Climate and Forecast (CF) standard names parameter vocabulary
type: Ontology
contributor: Brian Eaton, Jonathan Gregory et. al.
description: This is an ontology representation for the Climate and Forecast (CF) standard names parameter vocabulary, which is intended for use with climate and forecast data, in the atmosphere, surface and ocean domains More information: http://www.cgd.ucar.edu/cms/eaton/cf-metadata/standard_name.xml
date: 2007-03-09T17:52:04+0000
creator: Luis Bermudez MMI
subject: Parameters
source: version 2007-03-09T17:52:02+0000

Standard Name
type: Class

GRIB
type: DatatypeProperty
domain: Standard Name

AMIP
type: DatatypeProperty
domain: Standard Name

Standard Name
type: DatatypeProperty
domain: Standard Name

Description
type: DatatypeProperty
domain: Standard Name

runoff_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: mrro
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
Standard Name: runoff_flux

kg m-2 s-1
type: Canonical Units

equivalent_thickness_at_stp_of_atmosphere_ozone_content
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
GRIB: 10
has canonical units: m
Standard Name: equivalent_thickness_at_stp_of_atmosphere_ozone_content

m
type: Canonical Units

surface_runoff_amount
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
GRIB: 90
has canonical units: kg m-2
Standard Name: surface_runoff_amount

kg m-2
type: Canonical Units

tendency_of_dry_static_energy_content_of_atmosphere_layer
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: tendency_of_dry_static_energy_content_of_atmosphere_layer

W m-2
type: Canonical Units

upward_northward_stress_at_sea_ice_base
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
has canonical units: Pa
Standard Name: upward_northward_stress_at_sea_ice_base

Pa
type: Canonical Units

water_evaporation_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
AMIP: evspsbl
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
Standard Name: water_evaporation_flux

tendency_of_air_temperature_due_to_longwave_heating_assuming_clear_sky
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: tendency_of_air_temperature_due_to_longwave_heating_assuming_clear_sky

K s-1
type: Canonical Units

surface_temperature_where_snow
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: surface_temperature_where_snow

K
type: Canonical Units

sea_surface_wave_variance_spectral_density
type: Standard Name
Description: Sea surface wave variance spectral density is the variance of wave amplitude within a range of wave frequency.
has canonical units: m2 s-1
Standard Name: sea_surface_wave_variance_spectral_density

m2 s-1
type: Canonical Units

product_of_air_temperature_and_omega
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: product_of_air_temperature_and_omega

K Pa s-1
type: Canonical Units

water_vapor_pressure
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
GRIB: 55
has canonical units: Pa
Standard Name: water_vapor_pressure

sea_water_speed
type: Standard Name
Description: Speed is the magnitude of velocity.
GRIB: 48
has canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: sea_water_speed

m s-1
type: Canonical Units

toa_net_downward_shortwave_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
AMIP: rst
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: toa_net_downward_shortwave_flux

W m-2 m-1 sr-1
type: Canonical Units

mole_fraction_of_ozone_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: Mole fraction is used in the construction mole_fraction_of_X_in_Y, where X is a material constituent of Y.
AMIP: tro3
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: mole_fraction_of_ozone_in_air

1
type: Canonical Units

geostrophic_eastward_wind
type: Standard Name
Description: "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-1
Standard Name: geostrophic_eastward_wind

soil_thermal_conductivity
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: W m-1 K-1
Standard Name: soil_thermal_conductivity

W m-1 K-1
type: Canonical Units

atmosphere_sulfate_content
type: Standard Name
Description: "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: kg m-2
Standard Name: atmosphere_sulfate_content

direction_of_sea_water_velocity
type: Standard Name
Description: "direction_of_X" means direction of a vector, a bearing. A velocity is a vector quantity.
GRIB: 47
has canonical units: degree
Standard Name: direction_of_sea_water_velocity

degree
type: Canonical Units

platform_yaw_rate
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: platform_yaw_rate

degree s-1
type: Canonical Units

time
type: Standard Name
AMIP: time
has canonical units: s
Standard Name: time

s
type: Canonical Units

J kg-1 K-1
type: Canonical Units

surface_upwelling_radiance_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: W m-2 sr-1
Standard Name: surface_upwelling_radiance_in_sea_water

W m-2 sr-1
type: Canonical Units

cloud_condensed_water_content_of_atmosphere_layer
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: kg m-2
Standard Name: cloud_condensed_water_content_of_atmosphere_layer

mol m-2 s-1 m-1 sr-1
type: Canonical Units

northward_atmosphere_heat_transport
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
has canonical units: W
Standard Name: northward_atmosphere_heat_transport

W
type: Canonical Units

product_of_geopotential_height_and_omega
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: Pa m s-1
Standard Name: product_of_geopotential_height_and_omega

Pa m s-1
type: Canonical Units

surface_snow_thickness
type: Standard Name
Description: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere.
GRIB: 66
AMIP: snd
has canonical units: m
Standard Name: surface_snow_thickness

Pa-1 s-1
type: Canonical Units

water_vapor_content_of_atmosphere_layer
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: water_vapor_content_of_atmosphere_layer

omnidirectional_photosynthetic_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: omnidirectional_photosynthetic_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water

surface_net_downward_shortwave_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: rss
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: surface_net_downward_shortwave_flux

net_rate_of_absorption_of_shortwave_energy_in_atmosphere_layer
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: net_rate_of_absorption_of_shortwave_energy_in_atmosphere_layer

cloud_area_fraction_in_atmosphere_layer
type: Standard Name
Description: "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".
AMIP: cl
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: cloud_area_fraction_in_atmosphere_layer

ocean_isopycnal_layer_thickness_diffusivity
type: Standard Name
has canonical units: m2 s-1
Standard Name: ocean_isopycnal_layer_thickness_diffusivity

tendency_of_water_vapor_content_of_atmosphere_layer_due_to_shallow_convection
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
Standard Name: tendency_of_water_vapor_content_of_atmosphere_layer_due_to_shallow_convection

tendency_of_water_vapor_content_of_atmosphere_layer_due_to_deep_convection
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
Standard Name: tendency_of_water_vapor_content_of_atmosphere_layer_due_to_deep_convection

tropopause_instantaneous_radiative_forcing
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: tropopause_instantaneous_radiative_forcing

horizontal_dry_energy_transport_in_atmosphere_layer
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: horizontal_dry_energy_transport_in_atmosphere_layer

land_ice_vertical_mean_y_velocity
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: land_ice_vertical_mean_y_velocity

dimensionless_exner_function
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: dimensionless_exner_function

surface_net_upward_longwave_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
GRIB: 112 E176
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: surface_net_upward_longwave_flux

model_level_number
type: Standard Name
Description: Model level number should be understood as equivalent to layer number.
AMIP: lev
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: model_level_number

surface_albedo_assuming_no_snow
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: surface_albedo_assuming_no_snow

net_upward_shortwave_flux_in_air_assuming_clear_sky
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: net_upward_shortwave_flux_in_air_assuming_clear_sky

horizontal_atmosphere_dry_energy_transport
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: horizontal_atmosphere_dry_energy_transport

land_ice_calving_rate
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: land_ice_calving_rate

tendency_of_northward_wind_due_to_diffusion
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: tendency_of_northward_wind_due_to_diffusion

m s-2
type: Canonical Units

concentration_of_suspended_matter_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
has canonical units: kg m-3
Standard Name: concentration_of_suspended_matter_in_sea_water

kg m-3
type: Canonical Units

volume_fraction_of_sand_in_soil
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: volume_fraction_of_sand_in_soil

sea_surface_swell_wave_to_direction
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
GRIB: 104
has canonical units: degree
Standard Name: sea_surface_swell_wave_to_direction

sea_surface_swell_wave_significant_height
type: Standard Name
Description: Height is the vertical distance above the surface. Swell waves are waves on the ocean surface.
GRIB: 105
has canonical units: m
Standard Name: sea_surface_swell_wave_significant_height

atmosphere_convective_mass_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: atmosphere_convective_mass_flux

water_potential_evaporation_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: water_potential_evaporation_flux

sea_ice_y_velocity
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: sea_ice_y_velocity

radiation_wavelength
type: Standard Name
Description: The radiation wavelength can refer to any electromagnetic wave, such as light, heat radiation and radio waves.
has canonical units: m
Standard Name: radiation_wavelength

change_in_energy_content_of_atmosphere_layer_due_to_change_in_sigma_coordinate_wrt_surface_pressure
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: J m-2
Standard Name: change_in_energy_content_of_atmosphere_layer_due_to_change_in_sigma_coordinate_wrt_surface_pressure

J m-2
type: Canonical Units

surface_water_amount
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: kg m-2
Standard Name: surface_water_amount

surface_downward_eastward_stress
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
GRIB: E180
AMIP: tauu
has canonical units: Pa
Standard Name: surface_downward_eastward_stress

isccp_cloud_area_fraction
type: Standard Name
Description: "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).
AMIP: clisccp
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: isccp_cloud_area_fraction

tropopause_net_downward_shortwave_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: tropopause_net_downward_shortwave_flux

product_of_specific_humidity_and_omega
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: Pa s-1
Standard Name: product_of_specific_humidity_and_omega

Pa s-1
type: Canonical Units

solar_zenith_angle
type: Standard Name
Description: Solar zenith angle is the the angle between the line of sight to the sun and the local vertical.
has canonical units: degree
Standard Name: solar_zenith_angle

large_scale_rainfall_amount
type: Standard Name
Description: "Amount" means mass per unit area.
has canonical units: kg m-2
Standard Name: large_scale_rainfall_amount

planetary_albedo
type: Standard Name
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: planetary_albedo

net_upward_longwave_flux_in_air_assuming_clear_sky
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: rlntpcs
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: net_upward_longwave_flux_in_air_assuming_clear_sky

surface_downwelling_spectral_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: W m-2 m-1
Standard Name: surface_downwelling_spectral_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water

