velocity is a vector quantity. "y" indicates a vector component along the grid y-axis, when this is not true latitude, positive with increasing y. "Land ice" means glaciers, ice-caps and ice-sheets resting on bedrock.
has standard name: land_ice_y_velocity

tendency of air temperature due to diffusion
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: K s-1
has standard name: tendency_of_air_temperature_due_to_diffusion
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. Air temperature is the bulk temperature of the air, not the surface (skin) temperature.

toa adjusted longwave forcing
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
comment: "longwave" means longwave radiation. "toa" means top of atmosphere. Adjusted forcing is the radiative flux change caused by an imposed change in radiative forcing agent (greenhouse gases, aerosol, solar radiation, etc.) after allowance for stratospheric temperature adjustment.
has standard name: toa_adjusted_longwave_forcing

sea surface swell wave zero upcrossing period
type: CFParameter
comment: A period is an interval of time, or the time-period of an oscillation. The zero upcrossing period is defined as the time interval between consecutive occasions on which the surface height passes upward above the mean level. Swell waves are waves on the ocean surface.
has standard name: sea_surface_swell_wave_zero_upcrossing_period
has canonical units: s

downwelling photosynthetic radiance in sea water
type: CFParameter
comment: 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. "Photosynthetic" radiation is the part of the spectrum which is used in photosynthesis e.g. 300-700 nm. The range of wavelengths could be specified precisely by the bounds of a coordinate of radiation_wavelength.
has canonical units: W m-2 sr-1
has standard name: downwelling_photosynthetic_radiance_in_sea_water

surface downward water flux
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "Water" means water in all phases, including frozen i.e. ice and snow. "Downward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed downward (negative upward). The surface water flux is the result of precipitation and evaporation. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has standard name: surface_downward_water_flux

surface partial pressure of carbon dioxide in sea water
type: CFParameter
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "Water" means water in all phases, including frozen i.e. ice and snow. The partial pressure of a dissolved gas in sea water is the partial pressure in air with which it would be in equilibrium. The partial pressure of a gaseous constituent of air is the pressure which it alone would exert with unchanged temperature and number of moles per unit volume.
has canonical units: Pa
has standard name: surface_partial_pressure_of_carbon_dioxide_in_sea_water

dry energy content of atmosphere layer
type: CFParameter
comment: "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. "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). If the layers are model layers, the vertical coordinate can be model_level_number, but it is recommended to specify a physical coordinate (in a scalar or auxiliary coordinate variable) as well. Dry energy is the sum of dry static energy and kinetic energy. Dry static energy is the sum of enthalpy and potential energy (itself the sum of gravitational and centripetal potential energy). Enthalpy can be written either as (1) CpT, where Cp is heat capacity at constant pressure, T is absolute temperature, or (2) U+pV, where U is internal energy, p is pressure and V is volume.
has canonical units: J m-2
has standard name: dry_energy_content_of_atmosphere_layer

tendency of surface snow amount
type: CFParameter
has standard name: tendency_of_surface_snow_amount
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "Amount" means mass per unit area. Surface amount refers to the amount on the ground, excluding that on the plant or vegetation canopy.
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1

magnitude of surface downward stress
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: Pa
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "magnitude_of_X" means magnitude of a vector X. "Downward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed downward (negative upward).
has standard name: magnitude_of_surface_downward_stress

ocean barotropic streamfunction
type: CFParameter
has standard name: ocean_barotropic_streamfunction
has canonical units: m3 s-1
has amip: stfbaro

northward ocean freshwater transport
type: CFParameter
comment: "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). Ocean transport means transport by all processes, both sea water and sea ice.
has canonical units: kg s-1
has standard name: northward_ocean_freshwater_transport

product of eastward wind and air temperature
type: CFParameter
has standard name: product_of_eastward_wind_and_air_temperature
has canonical units: K m s-1
comment: "product_of_X_and_Y" means X*Y. Air temperature is the bulk temperature of the air, not the surface (skin) temperature. "Eastward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed eastward (negative westward). 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.)

surface upwelling spectral radiance in air emerging from sea water
type: CFParameter
comment: 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". "spectral" means per unit wavelength or as a function of wavelength; spectral quantities are sometimes called "monochromatic". Radiation wavelength has standard name radiation_wavelength. 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.
has canonical units: W m-2 m-1 sr-1
has standard name: surface_upwelling_spectral_radiance_in_air_emerging_from_sea_water

eastward wind shear
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: s-1
has standard name: eastward_wind_shear
comment: "Eastward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed eastward (negative westward). 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.) Wind shear is the derivative of wind with respect to height.
has grib: 45

surface upwelling longwave flux in air
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
has standard name: surface_upwelling_longwave_flux_in_air
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "longwave" means longwave radiation. 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.
has amip: rlus

surface downwelling photosynthetic radiative flux in air
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. Downwelling radiation is radiation from above. It does not mean "net downward". Radiative flux is the sum of shortwave and longwave radiative fluxes. "Photosynthetic" radiation is the part of the spectrum which is used in photosynthesis e.g. 300-700 nm. The range of wavelengths could be specified precisely by the bounds of a coordinate of radiation_wavelength. 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.
has standard name: surface_downwelling_photosynthetic_radiative_flux_in_air