W m-2 m-1
type: Canonical Units

moisture_content_of_soil_layer_at_field_capacity
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
AMIP: mrsofcs
has canonical units: kg m-2
Standard Name: moisture_content_of_soil_layer_at_field_capacity

geopotential
type: Standard Name
Description: Geopotential is the sum of the specific gravitational potential energy relative to the geoid and the specific centripetal potential energy.
GRIB: 6 E129
has canonical units: m2 s-2
Standard Name: geopotential

m2 s-2
type: Canonical Units

upwelling_spectral_radiative_flux_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: upwelling_spectral_radiative_flux_in_air

convective_cloud_area_fraction_in_atmosphere_layer
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: convective_cloud_area_fraction_in_atmosphere_layer

large_scale_rainfall_rate
type: Standard Name
has canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: large_scale_rainfall_rate

surface_downward_heat_flux_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: hfns
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: surface_downward_heat_flux_in_air

upward_sea_ice_basal_heat_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: upward_sea_ice_basal_heat_flux

enthalpy_content_of_atmosphere_layer
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: J m-2
Standard Name: enthalpy_content_of_atmosphere_layer

aerosol_angstrom_exponent
type: Standard Name
Description: "Aerosol" means the suspended liquid or solid particles in air (except cloud droplets).
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: aerosol_angstrom_exponent

sea_water_density
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: kg m-3
Standard Name: sea_water_density

change_in_atmosphere_energy_content_due_to_change_in_sigma_coordinate_wrt_surface_pressure
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: J m-2
Standard Name: change_in_atmosphere_energy_content_due_to_change_in_sigma_coordinate_wrt_surface_pressure

tendency_of_mass_fraction_of_cloud_ice_in_air_due_to_diffusion
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: tendency_of_mass_fraction_of_cloud_ice_in_air_due_to_diffusion

s-1
type: Canonical Units

degree_east
type: Canonical Units

sea_water_salinity
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
GRIB: 88
AMIP: so
has canonical units: 1e-3
Standard Name: sea_water_salinity

1e-3
type: Canonical Units

m2
type: Canonical Units

surface_downwelling_photon_radiance_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: mol m-2 s-1 sr-1
Standard Name: surface_downwelling_photon_radiance_in_sea_water

mol m-2 s-1 sr-1
type: Canonical Units

sea_ice_volume
type: Standard Name
has canonical units: m3
Standard Name: sea_ice_volume

m3
type: Canonical Units

land_ice_sigma_coordinate
type: Standard Name
Description: "Land ice" means glaciers, ice-caps and ice-sheets resting on bedrock.
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: land_ice_sigma_coordinate

surface_downwelling_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: surface_downwelling_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water

surface_air_pressure
type: Standard Name
Description: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere.
GRIB: E134
AMIP: ps
has canonical units: Pa
Standard Name: surface_air_pressure

degree_north
type: Canonical Units

s-2
type: Canonical Units

atmosphere_eastward_stress_due_to_gravity_wave_drag
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: tauugwd
has canonical units: Pa
Standard Name: atmosphere_eastward_stress_due_to_gravity_wave_drag

surface_downwelling_spectral_photon_flux_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: mol m-2 s-1 m-1
Standard Name: surface_downwelling_spectral_photon_flux_in_sea_water

mol m-2 s-1 m-1
type: Canonical Units

atmosphere_water_vapor_content
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
GRIB: 54
AMIP: prw
has canonical units: kg m-2
Standard Name: atmosphere_water_vapor_content

air_pressure_at_convective_cloud_base
type: Standard Name
Description: cloud_base refers to the base of the lowest cloud. Convective cloud is that produced by the convection schemes in an atmosphere model.
has canonical units: Pa
Standard Name: air_pressure_at_convective_cloud_base

m3 s-2
type: Canonical Units

water_evaporation_flux_from_canopy_where_land
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: evspsblveg
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
Standard Name: water_evaporation_flux_from_canopy_where_land

atmosphere_momentum_diffusivity
type: Standard Name
has canonical units: m2 s-1
Standard Name: atmosphere_momentum_diffusivity

thickness_of_large_scale_rainfall_amount
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: thickness_of_large_scale_rainfall_amount

surface_downwelling_photon_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: mol m-2 s-1
Standard Name: surface_downwelling_photon_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water

mol m-2 s-1
type: Canonical Units

lwe_thickness_of_large_scale_snowfall_amount
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: lwe_thickness_of_large_scale_snowfall_amount

downwelling_spectral_radiance_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: W m-2 m-1 sr-1
Standard Name: downwelling_spectral_radiance_in_air

altitude
type: Standard Name
Description: Altitude is the (geometric) height above the geoid, which is the reference geopotential surface. The geoid is similar to mean sea level.
GRIB: 8
has canonical units: m
Standard Name: altitude

fractional_saturation_of_oxygen_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: Fractional saturation is the ratio of some measure of concentration to the saturated value of the same quantity.
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: fractional_saturation_of_oxygen_in_sea_water

mass_fraction_of_snow_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: mass_fraction_of_snow_in_air

downward_sea_ice_basal_salt_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: downward_sea_ice_basal_salt_flux

cloud_area_fraction
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
GRIB: 71 E164
AMIP: clt
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: cloud_area_fraction

lwe_large_scale_snowfall_rate
type: Standard Name
Description: "lwe" means liquid water equivalent.
has canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: lwe_large_scale_snowfall_rate

toa_net_upward_longwave_flux_assuming_clear_sky
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: toa_net_upward_longwave_flux_assuming_clear_sky

equilibrium_line_altitude
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: m
Standard Name: equilibrium_line_altitude

mass_fraction_of_water_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: mass_fraction_of_water_in_air

wind_speed_of_gust
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: wind_speed_of_gust

surface_snow_melt_amount
type: Standard Name
Description: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "Amount" means mass per unit area.
GRIB: 99
has canonical units: kg m-2
Standard Name: surface_snow_melt_amount

northward_water_vapor_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: northward_water_vapor_flux

surface_temperature_anomaly
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: K
Standard Name: surface_temperature_anomaly

m-1 s-1
type: Canonical Units

water_evaporation_flux_from_soil
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: water_evaporation_flux_from_soil

moles_of_phosphate_per_unit_mass_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: moles_of_phosphate_per_unit_mass_in_sea_water

mol kg-1
type: Canonical Units

lwe_precipitation_rate
type: Standard Name
Description: "lwe" means liquid water equivalent.
has canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: lwe_precipitation_rate

northward_ocean_freshwater_transport_due_to_diffusion
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: kg s-1
Standard Name: northward_ocean_freshwater_transport_due_to_diffusion

kg s-1
type: Canonical Units

product_of_eastward_wind_and_northward_wind
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.)
AMIP: mpuva
has canonical units: m2 s-2
Standard Name: product_of_eastward_wind_and_northward_wind

northward_ocean_salt_transport
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: northward_ocean_salt_transport

northward_ocean_salt_transport_due_to_overturning
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: sltovovrt
has canonical units: kg s-1
Standard Name: northward_ocean_salt_transport_due_to_overturning

atmosphere_hybrid_sigma_pressure_coordinate
type: Standard Name
Description: See Appendix D of the CF convention for information about dimensionless vertical coordinates.
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: atmosphere_hybrid_sigma_pressure_coordinate

net_downward_shortwave_flux_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: net_downward_shortwave_flux_in_air

tendency_of_air_temperature_due_to_advection
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: tendency_of_air_temperature_due_to_advection

atmosphere_cloud_ice_content
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
GRIB: 58
AMIP: clivi
has canonical units: kg m-2
Standard Name: atmosphere_cloud_ice_content

net_downward_radiative_flux_at_top_of_atmosphere_model
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: rtmt
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: net_downward_radiative_flux_at_top_of_atmosphere_model

thickness_of_convective_snowfall_amount
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: thickness_of_convective_snowfall_amount

surface_carbon_dioxide_partial_pressure_difference_between_air_and_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: Pa
Standard Name: surface_carbon_dioxide_partial_pressure_difference_between_air_and_sea_water

tendency_of_northward_wind_due_to_convection
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.)
AMIP: tnmmvc
has canonical units: m s-2
Standard Name: tendency_of_northward_wind_due_to_convection

northward_wind_shear
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
GRIB: 46
has canonical units: s-1
Standard Name: northward_wind_shear

mass_fraction_of_stratiform_cloud_ice_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: mass_fraction_of_stratiform_cloud_ice_in_air

volume_scattering_function_of_radiative_flux_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: m-1 sr-1
Standard Name: volume_scattering_function_of_radiative_flux_in_sea_water

m-1 sr-1
type: Canonical Units

downward_northward_momentum_flux_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
GRIB: 125
has canonical units: Pa
Standard Name: downward_northward_momentum_flux_in_air

convective_rainfall_amount
type: Standard Name
Description: "Amount" means mass per unit area.
has canonical units: kg m-2
Standard Name: convective_rainfall_amount

lwe_thickness_of_surface_snow_amount
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
GRIB: E141
has canonical units: m
Standard Name: lwe_thickness_of_surface_snow_amount

soil_hydraulic_conductivity_at_saturation
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: soil_hydraulic_conductivity_at_saturation

sound_pressure_level_in_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: dB
Standard Name: sound_pressure_level_in_water

dB
type: Canonical Units

surface_downward_latent_heat_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: surface_downward_latent_heat_flux

baroclinic_northward_sea_water_velocity
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: baroclinic_northward_sea_water_velocity

tendency_of_specific_humidity_due_to_diffusion
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: tendency_of_specific_humidity_due_to_diffusion

upward_dry_static_energy_flux_due_to_diffusion
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: upward_dry_static_energy_flux_due_to_diffusion

sea_surface_wind_wave_to_direction
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
GRIB: 101
has canonical units: degree
Standard Name: sea_surface_wind_wave_to_direction

northward_ocean_heat_transport_due_to_diffusion
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: htovdiff
has canonical units: W
Standard Name: northward_ocean_heat_transport_due_to_diffusion

land_ice_thickness
type: Standard Name
Description: "Land ice" means glaciers, ice-caps and ice-sheets resting on bedrock.
has canonical units: m
Standard Name: land_ice_thickness

air_temperature_threshold
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: K
Standard Name: air_temperature_threshold

vegetation_area_fraction
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
GRIB: 87
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: vegetation_area_fraction

tendency_of_eastward_wind_due_to_gravity_wave_drag
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.)
AMIP: tnmmugwd
has canonical units: m s-2
Standard Name: tendency_of_eastward_wind_due_to_gravity_wave_drag

northward_ocean_heat_transport
type: Standard Name
Description: "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: W
Standard Name: northward_ocean_heat_transport

grid_latitude
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: grid_latitude

atmosphere_ln_pressure_coordinate
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: 1
Standard Name: atmosphere_ln_pressure_coordinate

moles_of_silicate_per_unit_mass_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: moles_of_silicate_per_unit_mass_in_sea_water