air density
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: kg m-3
has standard name: air_density

surface temperature
type: CFParameter
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. The surface temperature is the (skin) temperature at the interface, not the bulk temperature of the medium above or below.
has amip: ts
has standard name: surface_temperature
has grib: E139
has canonical units: K

surface geopotential
type: CFParameter
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. Geopotential is the sum of the specific gravitational potential energy relative to the geoid and the specific centripetal potential energy.
has standard name: surface_geopotential
has canonical units: m2 s-2

sea water speed
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m s-1
has grib: 48
comment: Speed is the magnitude of velocity.
has standard name: sea_water_speed

mass fraction of cloud condensed water in air
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: 1
comment: "condensed_water" means liquid and ice. Mass fraction is used in the construction mass_fraction_of_X_in_Y, where X is a material constituent of Y. It means the ratio of the mass of Y to the mass of X (including Y).
has standard name: mass_fraction_of_cloud_condensed_water_in_air

surface upward sensible heat flux
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
has grib: 122 E146
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "Upward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed upward (negative downward). The surface sensible heat flux, also called "turbulent" heat flux, is the exchange of heat between the surface and the air by motion of air. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has amip: hfss
has standard name: surface_upward_sensible_heat_flux

sea surface wave directional variance spectral density
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m2 s-1 rad-1
comment: Sea surface wave directional variance spectral density is the variance of the amplitude of the waves within given ranges of direction and wave frequency.
has standard name: sea_surface_wave_directional_variance_spectral_density

wind to direction
type: CFParameter
has standard name: wind_to_direction
comment: 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.
has canonical units: degree

square of air temperature
type: CFParameter
comment: "square_of_X" means X*X. Air temperature is the bulk temperature of the air, not the surface (skin) temperature.
has amip: mptta
has standard name: square_of_air_temperature
has canonical units: K2

square of lagrangian tendency of air pressure
type: CFParameter
comment: "square_of_X" means X*X. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. The Lagrangian tendency of a quantity is its rate of change following the motion of the fluid, also called the "material derivative" or "convective derivative". The Lagrangian tendency of air pressure, often called "omega", plays the role of the upward component of air velocity when air pressure is being used as the vertical coordinate. If the vertical air velocity is upwards, it is negative when expressed as a tendency of air pressure; downwards is positive.
has standard name: square_of_lagrangian_tendency_of_air_pressure
has canonical units: Pa2 s-2

rainfall rate
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m s-1
has standard name: rainfall_rate

surface runoff amount
type: CFParameter
has standard name: surface_runoff_amount
has canonical units: kg m-2
has grib: 90
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "Amount" means mass per unit area. Runoff is the liquid water which drains from land. If not specified, "runoff" refers to the sum of surface runoff and subsurface drainage.

soil respiration carbon flux
type: CFParameter
comment: "Respiration carbon" refers to the rate at which biomass is respired expressed as the mass of carbon which it contains. Soil respiration is the sum of respiration in the soil by animals and decomposers of litter (heterotrophs or "consumers"), which have not produced the biomass they respire, and respiration by the roots of plants (autotrophs or "producers"), which have themselves produced the biomass they respire. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
has standard name: soil_respiration_carbon_flux

tendency of upward air velocity due to advection
type: CFParameter
has standard name: tendency_of_upward_air_velocity_due_to_advection
has canonical units: m s-2
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. A velocity is a vector quantity. "Upward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed upward (negative downward). Upward air velocity is the vertical component of the 3D air velocity vector.

surface partial pressure of carbon dioxide in air
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: Pa
has standard name: surface_partial_pressure_of_carbon_dioxide_in_air
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. The partial pressure of a gaseous constituent of air is the pressure which it alone would exert with unchanged temperature and number of moles per unit volume.

ocean sigma coordinate
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: 1
comment: See Appendix D of the CF convention for information about dimensionless vertical coordinates. Note that the ocean sigma coordinate is not the same quantity as sea water sigma (excess of density over 1000 kg m-3), for which there are various other standard names.
has standard name: ocean_sigma_coordinate

land ice vertical mean x velocity
type: CFParameter
comment: A velocity is a vector quantity. "x" indicates a vector component along the grid x-axis, when this is not true longitude, positive with increasing x. "Land ice" means glaciers, ice-caps and ice-sheets resting on bedrock. The vertical mean land ice velocity is the average from the bedrock to the surface of the ice.
has canonical units: m s-1
has standard name: land_ice_vertical_mean_x_velocity

tropopause altitude
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m
has standard name: tropopause_altitude
comment: Altitude is the (geometric) height above the geoid, which is the reference geopotential surface. The geoid is similar to mean sea level.

lwe large scale precipitation rate
type: CFParameter
has standard name: lwe_large_scale_precipitation_rate
has canonical units: m s-1
comment: "lwe" means liquid water equivalent.