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

string
type: Canonical Units

tendency_of_atmosphere_dry_energy_content
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: tendency_of_atmosphere_dry_energy_content

convective_cloud_base_height
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: m
Standard Name: convective_cloud_base_height

surface_downward_heat_flux_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: surface_downward_heat_flux_in_sea_water

eastward_atmosphere_dry_static_energy_transport_across_unit_distance
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: eastward_atmosphere_dry_static_energy_transport_across_unit_distance

W m-1
type: Canonical Units

canopy_and_surface_water_amount
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: kg m-2
Standard Name: canopy_and_surface_water_amount

tendency_of_upward_air_velocity
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
has canonical units: m s-2
Standard Name: tendency_of_upward_air_velocity

sea_surface_wave_to_direction
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: sea_surface_wave_to_direction

land_ice_y_velocity
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: land_ice_y_velocity

downwelling_spectral_radiance_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: W m-2 m-1 sr-1
Standard Name: downwelling_spectral_radiance_in_sea_water

change_over_time_in_surface_snow_amount
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: kg m-2
Standard Name: change_over_time_in_surface_snow_amount

water_flux_into_ocean_from_rivers
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
Standard Name: water_flux_into_ocean_from_rivers

sound_pressure_in_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: sound_pressure_in_water

upwelling_spectral_radiance_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: upwelling_spectral_radiance_in_air

volume_backwards_scattering_coefficient_of_radiative_flux_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: m-1
Standard Name: volume_backwards_scattering_coefficient_of_radiative_flux_in_sea_water

m-1
type: Canonical Units

product_of_omega_and_specific_humidity
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
AMIP: mpwhusa
has canonical units: Pa s-1
Standard Name: product_of_omega_and_specific_humidity

ocean_volume
type: Standard Name
has canonical units: m3
Standard Name: ocean_volume

tendency_of_wind_speed_due_to_convection
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: m s-2
Standard Name: tendency_of_wind_speed_due_to_convection

Pa m s-2
type: Canonical Units

dew_point_temperature
type: Standard Name
Description: Dew point temperature is the temperature at which a parcel of air reaches saturation upon being cooled at constant pressure and specific humidity.
GRIB: 17
has canonical units: K
Standard Name: dew_point_temperature

equivalent_potential_temperature
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: equivalent_potential_temperature

vegetation_carbon_content
type: Standard Name
Description: "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. "Vegetation" means any plants e.g. trees, shrubs, grass.
has canonical units: kg m-2
Standard Name: vegetation_carbon_content

eastward_sea_ice_velocity
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
GRIB: 95
has canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: eastward_sea_ice_velocity

atmosphere_specific_convective_available_potential_energy
type: Standard Name
Description: "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".
has canonical units: J kg-1
Standard Name: atmosphere_specific_convective_available_potential_energy

J kg-1
type: Canonical Units

water_flux_correction
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
Standard Name: water_flux_correction

snow_temperature
type: Standard Name
Description: Snow temperature is the bulk temperature of the snow, not the surface (skin) temperature.
GRIB: E238
has canonical units: K
Standard Name: snow_temperature

cloud_ice_content_of_atmosphere_layer
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: cloud_ice_content_of_atmosphere_layer

ertel_potential_vorticity
type: Standard Name
AMIP: vorpot
has canonical units: K m2 kg-1 s-1
Standard Name: ertel_potential_vorticity

K m2 kg-1 s-1
type: Canonical Units

convective_cloud_top_altitude
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: convective_cloud_top_altitude

surface_downwelling_shortwave_flux_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
GRIB: 117 E169
AMIP: rsds
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: surface_downwelling_shortwave_flux_in_air

litter_carbon_content
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: litter_carbon_content

convective_rainfall_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: convective_rainfall_flux

projection_x_coordinate
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
has canonical units: m
Standard Name: projection_x_coordinate

downward_eastward_momentum_flux_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
GRIB: 124
has canonical units: Pa
Standard Name: downward_eastward_momentum_flux_in_air

height
type: Standard Name
Description: Height is the vertical distance above the surface.
AMIP: zh
has canonical units: m
Standard Name: height

bedrock_altitude_change_due_to_isostatic_adjustment
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: bedrock_altitude_change_due_to_isostatic_adjustment

surface_downward_sensible_heat_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: surface_downward_sensible_heat_flux

lwe_thickness_of_convective_precipitation_amount
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
GRIB: E143
has canonical units: m
Standard Name: lwe_thickness_of_convective_precipitation_amount

water_evaporation_amount_from_canopy
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: kg m-2
Standard Name: water_evaporation_amount_from_canopy

convective_cloud_top_height
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: convective_cloud_top_height

surface_snow_melt_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: snm
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
Standard Name: surface_snow_melt_flux

ocean_mixed_layer_thickness_defined_by_sigma_t
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: ocean_mixed_layer_thickness_defined_by_sigma_t

northward_mass_flux_of_air
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: northward_mass_flux_of_air

virtual_temperature
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
GRIB: 12
has canonical units: K
Standard Name: virtual_temperature

eastward_wind_shear
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
GRIB: 45
has canonical units: s-1
Standard Name: eastward_wind_shear

lwe_snowfall_rate
type: Standard Name
Description: "lwe" means liquid water equivalent.
has canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: lwe_snowfall_rate

dry_energy_content_of_atmosphere_layer
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: dry_energy_content_of_atmosphere_layer

brightness_temperature
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
GRIB: 118
has canonical units: K
Standard Name: brightness_temperature

surface_upwelling_spectral_radiance_in_air_emerging_from_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: surface_upwelling_spectral_radiance_in_air_emerging_from_sea_water

scattering_angle
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: scattering_angle

rad
type: Canonical Units

land_cover
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: 1
Standard Name: land_cover

convective_precipitation_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
AMIP: prc
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
Standard Name: convective_precipitation_flux

tendency_of_air_temperature_due_to_diabatic_processes
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: tnt
has canonical units: K s-1
Standard Name: tendency_of_air_temperature_due_to_diabatic_processes

land_ice_temperature
type: Standard Name
Description: "Land ice" means glaciers, ice-caps and ice-sheets resting on bedrock.
has canonical units: K
Standard Name: land_ice_temperature

dbar
type: Canonical Units

solar_elevation_angle
type: Standard Name
Description: Solar elevation angle is the angle between the line of sight to the sun and the local horizontal.
has canonical units: degree
Standard Name: solar_elevation_angle

mass_concentration_of_oxygen_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: kg m-3
Standard Name: mass_concentration_of_oxygen_in_sea_water

magnitude_of_surface_downward_stress
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: Pa
Standard Name: magnitude_of_surface_downward_stress

tendency_of_air_temperature_due_to_large_scale_precipitation
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: tntlsp
has canonical units: K s-1
Standard Name: tendency_of_air_temperature_due_to_large_scale_precipitation

area_fraction
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: area_fraction

surface_downwelling_photosynthetic_radiative_flux_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: surface_downwelling_photosynthetic_radiative_flux_in_air

sea_water_sigma_t
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: sea_water_sigma_t

s-1 m-3
type: Canonical Units

isotropic_shortwave_radiance_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
has canonical units: W m-2 sr-1
Standard Name: isotropic_shortwave_radiance_in_air

lagrangian_tendency_of_atmosphere_sigma_coordinate
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
GRIB: 38
has canonical units: s-1
Standard Name: lagrangian_tendency_of_atmosphere_sigma_coordinate

freezing_level_altitude
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: freezing_level_altitude

optical_thickness_of_atmosphere_layer_due_to_aerosol
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: 1
Standard Name: optical_thickness_of_atmosphere_layer_due_to_aerosol

surface_snow_sublimation_amount
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: kg m-2
Standard Name: surface_snow_sublimation_amount

forecast_reference_time
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: s
Standard Name: forecast_reference_time

sea_ice_freeboard
type: Standard Name
Description: Sea ice freeboard is the height of the sea-ice upper surface above the water surface.
has canonical units: m
Standard Name: sea_ice_freeboard

net_primary_productivity_of_carbon
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
Standard Name: net_primary_productivity_of_carbon

lwe_thickness_of_moisture_content_of_soil_layer
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: m
Standard Name: lwe_thickness_of_moisture_content_of_soil_layer

coriolis_parameter
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: s-1
Standard Name: coriolis_parameter

atmosphere_cloud_liquid_water_content
type: Standard Name
Description: "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: kg m-2
Standard Name: atmosphere_cloud_liquid_water_content

surface_net_downward_longwave_flux_assuming_clear_sky
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
GRIB: E211
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: surface_net_downward_longwave_flux_assuming_clear_sky

air_pressure_anomaly
type: Standard Name
Description: "anomaly" means difference from climatology.
GRIB: 26
has canonical units: Pa
Standard Name: air_pressure_anomaly

atmosphere_sigma_coordinate
type: Standard Name
Description: See Appendix D of the CF convention for information about dimensionless vertical coordinates.
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: atmosphere_sigma_coordinate

tendency_of_sea_ice_thickness_due_to_thermodynamics
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
GRIB: 97
has canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: tendency_of_sea_ice_thickness_due_to_thermodynamics

mass_fraction_of_precipitation_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: mass_fraction_of_precipitation_in_air

equivalent_pressure_of_atmosphere_ozone_content
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
has canonical units: Pa
Standard Name: equivalent_pressure_of_atmosphere_ozone_content

square_of_lagrangian_tendency_of_air_pressure
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: Pa2 s-2
Standard Name: square_of_lagrangian_tendency_of_air_pressure