mass fraction of graupel in air
type: CFParameter
comment: Mass fraction is used in the construction mass_fraction_of_X_in_Y, where X is a material constituent of Y. It means the ratio of the mass of Y to the mass of X (including Y).
has canonical units: 1
has standard name: mass_fraction_of_graupel_in_air

sea surface wave frequency
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: s-1
has standard name: sea_surface_wave_frequency
comment: Frequency is the number of oscillations of a wave per unit time.

atmosphere convective mass flux
type: CFParameter
comment: In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics. The atmosphere convective mass flux is the vertical transport of mass for a field of cumulus clouds or thermals, given by the product of air density and vertical velocity. For an area-average, cell_methods should specify whether the average is over all the area or the area of updrafts only.
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
has standard name: atmosphere_convective_mass_flux

large scale rainfall rate
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m s-1
has standard name: large_scale_rainfall_rate

land ice vertical mean y velocity
type: CFParameter
has standard name: land_ice_vertical_mean_y_velocity
has canonical units: m s-1
comment: A velocity is a vector quantity. "y" indicates a vector component along the grid y-axis, when this is not true latitude, positive with increasing y. "Land ice" means glaciers, ice-caps and ice-sheets resting on bedrock. The vertical mean land ice velocity is the average from the bedrock to the surface of the ice.

atmosphere cloud condensed water content
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: kg m-2
has amip: clwvi
has standard name: atmosphere_cloud_condensed_water_content
has grib: 76
comment: "condensed_water" means liquid and ice. "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. The "atmosphere content" of a quantity refers to the vertical integral from the surface to the top of the atmosphere. For the content between specified levels in the atmosphere, standard names including content_of_atmosphere_layer are used.

platform speed wrt air
type: CFParameter
comment: "wrt" means with respect to. Speed is the magnitude of velocity. Standard names for platform describe the motion and orientation of the vehicle from which observations are made e.g. aeroplane or ship. The platform speed with respect to air is often called the "air speed" of the platform.
has standard name: platform_speed_wrt_air
has canonical units: m s-1

toa outgoing longwave flux assuming clear sky
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
comment: A phrase assuming_condition indicates that the named quantity is the value which would obtain if all aspects of the system were unaltered except for the assumption of the circumstances specified by the condition. "longwave" means longwave radiation. "toa" means top of atmosphere. The TOA outgoing longwave flux is the upwelling thermal radiative flux, often called the "outgoing longwave radiation" or "OLR". In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has standard name: toa_outgoing_longwave_flux_assuming_clear_sky
has amip: rlutcs

surface specific humidity
type: CFParameter
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "specific" means per unit mass. Specific humidity is the mass fraction of water vapor in (moist) air.
has canonical units: 1
has standard name: surface_specific_humidity

sound intensity in water
type: CFParameter
has standard name: sound_intensity_in_water
has canonical units: W m-2
comment: Sound intensity is the sound energy per unit time per unit area.

product of northward wind and air temperature
type: CFParameter
has amip: mpvta
has canonical units: K m s-1
has standard name: product_of_northward_wind_and_air_temperature
comment: "product_of_X_and_Y" means X*Y. Air temperature is the bulk temperature of the air, not the surface (skin) temperature. "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). 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.)

water evaporation flux
type: CFParameter
comment: "Water" means water in all phases. Evaporation is the conversion of liquid or solid into vapor. (The conversion of solid alone into vapor is called "sublimation".) In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
has standard name: water_evaporation_flux
has amip: evspsbl

equivalent pressure of atmosphere ozone content
type: CFParameter
has standard name: equivalent_pressure_of_atmosphere_ozone_content
has canonical units: Pa
comment: "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. The "atmosphere content" of a quantity refers to the vertical integral from the surface to the top of the atmosphere. For the content between specified levels in the atmosphere, standard names including content_of_atmosphere_layer are used. The equivalent pressure of a particular constituent of the atmosphere is the surface pressure exerted by the weight of that constituent alone.

upward mass flux of air
type: CFParameter
comment: "Upward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed upward (negative downward). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has standard name: upward_mass_flux_of_air
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1

toa outgoing shortwave flux assuming clear sky
type: CFParameter
has standard name: toa_outgoing_shortwave_flux_assuming_clear_sky
has canonical units: W m-2
has amip: rsutcs
comment: A phrase assuming_condition indicates that the named quantity is the value which would obtain if all aspects of the system were unaltered except for the assumption of the circumstances specified by the condition. "shortwave" means shortwave radiation. "toa" means top of atmosphere. The TOA outgoing shortwave flux is the reflected and scattered solar radiative flux i.e. the "upwelling" TOA shortwave flux, sometimes called the "outgoing shortwave radiation" or "OSR". In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.

concentration of suspended matter in sea water
type: CFParameter
has standard name: concentration_of_suspended_matter_in_sea_water
has canonical units: kg m-3

surface upwelling spectral radiative flux in sea water
type: CFParameter
comment: 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". "spectral" means per unit wavelength or as a function of wavelength; spectral quantities are sometimes called "monochromatic". Radiation wavelength has standard name radiation_wavelength. 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.
has canonical units: W m-2 m-1
has standard name: surface_upwelling_spectral_radiative_flux_in_sea_water

geopotential height
type: CFParameter
has standard name: geopotential_height
has grib: 7 E156
comment: Geopotential is the sum of the specific gravitational potential energy relative to the geoid and the specific centripetal potential energy. Geopotential height is the geopotential divided by the standard acceleration due to gravity. It is numerically similar to the altitude (or geometric height) and not to the quantity with standard name height, which is relative to the surface.
has amip: zg
has canonical units: m

tendency of air temperature due to large scale precipitation
type: CFParameter
has amip: tntlsp
has standard name: tendency_of_air_temperature_due_to_large_scale_precipitation
has canonical units: K s-1
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. Air temperature is the bulk temperature of the air, not the surface (skin) temperature.

northward atmosphere water vapor transport across unit distance
type: CFParameter
has standard name: northward_atmosphere_water_vapor_transport_across_unit_distance
comment: "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). Transport across_unit_distance means expressed per unit distance normal to the direction of transport.
has canonical units: kg m-1 s-1

large scale cloud area fraction
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: 1
comment: "X_area_fraction" means the fraction of horizontal area occupied by X. "X_area" means the horizontal area occupied by X within the grid cell. Cloud area fraction is also called "cloud amount" and "cloud cover". The cloud area fraction is for the whole atmosphere column, as seen from the surface or the top of the atmosphere. The cloud area fraction in a layer of the atmosphere has the standard name cloud_area_fraction_in_atmosphere_layer.
has standard name: large_scale_cloud_area_fraction

land ice calving rate
type: CFParameter
has standard name: land_ice_calving_rate
comment: "Land ice" means glaciers, ice-caps and ice-sheets resting on bedrock. The land ice calving rate is the rate at which ice is lost per unit area through calving into the ocean.
has canonical units: m s-1

land area fraction
type: CFParameter
comment: "X_area_fraction" means the fraction of horizontal area occupied by X. "X_area" means the horizontal area occupied by X within the grid cell.
has amip: sftlf
has standard name: land_area_fraction
has grib: 81
has canonical units: 1

surface downwelling spectral radiative flux in air
type: CFParameter
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. Downwelling radiation is radiation from above. It does not mean "net downward". "spectral" means per unit wavelength or as a function of wavelength; spectral quantities are sometimes called "monochromatic". Radiation wavelength has standard name radiation_wavelength. 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.
has canonical units: W m-2 m-1
has standard name: surface_downwelling_spectral_radiative_flux_in_air

convective cloud top altitude
type: CFParameter
comment: cloud_top refers to the top of the highest cloud. Altitude is the (geometric) height above the geoid, which is the reference geopotential surface. The geoid is similar to mean sea level. Convective cloud is that produced by the convection schemes in an atmosphere model.
has canonical units: m
has standard name: convective_cloud_top_altitude

volume fraction of water in soil at wilting point
type: CFParameter
comment: "Water" means water in all phases. "Volume fraction" is used in the construction volume_fraction_of_X_in_Y, where X is a material constituent of Y. The wilting point of soil is the water content below which plants cannot extract sufficient water to balance their loss through transpiration.
has standard name: volume_fraction_of_water_in_soil_at_wilting_point
has canonical units: 1

soil thermal conductivity
type: CFParameter
has standard name: soil_thermal_conductivity
has canonical units: W m-1 K-1
comment: Thermal conductivity is the constant k in the formula q = -k grad T where q is the heat transfer per unit time per unit area of a surface normal to the direction of transfer and grad T is the temperature gradient. Thermal conductivity is a property of the material.

mass fraction of convective condensed water in air
type: CFParameter
has standard name: mass_fraction_of_convective_condensed_water_in_air
comment: "condensed_water" means liquid and ice. Mass fraction is used in the construction mass_fraction_of_X_in_Y, where X is a material constituent of Y. It means the ratio of the mass of Y to the mass of X (including Y).
has canonical units: 1

ertel potential vorticity
type: CFParameter
has standard name: ertel_potential_vorticity
has amip: vorpot
has canonical units: K m2 kg-1 s-1

fractional saturation of oxygen in sea water
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: 1
has standard name: fractional_saturation_of_oxygen_in_sea_water
comment: Fractional saturation is the ratio of some measure of concentration to the saturated value of the same quantity.

visibility in air
type: CFParameter
has grib: 20
comment: The visibility is the distance at which something can be seen.
has standard name: visibility_in_air
has canonical units: m

downwelling spectral radiative flux in sea water
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2 m-1
has standard name: downwelling_spectral_radiative_flux_in_sea_water
comment: Downwelling radiation is radiation from above. It does not mean "net downward". "spectral" means per unit wavelength or as a function of wavelength; spectral quantities are sometimes called "monochromatic". Radiation wavelength has standard name radiation_wavelength. 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.