Pa2 s-2
type: Canonical Units

precipitation_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
GRIB: 59
AMIP: pr
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
Standard Name: precipitation_flux

toa_net_downward_shortwave_flux_assuming_clear_sky
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: toa_net_downward_shortwave_flux_assuming_clear_sky

volume_attenuation_coefficient_of_downwelling_radiative_flux_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: m-1
Standard Name: volume_attenuation_coefficient_of_downwelling_radiative_flux_in_sea_water

change_over_time_in_atmospheric_water_content_due_to_advection
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: kg m-2
Standard Name: change_over_time_in_atmospheric_water_content_due_to_advection

tendency_of_atmosphere_enthalpy_content_due_to_advection
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: tendency_of_atmosphere_enthalpy_content_due_to_advection

downwelling_spectral_photon_flux_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: downwelling_spectral_photon_flux_in_sea_water

lwe_thickness_of_convective_snowfall_amount
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: lwe_thickness_of_convective_snowfall_amount

omnidirectional_spectral_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: W m-3
Standard Name: omnidirectional_spectral_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water

W m-3
type: Canonical Units

transpiration_amount
type: Standard Name
Description: "Amount" means mass per unit area.
has canonical units: kg m-2
Standard Name: transpiration_amount

tendency_of_mass_fraction_of_cloud_liquid_water_in_air_due_to_advection
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: tendency_of_mass_fraction_of_cloud_liquid_water_in_air_due_to_advection

atmosphere_potential_energy_content
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: J m-2
Standard Name: atmosphere_potential_energy_content

visibility_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: The visibility is the distance at which something can be seen.
GRIB: 20
has canonical units: m
Standard Name: visibility_in_air

product_of_northward_wind_and_air_temperature
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.)
AMIP: mpvta
has canonical units: K m s-1
Standard Name: product_of_northward_wind_and_air_temperature

K m s-1
type: Canonical Units

northward_atmosphere_dry_static_energy_transport_across_unit_distance
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: W m-1
Standard Name: northward_atmosphere_dry_static_energy_transport_across_unit_distance

subsurface_runoff_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: subsurface_runoff_flux

land_ice_surface_specific_mass_balance
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: land_ice_surface_specific_mass_balance

surface_downward_x_stress
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: Pa
Standard Name: surface_downward_x_stress

model_level_number_at_top_of_atmosphere_boundary_layer
type: Standard Name
Description: Model level number should be understood as equivalent to layer number.
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: model_level_number_at_top_of_atmosphere_boundary_layer

downward_northward_stress_at_sea_ice_base
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: downward_northward_stress_at_sea_ice_base

platform_yaw_angle
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: platform_yaw_angle

surface_upward_water_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: surface_upward_water_flux

mass_fraction_of_unfrozen_water_in_soil_moisture
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: mass_fraction_of_unfrozen_water_in_soil_moisture

dry_static_energy_content_of_atmosphere_layer
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: J m-2
Standard Name: dry_static_energy_content_of_atmosphere_layer

wind_to_direction
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: wind_to_direction

square_of_eastward_wind
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.)
AMIP: mpuua
has canonical units: m2 s-2
Standard Name: square_of_eastward_wind

soil_carbon_content
type: Standard Name
Description: "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: kg m-2
Standard Name: soil_carbon_content

convective_cloud_base_altitude
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: convective_cloud_base_altitude

moles_of_nitrite_per_unit_mass_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: moles_of_nitrite_per_unit_mass_in_sea_water

atmosphere_northward_stress_due_to_gravity_wave_drag
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: tauvgwd
has canonical units: Pa
Standard Name: atmosphere_northward_stress_due_to_gravity_wave_drag

atmosphere_mass_per_unit_area
type: Standard Name
Description: "X_area" means the horizontal area occupied by X within the grid cell.
has canonical units: kg m-2
Standard Name: atmosphere_mass_per_unit_area

upwelling_longwave_flux_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: upwelling_longwave_flux_in_air

soil_moisture_content_at_field_capacity
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
AMIP: mrsofc
has canonical units: kg m-2
Standard Name: soil_moisture_content_at_field_capacity

tendency_of_atmosphere_potential_energy_content_due_to_advection
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: tendency_of_atmosphere_potential_energy_content_due_to_advection

ocean_sigma_coordinate
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: 1
Standard Name: ocean_sigma_coordinate

snow_density
type: Standard Name
has canonical units: kg m-3
Standard Name: snow_density

atmosphere_cloud_condensed_water_content
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
GRIB: 76
AMIP: clwvi
has canonical units: kg m-2
Standard Name: atmosphere_cloud_condensed_water_content

toa_outgoing_shortwave_flux_assuming_clear_sky
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: rsutcs
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: toa_outgoing_shortwave_flux_assuming_clear_sky

y_wind
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.)
has canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: y_wind

realization
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: realization

runoff_amount
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
has canonical units: kg m-2
Standard Name: runoff_amount

volume_fraction_of_frozen_water_in_soil
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: volume_fraction_of_frozen_water_in_soil

tropopause_air_pressure
type: Standard Name
has canonical units: Pa
Standard Name: tropopause_air_pressure

downwelling_photosynthetic_photon_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: mol m-2 s-1
Standard Name: downwelling_photosynthetic_photon_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water

tendency_of_eastward_wind
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.)
AMIP: tnmmutot
has canonical units: m s-2
Standard Name: tendency_of_eastward_wind

potential_vorticity_of_ocean_layer
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: m-1 s-1
Standard Name: potential_vorticity_of_ocean_layer

atmosphere_horizontal_velocity_potential
type: Standard Name
Description: A velocity is a vector quantity. "Horizontal" indicates that the velocity potential applies to a horizontal velocity field on a particular vertical level.
GRIB: 36
has canonical units: m2 s-1
Standard Name: atmosphere_horizontal_velocity_potential

air_pressure_at_sea_level
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
GRIB: 2 E151
AMIP: psl
has canonical units: Pa
Standard Name: air_pressure_at_sea_level

model_level_number_at_convective_cloud_base
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: 1
Standard Name: model_level_number_at_convective_cloud_base

surface_upward_sensible_heat_flux_where_sea
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: surface_upward_sensible_heat_flux_where_sea

mass_fraction_of_stratiform_cloud_liquid_water_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: mass_fraction_of_stratiform_cloud_liquid_water_in_air

surface_upwelling_spectral_radiative_flux_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: surface_upwelling_spectral_radiative_flux_in_sea_water

lwe_thickness_of_soil_moisture_content
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
GRIB: E140
has canonical units: m
Standard Name: lwe_thickness_of_soil_moisture_content

mass_concentration_of_sulfate_aerosol_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: 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).
AMIP: trsul
has canonical units: kg m-3
Standard Name: mass_concentration_of_sulfate_aerosol_in_air

surface_roughness_length_for_momentum_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere.
has canonical units: m
Standard Name: surface_roughness_length_for_momentum_in_air

subsurface_runoff_amount
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
has canonical units: kg m-2
Standard Name: subsurface_runoff_amount

transpiration_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: transpiration_flux

relative_humidity
type: Standard Name
GRIB: 52 E157
AMIP: hur
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: relative_humidity

direction_of_sea_ice_velocity
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
GRIB: 93
has canonical units: degree
Standard Name: direction_of_sea_ice_velocity

longitude
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: longitude
has canonical units: degree_east
Standard Name: longitude

ocean_mixed_layer_thickness_defined_by_mixing_scheme
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: m
Standard Name: ocean_mixed_layer_thickness_defined_by_mixing_scheme

product_of_northward_wind_and_omega
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: Pa m s-2
Standard Name: product_of_northward_wind_and_omega

surface_upwelling_spectral_radiance_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: surface_upwelling_spectral_radiance_in_air

radial_velocity_of_scatterers_away_from_instrument
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: radial_velocity_of_scatterers_away_from_instrument

product_of_air_temperature_and_specific_humidity
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: K
Standard Name: product_of_air_temperature_and_specific_humidity

plant_respiration_carbon_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: plant_respiration_carbon_flux

northward_ocean_salt_transport_due_to_gyre
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: sltovgyre
has canonical units: kg s-1
Standard Name: northward_ocean_salt_transport_due_to_gyre

snowfall_amount
type: Standard Name
Description: "Amount" means mass per unit area.
has canonical units: kg m-2
Standard Name: snowfall_amount

product_of_upward_air_velocity_and_specific_humidity
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
has canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: product_of_upward_air_velocity_and_specific_humidity

sea_water_pressure
type: Standard Name
has canonical units: dbar
Standard Name: sea_water_pressure

upward_mass_flux_of_air
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: upward_mass_flux_of_air

lagrangian_tendency_of_air_pressure
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
GRIB: 39 E135
AMIP: wap
has canonical units: Pa s-1
Standard Name: lagrangian_tendency_of_air_pressure

volume_fraction_of_water_in_soil_at_field_capacity
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: volume_fraction_of_water_in_soil_at_field_capacity

latitude
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: latitude
has canonical units: degree_north
Standard Name: latitude

land_ice_lwe_calving_rate
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
has canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: land_ice_lwe_calving_rate

surface_downwelling_radiative_flux_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: surface_downwelling_radiative_flux_in_sea_water

surface_snow_melt_heat_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: surface_snow_melt_heat_flux

atmosphere_enthalpy_content
type: Standard Name
Description: "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: J m-2
Standard Name: atmosphere_enthalpy_content

surface_downward_y_stress
type: Standard Name
Description: 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).
has canonical units: Pa
Standard Name: surface_downward_y_stress

land_binary_mask
type: Standard Name
Description: X_binary_mask has 1 where condition X is met, 0 elsewhere. 1 = land, 0 = sea.
GRIB: E172
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: land_binary_mask

toa_instantaneous_radiative_forcing
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: toa_instantaneous_radiative_forcing

land_ice_area_fraction
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
AMIP: sftgif
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: land_ice_area_fraction

barotropic_northward_sea_water_velocity
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: barotropic_northward_sea_water_velocity

surface_temperature_where_land
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: surface_temperature_where_land

surface_downwelling_longwave_flux_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: rlds
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: surface_downwelling_longwave_flux_in_air

volume_absorption_coefficient_of_radiative_flux_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: volume_absorption_coefficient_of_radiative_flux_in_sea_water

humidity_mixing_ratio
type: Standard Name
Description: Humidity mixing ratio of a parcel of moist air is the ratio of the mass of water vapor to the mass of dry air.
GRIB: 53
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: humidity_mixing_ratio

wind_mixing_energy_flux_into_ocean
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
GRIB: 126
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: wind_mixing_energy_flux_into_ocean

tendency_of_atmosphere_water_vapor_content_due_to_shallow_convection
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: tendency_of_atmosphere_water_vapor_content_due_to_shallow_convection

stratiform_cloud_area_fraction_in_atmosphere_layer
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: 1
Standard Name: stratiform_cloud_area_fraction_in_atmosphere_layer

sea_surface_swell_wave_zero_upcrossing_period
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: s
Standard Name: sea_surface_swell_wave_zero_upcrossing_period

air_pressure_at_cloud_base
type: Standard Name
Description: cloud_base refers to the base of the lowest cloud.
has canonical units: Pa
Standard Name: air_pressure_at_cloud_base

volume_beam_attenuation_coefficient_of_radiative_flux_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: m-1
Standard Name: volume_beam_attenuation_coefficient_of_radiative_flux_in_sea_water

tendency_of_mass_fraction_of_cloud_ice_in_air_due_to_advection
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: tendency_of_mass_fraction_of_cloud_ice_in_air_due_to_advection

ocean_meridional_overturning_streamfunction
type: Standard Name
Description: The ocean meridional overturning streamfunction should not include not include "bolus" or Gent-McWilliams velocity.
AMIP: stfmmcgo
has canonical units: m3 s-1
Standard Name: ocean_meridional_overturning_streamfunction

m3 s-1
type: Canonical Units

large_scale_precipitation_amount
type: Standard Name
Description: "Amount" means mass per unit area.
GRIB: 62
has canonical units: kg m-2
Standard Name: large_scale_precipitation_amount

thickness_of_large_scale_snowfall_amount
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: thickness_of_large_scale_snowfall_amount

lwe_thickness_of_precipitation_amount
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: lwe_thickness_of_precipitation_amount

land_ice_basal_melt_rate
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: land_ice_basal_melt_rate

atmosphere_net_rate_of_absorption_of_longwave_energy
type: Standard Name
Description: "longwave" means longwave radiation. Net absorbed radiation is the difference between absorbed and emitted radiation.
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: atmosphere_net_rate_of_absorption_of_longwave_energy

wet_bulb_temperature
type: Standard Name
has canonical units: K
Standard Name: wet_bulb_temperature

tropopause_adjusted_longwave_forcing
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: tropopause_adjusted_longwave_forcing

atmosphere_hybrid_height_coordinate
type: Standard Name
Description: See Appendix D of the CF convention for information about dimensionless vertical coordinates.
has canonical units: m
Standard Name: atmosphere_hybrid_height_coordinate

tendency_of_air_temperature_due_to_dry_convection
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: tntdc
has canonical units: K s-1
Standard Name: tendency_of_air_temperature_due_to_dry_convection

downwelling_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: downwelling_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water

surface_upwelling_radiance_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: W m-2 sr-1
Standard Name: surface_upwelling_radiance_in_air

surface_net_downward_longwave_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: rls
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: surface_net_downward_longwave_flux

tendency_of_atmosphere_water_vapor_content_due_to_convection
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: tendency_of_atmosphere_water_vapor_content_due_to_convection

sea_surface_height_above_geoid
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: m
Standard Name: sea_surface_height_above_geoid

thickness_of_rainfall_amount
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: thickness_of_rainfall_amount

sea_surface_wind_wave_period
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.)
GRIB: 103
has canonical units: s
Standard Name: sea_surface_wind_wave_period

sea_surface_wave_frequency
type: Standard Name
Description: Frequency is the number of oscillations of a wave per unit time.
has canonical units: s-1
Standard Name: sea_surface_wave_frequency

water_potential_evaporation_amount
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: water_potential_evaporation_amount

air_temperature_anomaly
type: Standard Name
Description: "anomaly" means difference from climatology. Air temperature is the bulk temperature of the air, not the surface (skin) temperature.
GRIB: 25
has canonical units: K
Standard Name: air_temperature_anomaly

mass_fraction_of_dimethyl_sulfide_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: mass_fraction_of_dimethyl_sulfide_in_air

surface_downward_northward_stress
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
GRIB: E181
AMIP: tauv
has canonical units: Pa
Standard Name: surface_downward_northward_stress

convective_cloud_area_fraction
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
GRIB: 72 E185
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: convective_cloud_area_fraction

atmosphere_energy_content
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: J m-2
Standard Name: atmosphere_energy_content

downwelling_shortwave_radiance_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: W m-2 sr-1
Standard Name: downwelling_shortwave_radiance_in_air

height_above_sea_floor
type: Standard Name
has canonical units: m
Standard Name: height_above_sea_floor

land_ice_x_velocity
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: land_ice_x_velocity

tendency_of_atmosphere_mass_per_unit_area
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
Standard Name: tendency_of_atmosphere_mass_per_unit_area

surface_downwelling_shortwave_flux_in_air_assuming_clear_sky
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: rsdscs
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: surface_downwelling_shortwave_flux_in_air_assuming_clear_sky

tendency_of_specific_humidity
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: tendency_of_specific_humidity

surface_upwelling_photosynthetic_photon_flux_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: surface_upwelling_photosynthetic_photon_flux_in_air

lwe_thickness_of_snowfall_amount
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
GRIB: E144
has canonical units: m
Standard Name: lwe_thickness_of_snowfall_amount

tendency_of_dry_energy_content_of_atmosphere_layer
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: tendency_of_dry_energy_content_of_atmosphere_layer

platform_pitch_rate
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: platform_pitch_rate

K2
type: Canonical Units

eastward_mass_flux_of_air
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
Standard Name: eastward_mass_flux_of_air

northward_ocean_freshwater_transport
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: northward_ocean_freshwater_transport

global_average_thermosteric_sea_level_change
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: global_average_thermosteric_sea_level_change

sea_water_temperature
type: Standard Name
GRIB: 80
AMIP: to
has canonical units: K
Standard Name: sea_water_temperature

surface_downwelling_photosynthetic_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: surface_downwelling_photosynthetic_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water

surface_upwelling_longwave_flux_in_air_assuming_clear_sky
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: surface_upwelling_longwave_flux_in_air_assuming_clear_sky

downwelling_longwave_flux_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: downwelling_longwave_flux_in_air