litter carbon flux
type: CFParameter
has standard name: litter_carbon_flux
comment: "Litter carbon" is dead inorganic material in or above the soil quantified as the mass of carbon which it contains. The litter carbon flux is the rate of production of litter. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1

toa net upward shortwave flux
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
has grib: 113 E178
has standard name: toa_net_upward_shortwave_flux
comment: "shortwave" means shortwave radiation. "toa" means top of atmosphere. "Upward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed upward (negative downward). Net upward radiation is the difference between radiation from below (upwelling) and radiation from above (downwelling). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.

surface net downward shortwave flux assuming clear sky
type: CFParameter
has grib: E210
has canonical units: W m-2
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. A phrase assuming_condition indicates that the named quantity is the value which would obtain if all aspects of the system were unaltered except for the assumption of the circumstances specified by the condition. "shortwave" means shortwave radiation. "Downward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed downward (negative upward). Net downward radiation is the difference between radiation from above (downwelling) and radiation from below (upwelling). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has standard name: surface_net_downward_shortwave_flux_assuming_clear_sky

surface net downward shortwave flux
type: CFParameter
has standard name: surface_net_downward_shortwave_flux
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "shortwave" means shortwave radiation. "Downward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed downward (negative upward). Net downward radiation is the difference between radiation from above (downwelling) and radiation from below (upwelling). In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
has canonical units: W m-2
has amip: rss

tendency of mass fraction of cloud liquid water in air due to diffusion
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: s-1
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. Mass fraction is used in the construction mass_fraction_of_X_in_Y, where X is a material constituent of Y. It means the ratio of the mass of Y to the mass of X (including Y).
has standard name: tendency_of_mass_fraction_of_cloud_liquid_water_in_air_due_to_diffusion

air potential temperature
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: K
comment: Potential temperature is the temperature a parcel of air or sea water would have if moved adiabatically to sea level pressure.
has grib: 13
has amip: theta
has standard name: air_potential_temperature

downwelling spherical irradiance in sea water
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
has standard name: downwelling_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water
comment: 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".

sea ice temperature
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: K
has standard name: sea_ice_temperature

specific kinetic energy of air
type: CFParameter
has standard name: specific_kinetic_energy_of_air
comment: "specific" means per unit mass.
has canonical units: m2 s-2

snow thermal energy content
type: CFParameter
comment: "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. Thermal energy is the total vibrational energy, kinetic and potential, of all the molecules and atoms in a substance.
has standard name: snow_thermal_energy_content
has canonical units: J m-2

tendency of air temperature due to advection
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: K s-1
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. Air temperature is the bulk temperature of the air, not the surface (skin) temperature.
has standard name: tendency_of_air_temperature_due_to_advection

upward northward stress at sea ice base
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: Pa
has standard name: upward_northward_stress_at_sea_ice_base
comment: "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). "Upward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed upward (negative downward). "Upward northward" indicates the ZY component of a tensor. An upward northward stress is an upward flux of northward momentum, which accelerates the upper medium northward and the lower medium southward.

omnidirectional spectral spherical irradiance in sea water
type: CFParameter
comment: "spectral" means per unit wavelength or as a function of wavelength; spectral quantities are sometimes called "monochromatic". Radiation wavelength has standard name radiation_wavelength. 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.
has standard name: omnidirectional_spectral_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water
has canonical units: W m-3

root depth
type: CFParameter
comment: Depth is the vertical distance below the surface. The root depth is maximum depth of soil reached by plant roots, from which they can extract moisture.
has canonical units: m
has standard name: root_depth

air pressure at convective cloud base
type: CFParameter
has standard name: air_pressure_at_convective_cloud_base
has canonical units: Pa
comment: cloud_base refers to the base of the lowest cloud. Convective cloud is that produced by the convection schemes in an atmosphere model.

mole fraction of ozone in air
type: CFParameter
comment: Mole fraction is used in the construction mole_fraction_of_X_in_Y, where X is a material constituent of Y.
has amip: tro3
has canonical units: 1
has standard name: mole_fraction_of_ozone_in_air

canopy height
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m
comment: Height is the vertical distance above the surface. "Canopy" means the plant or vegetation canopy.
has standard name: canopy_height

tropopause upwelling shortwave flux
type: CFParameter
has standard name: tropopause_upwelling_shortwave_flux
comment: "shortwave" means shortwave radiation. 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.
has canonical units: W m-2

downwelling spectral photon flux in sea water
type: CFParameter
comment: 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.
has canonical units: mol m-2 s-1 m-1
has standard name: downwelling_spectral_photon_flux_in_sea_water

lwe snowfall rate
type: CFParameter
comment: "lwe" means liquid water equivalent.
has standard name: lwe_snowfall_rate
has canonical units: m s-1

tendency of air temperature due to longwave heating
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: K s-1
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "longwave" means longwave radiation. Air temperature is the bulk temperature of the air, not the surface (skin) temperature.
has standard name: tendency_of_air_temperature_due_to_longwave_heating
has amip: tntlw

product of northward wind and specific humidity
type: CFParameter
has amip: mpvhusa
comment: "product_of_X_and_Y" means X*Y. "specific" means per unit mass. "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). Specific humidity is the mass fraction of water vapor in (moist) air. 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.)
has standard name: product_of_northward_wind_and_specific_humidity
has canonical units: m s-1