K s
type: Canonical Units

surface_net_downward_shortwave_flux_assuming_clear_sky
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
GRIB: E210
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: surface_net_downward_shortwave_flux_assuming_clear_sky

northward_momentum_flux_correction
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
AMIP: tauvcorr
has canonical units: Pa
Standard Name: northward_momentum_flux_correction

surface_downwelling_spectral_photon_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: mol m-2 s-1 m-1
Standard Name: surface_downwelling_spectral_photon_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water

lwe_convective_precipitation_rate
type: Standard Name
Description: "lwe" means liquid water equivalent.
has canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: lwe_convective_precipitation_rate

product_of_eastward_sea_water_velocity_and_temperature
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: product_of_eastward_sea_water_velocity_and_temperature

land_ice_lwe_basal_melt_rate
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
has canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: land_ice_lwe_basal_melt_rate

atmosphere_boundary_layer_thickness
type: Standard Name
Description: The atmosphere boundary layer thickness is the "depth" or "height" of the (atmosphere) planetary boundary layer.
AMIP: zmla
has canonical units: m
Standard Name: atmosphere_boundary_layer_thickness

frozen_water_content_of_soil_layer
type: Standard Name
Description: "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).
has canonical units: kg m-2
Standard Name: frozen_water_content_of_soil_layer

area_fraction_below_surface
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: psbg
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: area_fraction_below_surface

tendency_of_water_vapor_content_of_atmosphere_layer
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
Standard Name: tendency_of_water_vapor_content_of_atmosphere_layer

sea_water_sigma_theta
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: kg m-3
Standard Name: sea_water_sigma_theta

soil_moisture_content
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
GRIB: 86
AMIP: mrso
has canonical units: kg m-2
Standard Name: soil_moisture_content

surface_partial_pressure_of_carbon_dioxide_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: surface_partial_pressure_of_carbon_dioxide_in_sea_water

integral_of_air_temperature_deficit_wrt_time
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: integral_of_air_temperature_deficit_wrt_time

surface_downwelling_photosynthetic_photon_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: mol m-2 s-1
Standard Name: surface_downwelling_photosynthetic_photon_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water

lwe_thickness_of_large_scale_precipitation_amount
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
GRIB: E142
has canonical units: m
Standard Name: lwe_thickness_of_large_scale_precipitation_amount

platform_speed_wrt_air
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: platform_speed_wrt_air

northward_ocean_heat_transport_due_to_gyre
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: htovgyre
has canonical units: W
Standard Name: northward_ocean_heat_transport_due_to_gyre

sea_water_potential_temperature
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: sea_water_potential_temperature

eastward_water_vapor_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
Standard Name: eastward_water_vapor_flux

lwe_thickness_of_frozen_water_content_of_soil_layer
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: lwe_thickness_of_frozen_water_content_of_soil_layer

downwelling_photon_radiance_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: mol m-2 s-1 sr-1
Standard Name: downwelling_photon_radiance_in_sea_water

lwe_thickness_of_water_evaporation_amount
type: Standard Name
Description: "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".)
GRIB: E182
has canonical units: m
Standard Name: lwe_thickness_of_water_evaporation_amount

platform_orientation
type: Standard Name
Description: 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).
has canonical units: degree
Standard Name: platform_orientation

tropopause_instantaneous_longwave_forcing
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: tropopause_instantaneous_longwave_forcing

air_density
type: Standard Name
has canonical units: kg m-3
Standard Name: air_density

surface_downwelling_photon_flux_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: mol m-2 s-1
Standard Name: surface_downwelling_photon_flux_in_sea_water

divergence_of_sea_ice_velocity
type: Standard Name
Description: "[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.
GRIB: 98
has canonical units: s-1
Standard Name: divergence_of_sea_ice_velocity

thunderstorm_probability
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
GRIB: 60
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: thunderstorm_probability

tendency_of_enthalpy_content_of_atmosphere_layer_due_to_advection
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: tendency_of_enthalpy_content_of_atmosphere_layer_due_to_advection

K m-1
type: Canonical Units

surface_temperature
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
GRIB: E139
AMIP: ts
has canonical units: K
Standard Name: surface_temperature

surface_downwelling_spectral_radiance_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: W m-2 m-1 sr-1
Standard Name: surface_downwelling_spectral_radiance_in_sea_water

square_of_geopotential_height
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: m2
Standard Name: square_of_geopotential_height

northward_ocean_salt_transport_due_to_diffusion
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: sltovdiff
has canonical units: kg s-1
Standard Name: northward_ocean_salt_transport_due_to_diffusion

tendency_of_air_temperature_due_to_diffusion
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: tendency_of_air_temperature_due_to_diffusion

root_depth
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: root_depth

sea_surface_wave_from_direction
type: Standard Name
Description: "from_direction" is used in the construction X_from_direction and indicates the direction from which the velocity vector of X is coming.
has canonical units: degree
Standard Name: sea_surface_wave_from_direction

platform_course
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: degree
Standard Name: platform_course

air_pressure_at_cloud_top
type: Standard Name
Description: cloud_top refers to the top of the highest cloud.
has canonical units: Pa
Standard Name: air_pressure_at_cloud_top

ocean_mixed_layer_thickness
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
GRIB: 67
has canonical units: m
Standard Name: ocean_mixed_layer_thickness

tendency_of_atmosphere_mass_per_unit_area_due_to_advection
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
Standard Name: tendency_of_atmosphere_mass_per_unit_area_due_to_advection

tendency_of_eastward_wind_due_to_convection
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.)
AMIP: tnmmuc
has canonical units: m s-2
Standard Name: tendency_of_eastward_wind_due_to_convection

zenith_angle
type: Standard Name
Description: Zenith angle is the angle to the local vertical; a value of zero is directly overhead.
has canonical units: degree
Standard Name: zenith_angle

northward_ocean_freshwater_transport_due_to_bolus_advection
type: Standard Name
Description: 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: kg s-1
Standard Name: northward_ocean_freshwater_transport_due_to_bolus_advection

snowfall_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.
GRIB: 64
AMIP: prsn
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
Standard Name: snowfall_flux

tendency_of_mass_fraction_of_cloud_liquid_water_in_air_due_to_diffusion
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: tendency_of_mass_fraction_of_cloud_liquid_water_in_air_due_to_diffusion

mass_fraction_of_graupel_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: mass_fraction_of_graupel_in_air

tendency_of_air_temperature_due_to_shortwave_heating_assuming_clear_sky
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: K s-1
Standard Name: tendency_of_air_temperature_due_to_shortwave_heating_assuming_clear_sky

ocean_mixed_layer_thickness_defined_by_sigma_theta
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: ocean_mixed_layer_thickness_defined_by_sigma_theta

downward_eastward_stress_at_sea_ice_base
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: downward_eastward_stress_at_sea_ice_base

northward_atmosphere_water_vapor_transport_across_unit_distance
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: northward_atmosphere_water_vapor_transport_across_unit_distance

kg m-1 s-1
type: Canonical Units

heat_flux_correction
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: hfcorr
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: heat_flux_correction

northward_ocean_freshwater_transport_due_to_gyre
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: kg s-1
Standard Name: northward_ocean_freshwater_transport_due_to_gyre

surface_partial_pressure_of_carbon_dioxide_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: Pa
Standard Name: surface_partial_pressure_of_carbon_dioxide_in_air

surface_specific_humidity
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: surface_specific_humidity

product_of_northward_wind_and_specific_humidity
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.)
AMIP: mpvhusa
has canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: product_of_northward_wind_and_specific_humidity

eastward_momentum_flux_correction
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
AMIP: tauucorr
has canonical units: Pa
Standard Name: eastward_momentum_flux_correction

heterotrophic_respiration_carbon_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: heterotrophic_respiration_carbon_flux

cloud_top_altitude
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: cloud_top_altitude

tendency_of_air_pressure
type: Standard Name
Description: "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time.
GRIB: 3
has canonical units: Pa s-1
Standard Name: tendency_of_air_pressure

surface_cover
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: surface_cover

specific_gravitational_potential_energy
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.)
has canonical units: J kg-1
Standard Name: specific_gravitational_potential_energy

kinetic_energy_content_of_atmosphere_layer
type: Standard Name
Description: "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: J m-2
Standard Name: kinetic_energy_content_of_atmosphere_layer

integral_of_sea_water_temperature_wrt_depth_in_ocean_layer
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
has canonical units: K m
Standard Name: integral_of_sea_water_temperature_wrt_depth_in_ocean_layer

K m
type: Canonical Units

downwelling_photosynthetic_radiative_flux_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: downwelling_photosynthetic_radiative_flux_in_sea_water

surface_geopotential
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: m2 s-2
Standard Name: surface_geopotential

model_level_number_at_convective_cloud_top
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: model_level_number_at_convective_cloud_top

eastward_atmosphere_water_transport_across_unit_distance
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: eastward_atmosphere_water_transport_across_unit_distance

kg s-1 m-1
type: Canonical Units

geopotential_height
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
GRIB: 7 E156
AMIP: zg
has canonical units: m
Standard Name: geopotential_height

sea_ice_extent
type: Standard Name
has canonical units: m2
Standard Name: sea_ice_extent

atmosphere_net_rate_of_absorption_of_shortwave_energy
type: Standard Name
Description: "shortwave" means shortwave radiation. Net absorbed radiation is the difference between absorbed and emitted radiation.
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: atmosphere_net_rate_of_absorption_of_shortwave_energy

sea_ice_transport_across_line
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: kg s-1
Standard Name: sea_ice_transport_across_line

concentration_of_chlorophyll_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
has canonical units: kg m-3
Standard Name: concentration_of_chlorophyll_in_sea_water

platform_roll_rate
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: platform_roll_rate

toa_instantaneous_shortwave_forcing
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: toa_instantaneous_shortwave_forcing

eastward_sea_water_velocity
type: Standard Name
Description: A velocity is a vector quantity. "Eastward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed eastward (negative westward).
GRIB: 49
has canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: eastward_sea_water_velocity

moisture_content_of_soil_layer
type: Standard Name
Description: "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).
AMIP: mrsos
has canonical units: kg m-2
Standard Name: moisture_content_of_soil_layer

large_scale_snowfall_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: large_scale_snowfall_flux

moles_of_nitrate_per_unit_mass_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: moles_of_nitrate_per_unit_mass_in_sea_water

sea_water_y_velocity
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: sea_water_y_velocity

large_scale_snowfall_amount
type: Standard Name
Description: "Amount" means mass per unit area.
GRIB: 79
has canonical units: kg m-2
Standard Name: large_scale_snowfall_amount

tendency_of_kinetic_energy_content_of_atmosphere_layer_due_to_advection
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: tendency_of_kinetic_energy_content_of_atmosphere_layer_due_to_advection

moles_of_nitrate_and_nitrite_per_unit_mass_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: moles_of_nitrate_and_nitrite_per_unit_mass_in_sea_water

surface_snow_amount
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
GRIB: 65
AMIP: snw
has canonical units: kg m-2
Standard Name: surface_snow_amount

kg
type: Canonical Units

square_of_air_temperature
type: Standard Name
Description: "square_of_X" means X*X. Air temperature is the bulk temperature of the air, not the surface (skin) temperature.
AMIP: mptta
has canonical units: K2
Standard Name: square_of_air_temperature

litter_carbon_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: litter_carbon_flux

water_flux_into_ocean
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
AMIP: wfo
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
Standard Name: water_flux_into_ocean

surface_snow_sublimation_heat_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: surface_snow_sublimation_heat_flux

temperature_of_sensor_for_oxygen_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: temperature_of_sensor_for_oxygen_in_sea_water

tendency_of_bedrock_altitude
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: tendency_of_bedrock_altitude

mass_fraction_of_ozone_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: mass_fraction_of_ozone_in_air

atmosphere_relative_vorticity
type: Standard Name
Description: Relative vorticity is the upward component of the vorticity vector i.e. the component which arises from horizontal velocity.
GRIB: 43 E138
has canonical units: s-1
Standard Name: atmosphere_relative_vorticity

atmosphere_absolute_vorticity
type: Standard Name
Description: Absolute vorticity is the sum of relative vorticity and the upward component of vorticity due to the Earth's rotation.
GRIB: 41
has canonical units: s-1
Standard Name: atmosphere_absolute_vorticity

snow_thermal_energy_content
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: J m-2
Standard Name: snow_thermal_energy_content

freezing_temperature_of_sea_water
type: Standard Name
has canonical units: K
Standard Name: freezing_temperature_of_sea_water

land_ice_basal_x_velocity
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: land_ice_basal_x_velocity

surface_roughness_length
type: Standard Name
Description: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere.
GRIB: 83 E173
has canonical units: m
Standard Name: surface_roughness_length

downward_heat_flux_at_ground_level_in_snow
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: downward_heat_flux_at_ground_level_in_snow

dissipation_in_atmosphere_boundary_layer
type: Standard Name
GRIB: E145
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: dissipation_in_atmosphere_boundary_layer

sea_floor_depth_below_sea_level
type: Standard Name
Description: sea_level means mean sea level, which is close to the geoid in sea areas.
has canonical units: m
Standard Name: sea_floor_depth_below_sea_level

lwe_thickness_of_canopy_water_amount
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: m
Standard Name: lwe_thickness_of_canopy_water_amount

speed_of_sound_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: Speed is the magnitude of velocity.
has canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: speed_of_sound_in_air

bioluminescent_photon_rate_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
has canonical units: s-1 m-3
Standard Name: bioluminescent_photon_rate_in_sea_water

tendency_of_specific_humidity_due_to_model_physics
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: tnmrd
has canonical units: s-1
Standard Name: tendency_of_specific_humidity_due_to_model_physics

lwe_large_scale_precipitation_rate
type: Standard Name
Description: "lwe" means liquid water equivalent.
has canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: lwe_large_scale_precipitation_rate

lwe_convective_snowfall_rate
type: Standard Name
Description: "lwe" means liquid water equivalent.
has canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: lwe_convective_snowfall_rate

x_wind
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: x_wind

toa_instantaneous_longwave_forcing
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: toa_instantaneous_longwave_forcing

water_content_of_atmosphere_layer
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: water_content_of_atmosphere_layer

ocean_barotropic_streamfunction
type: Standard Name
AMIP: stfbaro
has canonical units: m3 s-1
Standard Name: ocean_barotropic_streamfunction

global_average_sea_level_change
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: m
Standard Name: global_average_sea_level_change

tendency_of_ocean_barotropic_streamfunction
type: Standard Name
Description: "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time.
has canonical units: m3 s-2
Standard Name: tendency_of_ocean_barotropic_streamfunction

dew_point_depression
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
GRIB: 18
has canonical units: K
Standard Name: dew_point_depression

air_temperature_at_cloud_top
type: Standard Name
Description: cloud_top refers to the top of the highest cloud. Air temperature is the bulk temperature of the air, not the surface (skin) temperature.
has canonical units: K
Standard Name: air_temperature_at_cloud_top

sound_frequency
type: Standard Name
Description: Frequency is the number of oscillations of a wave per unit time.
has canonical units: s-1
Standard Name: sound_frequency

atmosphere_water_content
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: kg m-2
Standard Name: atmosphere_water_content

sea_water_x_velocity
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: sea_water_x_velocity

tendency_of_air_temperature_due_to_moist_convection
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: tntmc
has canonical units: K s-1
Standard Name: tendency_of_air_temperature_due_to_moist_convection

sea_water_electrical_conductivity
type: Standard Name
has canonical units: S m-1
Standard Name: sea_water_electrical_conductivity

S m-1
type: Canonical Units

isotropic_spectral_radiance_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
has canonical units: W m-2 m-1 sr-1
Standard Name: isotropic_spectral_radiance_in_air

surface_downwelling_photosynthetic_photon_radiance_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: surface_downwelling_photosynthetic_photon_radiance_in_sea_water

surface_albedo
type: Standard Name
Description: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere.
GRIB: 84 E174
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: surface_albedo

surface_runoff_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: mrros
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
Standard Name: surface_runoff_flux

tendency_of_atmosphere_water_vapor_content_due_to_deep_convection
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: tendency_of_atmosphere_water_vapor_content_due_to_deep_convection

sea_surface_wind_wave_significant_height
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.)
GRIB: 102
has canonical units: m
Standard Name: sea_surface_wind_wave_significant_height

baroclinic_eastward_sea_water_velocity
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: baroclinic_eastward_sea_water_velocity

atmosphere_dry_static_energy_content
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: J m-2
Standard Name: atmosphere_dry_static_energy_content

large_scale_cloud_area_fraction
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: large_scale_cloud_area_fraction

specific_dry_energy_of_air
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: specific_dry_energy_of_air

tropopause_upwelling_shortwave_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: tropopause_upwelling_shortwave_flux

product_of_eastward_sea_water_velocity_and_salinity
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: product_of_eastward_sea_water_velocity_and_salinity

air_temperature
type: Standard Name
Description: Air temperature is the bulk temperature of the air, not the surface (skin) temperature.
GRIB: 11 E130
AMIP: ta
has canonical units: K
Standard Name: air_temperature

tendency_of_atmosphere_water_vapor_content
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: tendency_of_atmosphere_water_vapor_content

atmosphere_optical_thickness_due_to_aerosol
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: 1
Standard Name: atmosphere_optical_thickness_due_to_aerosol

ocean_volume_fraction
type: Standard Name
Description: "X_volume_fraction" means the fraction of volume occupied by X.
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: ocean_volume_fraction

soil_thermal_capacity
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: J kg-1 K-1
Standard Name: soil_thermal_capacity

mass_fraction_of_frozen_water_in_soil_moisture
type: Standard Name
Description: "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).
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: mass_fraction_of_frozen_water_in_soil_moisture

atmosphere_horizontal_streamfunction
type: Standard Name
Description: "Horizontal" indicates that the streamfunction applies to a horizontal velocity field on a particular vertical level.
GRIB: 35
has canonical units: m2 s-1
Standard Name: atmosphere_horizontal_streamfunction

difference_of_air_pressure_from_model_reference
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: difference_of_air_pressure_from_model_reference

square_of_upward_air_velocity
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: m2 s-2
Standard Name: square_of_upward_air_velocity

tendency_of_northward_wind_due_to_advection
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: tendency_of_northward_wind_due_to_advection

tendency_of_atmosphere_kinetic_energy_content_due_to_advection
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: tendency_of_atmosphere_kinetic_energy_content_due_to_advection

land_ice_basal_y_velocity
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: land_ice_basal_y_velocity

depth
type: Standard Name
Description: Depth is the vertical distance below the surface.
has canonical units: m
Standard Name: depth

surface_snow_melt_and_sublimation_heat_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: surface_snow_melt_and_sublimation_heat_flux

toa_outgoing_longwave_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
GRIB: 114 E179
AMIP: rlut
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: toa_outgoing_longwave_flux

water_evaporation_flux_from_canopy
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
Standard Name: water_evaporation_flux_from_canopy

upward_sea_water_velocity
type: Standard Name
Description: A velocity is a vector quantity. "Upward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed upward (negative downward).
has canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: upward_sea_water_velocity

toa_outgoing_shortwave_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
AMIP: rsut
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: toa_outgoing_shortwave_flux

geopotential_height_anomaly
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
GRIB: 27
has canonical units: m
Standard Name: geopotential_height_anomaly

barotropic_eastward_sea_water_velocity
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: barotropic_eastward_sea_water_velocity

tendency_of_wind_speed_due_to_gravity_wave_drag
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: m s-2
Standard Name: tendency_of_wind_speed_due_to_gravity_wave_drag

sea_surface_salinity
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: 1e-3
Standard Name: sea_surface_salinity

rainfall_amount
type: Standard Name
Description: "Amount" means mass per unit area.
has canonical units: kg m-2
Standard Name: rainfall_amount

biomass_burning_carbon_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
Standard Name: biomass_burning_carbon_flux

air_pressure_at_freezing_level
type: Standard Name
has canonical units: Pa
Standard Name: air_pressure_at_freezing_level

surface_downward_water_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
Standard Name: surface_downward_water_flux

surface_upwelling_radiance_in_air_reflected_by_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: W m-2 sr-1
Standard Name: surface_upwelling_radiance_in_air_reflected_by_sea_water

tropopause_air_temperature
type: Standard Name
Description: Air temperature is the bulk temperature of the air, not the surface (skin) temperature.
has canonical units: K
Standard Name: tropopause_air_temperature

net_downward_longwave_flux_in_air_assuming_clear_sky
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: net_downward_longwave_flux_in_air_assuming_clear_sky