tendency of eastward wind due to convection
type: CFParameter
has amip: tnmmuc
has canonical units: m s-2
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "Eastward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed eastward (negative westward). 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.)
has standard name: tendency_of_eastward_wind_due_to_convection

area fraction below surface
type: CFParameter
has standard name: area_fraction_below_surface
has amip: psbg
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. The fraction of horizontal area where the surface specified by the axes other than horizontal axes, for instance an isobaric surface, is below the (ground or sea) surface.
has canonical units: 1

equivalent temperature
type: CFParameter
has standard name: equivalent_temperature
has canonical units: K

divergence of sea ice velocity
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: s-1
has standard name: divergence_of_sea_ice_velocity
has grib: 98
comment: "[horizontal_]divergence_of_X" means [horizontal] divergence of a vector X; if X does not have a vertical component then "horizontal" should be omitted. A velocity is a vector quantity. Sea ice velocity is defined as a two-dimensional vector, with no vertical component.

volume fraction of water in soil at field capacity
type: CFParameter
has standard name: volume_fraction_of_water_in_soil_at_field_capacity
has canonical units: 1
comment: "Water" means water in all phases. "Volume fraction" is used in the construction volume_fraction_of_X_in_Y, where X is a material constituent of Y. The field capacity of soil is the maximum content of water it can retain against gravitational drainage.

tendency of atmosphere water vapor content due to turbulence
type: CFParameter
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. The "atmosphere content" of a quantity refers to the vertical integral from the surface to the top of the atmosphere. For the content between specified levels in the atmosphere, standard names including content_of_atmosphere_layer are used. Atmosphere water vapor content is sometimes referred to as "precipitable water", although this term does not imply the water could all be precipitated.
has standard name: tendency_of_atmosphere_water_vapor_content_due_to_turbulence
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1

land ice temperature
type: CFParameter
has standard name: land_ice_temperature
has canonical units: K
comment: "Land ice" means glaciers, ice-caps and ice-sheets resting on bedrock.

sea ice extent
type: CFParameter
has standard name: sea_ice_extent
has canonical units: m2

northward ocean heat transport due to gyre
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W
has standard name: northward_ocean_heat_transport_due_to_gyre
has amip: htovgyre
comment: 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. "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). Northward transport by the ocean gyre is geometrically defined as being the part due to the vertical integral of the product of deviations of velocity and tracer from their zonal means. The velocity does not include "bolus" or Gent-McWilliams velocity.

latitude
type: CFParameter
has standard name: latitude
has amip: latitude
comment: Latitude is positive northward; its units of degree_north (or equivalent) indicate this explicitly. In a latitude-longitude system defined with respect to a rotated North Pole, the standard name of grid_latitude should be used instead of latitude. Grid latitude is positive in the grid-northward direction, but its units should be plain degree.
has canonical units: degree_north

surface eastward geostrophic sea water velocity
type: CFParameter
has standard name: surface_eastward_geostrophic_sea_water_velocity
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. A velocity is a vector quantity. "Eastward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed eastward (negative westward). "Geostrophic" indicates that geostrophic balance is assumed. "Water" means water in all phases. surface_eastward_sea_water_geostrophic_velocity is the sum of a variable part, surface_eastward_sea_water_geostrophic_velocity_assuming_sea_level_for_geoid, and a constant part due to the stationary component of ocean circulation.
has canonical units: m s-1

atmosphere dry static energy content
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: J m-2
comment: "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. The "atmosphere content" of a quantity refers to the vertical integral from the surface to the top of the atmosphere. For the content between specified levels in the atmosphere, standard names including content_of_atmosphere_layer are used. Dry static energy is the sum of enthalpy and potential energy (itself the sum of gravitational and centripetal potential energy). Enthalpy can be written either as (1) CpT, where Cp is heat capacity at constant pressure, T is absolute temperature, or (2) U+pV, where U is internal energy, p is pressure and V is volume.
has standard name: atmosphere_dry_static_energy_content

ocean s coordinate
type: CFParameter
has standard name: ocean_s_coordinate
comment: See Appendix D of the CF convention for information about dimensionless vertical coordinates.
has canonical units: 1

eastward wind
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m s-1
comment: "Eastward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed eastward (negative westward). 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.)
has amip: ua
has grib: 33 E131
has standard name: eastward_wind

atmosphere energy content
type: CFParameter
comment: "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. The "atmosphere content" of a quantity refers to the vertical integral from the surface to the top of the atmosphere. For the content between specified levels in the atmosphere, standard names including content_of_atmosphere_layer are used. "Atmosphere energy content" has not yet been precisely defined! Please express your views on this quantity on the CF email list.
has standard name: atmosphere_energy_content
has canonical units: J m-2

tropopause instantaneous radiative forcing
type: CFParameter
has standard name: tropopause_instantaneous_radiative_forcing
comment: Instantaneous forcing is the radiative flux change caused instantaneously by an imposed change in radiative forcing agent (greenhouse gases, aerosol, solar radiation, etc.).
has canonical units: W m-2

land binary mask
type: CFParameter
comment: X_binary_mask has 1 where condition X is met, 0 elsewhere. 1 = land, 0 = sea.
has canonical units: 1
has grib: E172
has standard name: land_binary_mask

volume fraction of sand in soil
type: CFParameter
comment: "Volume fraction" is used in the construction volume_fraction_of_X_in_Y, where X is a material constituent of Y.
has standard name: volume_fraction_of_sand_in_soil
has canonical units: 1

planetary albedo
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: 1
has standard name: planetary_albedo

surface temperature where snow
type: CFParameter
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. Unless indicated, a quantity is assumed to apply to the whole area of each horizontal grid box. The qualifier where_type specifies instead that the quantity applies only to the part of the grid box of the named type. The surface temperature is the (skin) temperature at the interface, not the bulk temperature of the medium above or below.
has canonical units: K
has standard name: surface_temperature_where_snow

square of eastward wind
type: CFParameter
has amip: mpuua
comment: "square_of_X" means X*X. "Eastward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed eastward (negative westward). 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.)
has canonical units: m2 s-2
has standard name: square_of_eastward_wind

ocean mixed layer thickness defined by sigma t
type: CFParameter
comment: The ocean mixed layer is the upper part of the ocean, regarded as being well-mixed. The base of the mixed layer defined by temperature, sigma or sigma_theta is the level at which the quantity indicated differs from its surface value by a certain amount.
has canonical units: m
has standard name: ocean_mixed_layer_thickness_defined_by_sigma_t

thunderstorm probability
type: CFParameter
has grib: 60
has canonical units: 1
comment: "probability_of_X" means the chance that X is true or of at least one occurrence of X. Space and time coordinates must be used to indicate the area and time-interval to which a probability applies.
has standard name: thunderstorm_probability

ocean mixed layer thickness defined by mixing scheme
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m
comment: The ocean mixed layer is the upper part of the ocean, regarded as being well-mixed. The base of the mixed layer defined by the mixing scheme is a diagnostic of ocean models.
has standard name: ocean_mixed_layer_thickness_defined_by_mixing_scheme

enthalpy content of atmosphere layer
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: J m-2
comment: "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. "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). If the layers are model layers, the vertical coordinate can be model_level_number, but it is recommended to specify a physical coordinate (in a scalar or auxiliary coordinate variable) as well. Enthalpy can be written either as (1) CpT, where Cp is heat capacity at constant pressure, T is absolute temperature, or (2) U+pV, where U is internal energy, p is pressure and V is volume.
has standard name: enthalpy_content_of_atmosphere_layer

platform pitch rate
type: CFParameter
has standard name: platform_pitch_rate
has canonical units: degree s-1
comment: Standard names for platform describe the motion and orientation of the vehicle from which observations are made e.g. aeroplane or ship.

soil frozen water content
type: CFParameter
comment: "frozen_water" means ice. "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. The "soil content" of a quantity refers to the vertical integral from the surface down to the bottom of the soil model. For the content between specified levels in the soil, standard names including content_of_soil_layer are used.
has standard name: soil_frozen_water_content
has amip: mrfso
has canonical units: kg m-2

upward sea water velocity
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m s-1
comment: A velocity is a vector quantity. "Upward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed upward (negative downward).
has standard name: upward_sea_water_velocity

sea ice area
type: CFParameter
has standard name: sea_ice_area
has canonical units: m2
comment: "X_area" means the horizontal area occupied by X within the grid cell.

sea area
type: CFParameter
comment: "X_area" means the horizontal area occupied by X within the grid cell.
has standard name: sea_area
has canonical units: m2

grid longitude
type: CFParameter
comment: Longitude is positive eastward; its units of degree_east (or equivalent) indicate this explicitly. In a latitude-longitude system defined with respect to a rotated North Pole, the standard name of grid_longitude should be used instead of longitude. Grid longitude is positive in the grid-eastward direction, but its units should be plain degree.
has canonical units: degree
has standard name: grid_longitude

tendency of air density
type: CFParameter
has standard name: tendency_of_air_density
has canonical units: kg m-3 s-1
comment: "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time.

sea water sigma t
type: CFParameter
has standard name: sea_water_sigma_t
comment: Sigma-t of sea water is the density of water at atmospheric pressure (i.e. the surface) having the same temperature and salinity, minus 1000 kg m-3. Note that sea water sigma is not the same quantity as the dimensionless ocean sigma coordinate (see Appendix D of the CF convention), for which there is another standard name.
has canonical units: kg m-3

lwe precipitation rate
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m s-1
has standard name: lwe_precipitation_rate
comment: "lwe" means liquid water equivalent.

sea surface wind wave zero upcrossing period
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: s
comment: A period is an interval of time, or the time-period of an oscillation. The zero upcrossing period is defined as the time interval between consecutive occasions on which the surface height passes upward above the mean level. 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.)
has standard name: sea_surface_wind_wave_zero_upcrossing_period

sea surface temperature
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: K
has standard name: sea_surface_temperature
comment: Sea surface temperature is usually abbreviated as "SST". It is the temperature of sea water near the surface (including the part under sea-ice, if any), and not the skin temperature, whose standard name is surface_temperature. For the temperature of sea water at a particular depth or layer, a data variable of sea_water_temperature with a vertical coordinate axis should be used.

upwelling shortwave radiance in air
type: CFParameter
has standard name: upwelling_shortwave_radiance_in_air
has canonical units: W m-2 sr-1
comment: "shortwave" means shortwave radiation. 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.

surface snow sublimation heat flux
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: W m-2
has standard name: surface_snow_sublimation_heat_flux
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. Sublimation is the conversion of solid into vapor. The snow sublimation heat flux is the supply of latent heat which is causing evaporation of snow to water vapor. In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.

platform roll angle
type: CFParameter
has standard name: platform_roll_angle
has canonical units: degree
comment: Standard names for platform describe the motion and orientation of the vehicle from which observations are made e.g. aeroplane or ship.

atmosphere sleve coordinate
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: 1
has standard name: atmosphere_sleve_coordinate
comment: See Appendix D of the CF convention for information about dimensionless vertical coordinates.

tendency of mass fraction of cloud ice in air due to diffusion
type: CFParameter
has standard name: tendency_of_mass_fraction_of_cloud_ice_in_air_due_to_diffusion
has canonical units: s-1
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. Mass fraction is used in the construction mass_fraction_of_X_in_Y, where X is a material constituent of Y. It means the ratio of the mass of Y to the mass of X (including Y).

sound pressure in air
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: Pa
comment: Sound pressure is the difference from the local ambient pressure caused by a sound wave at a particular location and time.
has standard name: sound_pressure_in_air

surface northward geostrophic sea water velocity assuming sea level for geoid
type: CFParameter
has standard name: surface_northward_geostrophic_sea_water_velocity_assuming_sea_level_for_geoid
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. A velocity is a vector quantity. "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward). "Geostrophic" indicates that geostrophic balance is assumed. "Water" means water in all phases. "sea_level" means mean sea level. The geoid is a surface of constant geopotential with which mean sea level would coincide if the ocean were at rest. surface_northward_sea_water_geostrophic_velocity_assuming_sea_level_for_geoid is the variable part of surface_northward_sea_water_geostrophic_velocity. The assumption that sea level is equal to the geoid means that the stationary component of ocean circulation is equal to zero.
has canonical units: m s-1

ocean mixed layer thickness defined by sigma theta
type: CFParameter
comment: The ocean mixed layer is the upper part of the ocean, regarded as being well-mixed. The base of the mixed layer defined by temperature, sigma or sigma_theta is the level at which the quantity indicated differs from its surface value by a certain amount.
has canonical units: m
has standard name: ocean_mixed_layer_thickness_defined_by_sigma_theta

integral of sea water temperature wrt depth in ocean layer
type: CFParameter
has standard name: integral_of_sea_water_temperature_wrt_depth_in_ocean_layer
has canonical units: K m
comment: "integral_of_Y_wrt_X" means int Y dX. The data variable should have an axis for X specifying the limits of the integral as bounds. "wrt" means with respect to. "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). If the layers are model layers, the vertical coordinate can be model_level_number, but it is recommended to specify a physical coordinate (in a scalar or auxiliary coordinate variable) as well. Depth is the vertical distance below the surface.

mass concentration of sulfate aerosol in air
type: CFParameter
comment: Mass concentration means mass per unit volume and is used in the construction mass_concentration_of_X_in_Y, where X is a material constituent of Y. "Aerosol" means the suspended liquid or solid particles in air (except cloud droplets).
has standard name: mass_concentration_of_sulfate_aerosol_in_air
has amip: trsul
has canonical units: kg m-3

surface air pressure
type: CFParameter
comment: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere.
has standard name: surface_air_pressure
has amip: ps
has canonical units: Pa
has grib: E134

tendency of wind speed due to convection
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m s-2
comment: 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. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. Speed is the magnitude of velocity. 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.) The wind speed is the magnitude of the wind velocity.
has standard name: tendency_of_wind_speed_due_to_convection

snow density
type: CFParameter
has standard name: snow_density
has canonical units: kg m-3

downwelling photon flux in sea water
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: mol m-2 s-1
comment: 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.
has standard name: downwelling_photon_flux_in_sea_water

ocean meridional overturning streamfunction
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m3 s-1
has standard name: ocean_meridional_overturning_streamfunction
has amip: stfmmcgo
comment: The ocean meridional overturning streamfunction should not include not include "bolus" or Gent-McWilliams velocity.

wind speed of gust
type: CFParameter
has canonical units: m s-1
has standard name: wind_speed_of_gust
comment: Speed is the magnitude of velocity. 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.) The wind speed is the magnitude of the wind velocity. A gust is a sudden brief period of high wind speed. In an observed timeseries of wind speed, the gust wind speed can be indicated by a cell_methods of maximum for the time-interval. In an atmospheric model which has a parametrised calculation of gustiness, the gust wind speed may be separately diagnosed from the wind speed.