specific_humidity
type: Standard Name
Description: "specific" means per unit mass. Specific humidity is the mass fraction of water vapor in (moist) air.
GRIB: 51 E133
AMIP: hus
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: specific_humidity

surface_upward_heat_flux_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: surface_upward_heat_flux_in_air

product_of_eastward_wind_and_omega
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: product_of_eastward_wind_and_omega

surface_altitude
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: orog
has canonical units: m
Standard Name: surface_altitude

northward_sea_ice_velocity
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
GRIB: 96
has canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: northward_sea_ice_velocity

sea_ice_thickness
type: Standard Name
GRIB: 92
AMIP: sit
has canonical units: m
Standard Name: sea_ice_thickness

surface_roughness_length_for_heat_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere.
has canonical units: m
Standard Name: surface_roughness_length_for_heat_in_air

sound_intensity_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: Sound intensity is the sound energy per unit time per unit area.
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: sound_intensity_in_air

net_downward_longwave_flux_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: net_downward_longwave_flux_in_air

net_upward_shortwave_flux_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
GRIB: 116
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: net_upward_shortwave_flux_in_air

cloud_liquid_water_content_of_atmosphere_layer
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: cloud_liquid_water_content_of_atmosphere_layer

thickness_of_snowfall_amount
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: thickness_of_snowfall_amount

surface_albedo_assuming_deep_snow
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: surface_albedo_assuming_deep_snow

surface_net_upward_radiative_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: surface_net_upward_radiative_flux

ocean_mixed_layer_thickness_defined_by_temperature
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: ocean_mixed_layer_thickness_defined_by_temperature

product_of_eastward_wind_and_specific_humidity
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: product_of_eastward_wind_and_specific_humidity

product_of_upward_air_velocity_and_air_temperature
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
has canonical units: K m s-1
Standard Name: product_of_upward_air_velocity_and_air_temperature

mass_fraction_of_rain_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: mass_fraction_of_rain_in_air

volume_fraction_of_silt_in_soil
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: volume_fraction_of_silt_in_soil

large_scale_rainfall_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: large_scale_rainfall_flux

downwelling_spectral_photon_radiance_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: mol m-2 s-1 m-1 sr-1
Standard Name: downwelling_spectral_photon_radiance_in_sea_water

downward_water_vapor_flux_in_air_due_to_diffusion
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
Standard Name: downward_water_vapor_flux_in_air_due_to_diffusion

lwe_water_evaporation_rate
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: lwe_water_evaporation_rate

downwelling_longwave_radiance_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: downwelling_longwave_radiance_in_air

northward_water_vapor_transport_across_unit_distance_in_atmosphere_layer
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
has canonical units: kg m-1 s-1
Standard Name: northward_water_vapor_transport_across_unit_distance_in_atmosphere_layer

upward_water_vapor_flux_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: upward_water_vapor_flux_in_air

sound_pressure_level_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: dB
Standard Name: sound_pressure_level_in_air

upward_eastward_stress_at_sea_ice_base
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: upward_eastward_stress_at_sea_ice_base

surface_upwelling_spectral_radiance_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: surface_upwelling_spectral_radiance_in_sea_water

tendency_of_surface_snow_amount
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: tendency_of_surface_snow_amount

product_of_omega_and_air_temperature
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
AMIP: mpwapta
has canonical units: K Pa s-1
Standard Name: product_of_omega_and_air_temperature

surface_upwelling_spectral_radiance_in_air_reflected_by_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: surface_upwelling_spectral_radiance_in_air_reflected_by_sea_water

northward_sea_water_velocity
type: Standard Name
Description: A velocity is a vector quantity. "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward).
GRIB: 50
has canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: northward_sea_water_velocity

surface_carbon_dioxide_mole_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: mol m-2 s-1
Standard Name: surface_carbon_dioxide_mole_flux

toa_adjusted_longwave_forcing
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: toa_adjusted_longwave_forcing

eastward_water_vapor_transport_across_unit_distance_in_atmosphere_layer
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: eastward_water_vapor_transport_across_unit_distance_in_atmosphere_layer

duration_of_sunshine
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: s
Standard Name: duration_of_sunshine

surface_downwelling_photosynthetic_radiance_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: W m-2 sr-1
Standard Name: surface_downwelling_photosynthetic_radiance_in_sea_water

divergence_of_wind
type: Standard Name
Description: "[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.)
GRIB: 44 E155
has canonical units: s-1
Standard Name: divergence_of_wind

surface_northward_sea_water_velocity
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: surface_northward_sea_water_velocity

tendency_of_northward_wind_due_to_gravity_wave_drag
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.)
AMIP: tnmmvgwd
has canonical units: m s-2
Standard Name: tendency_of_northward_wind_due_to_gravity_wave_drag

kg m-3 s-1
type: Canonical Units

equivalent_temperature
type: Standard Name
has canonical units: K
Standard Name: equivalent_temperature

land_ice_vertical_mean_x_velocity
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: land_ice_vertical_mean_x_velocity

upwelling_spectral_radiative_flux_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: upwelling_spectral_radiative_flux_in_sea_water

upward_air_velocity
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
GRIB: 40
has canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: upward_air_velocity

tropopause_instantaneous_shortwave_forcing
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.).
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: tropopause_instantaneous_shortwave_forcing

platform_pitch_angle
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: platform_pitch_angle

sea_area
type: Standard Name
Description: "X_area" means the horizontal area occupied by X within the grid cell.
has canonical units: m2
Standard Name: sea_area

water_evaporation_flux_where_sea_ice
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
Standard Name: water_evaporation_flux_where_sea_ice

convective_snowfall_amount
type: Standard Name
Description: "Amount" means mass per unit area.
GRIB: 78
has canonical units: kg m-2
Standard Name: convective_snowfall_amount

rainfall_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: rainfall_flux

wind_from_direction
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
GRIB: 31
has canonical units: degree
Standard Name: wind_from_direction

canopy_water_amount
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: canopy_water_amount

downward_heat_flux_at_ground_level_in_soil
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: downward_heat_flux_at_ground_level_in_soil

tendency_of_air_temperature_due_to_longwave_heating
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: tntlw
has canonical units: K s-1
Standard Name: tendency_of_air_temperature_due_to_longwave_heating

volume_fraction_of_clay_in_soil
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: volume_fraction_of_clay_in_soil

bedrock_altitude
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: bedrock_altitude

tendency_of_upward_air_velocity_due_to_advection
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: m s-2
Standard Name: tendency_of_upward_air_velocity_due_to_advection

liquid_water_content_of_snow_layer
type: Standard Name
Description: "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area.
has canonical units: kg m-2
Standard Name: liquid_water_content_of_snow_layer

downward_heat_flux_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: downward_heat_flux_in_air

downwelling_spectral_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: W m-2 m-1
Standard Name: downwelling_spectral_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water

forecast_period
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: s
Standard Name: forecast_period

potential_vorticity_of_atmosphere_layer
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: Pa-1 s-1
Standard Name: potential_vorticity_of_atmosphere_layer

product_of_northward_sea_water_velocity_and_salinity
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: product_of_northward_sea_water_velocity_and_salinity

toa_net_downward_radiative_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: toa_net_downward_radiative_flux

sea_water_potential_density
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: kg m-3
Standard Name: sea_water_potential_density

upward_water_vapor_flux_in_air_due_to_diffusion
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: upward_water_vapor_flux_in_air_due_to_diffusion

atmosphere_dry_energy_content
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: atmosphere_dry_energy_content

surface_upwelling_spectral_radiative_flux_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: W m-2 m-1
Standard Name: surface_upwelling_spectral_radiative_flux_in_air

land_area_fraction
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
GRIB: 81
AMIP: sftlf
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: land_area_fraction

tropopause_downwelling_longwave_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: tropopause_downwelling_longwave_flux

sea_surface_height_above_sea_level
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
GRIB: 82
has canonical units: m
Standard Name: sea_surface_height_above_sea_level

liquid_water_content_of_soil_layer
type: Standard Name
Description: "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: kg m-2
Standard Name: liquid_water_content_of_soil_layer

atmosphere_kinetic_energy_content
type: Standard Name
Description: "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: J m-2
Standard Name: atmosphere_kinetic_energy_content

mass_fraction_of_sulfur_dioxide_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: mass_fraction_of_sulfur_dioxide_in_air

surface_downwelling_photosynthetic_radiative_flux_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: surface_downwelling_photosynthetic_radiative_flux_in_sea_water

product_of_eastward_wind_and_geopotential_height
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.)
AMIP: mpuzga
has canonical units: m2 s-1
Standard Name: product_of_eastward_wind_and_geopotential_height

upward_heat_flux_at_ground_level_in_soil
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: upward_heat_flux_at_ground_level_in_soil

downwelling_photosynthetic_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: downwelling_photosynthetic_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water

downwelling_radiance_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: downwelling_radiance_in_sea_water

canopy_height
type: Standard Name
Description: Height is the vertical distance above the surface. "Canopy" means the plant or vegetation canopy.
has canonical units: m
Standard Name: canopy_height

surface_snow_thickness_where_sea_ice
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: surface_snow_thickness_where_sea_ice

sea_surface_wave_significant_height
type: Standard Name
Description: Height is the vertical distance above the surface.
GRIB: 100
has canonical units: m
Standard Name: sea_surface_wave_significant_height

product_of_northward_wind_and_specific_humdity
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: product_of_northward_wind_and_specific_humdity

atmosphere_sleve_coordinate
type: Standard Name
Description: See Appendix D of the CF convention for information about dimensionless vertical coordinates.
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: atmosphere_sleve_coordinate

mass_fraction_of_cloud_liquid_water_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: 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).
AMIP: clw
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: mass_fraction_of_cloud_liquid_water_in_air

platform_speed_wrt_ground
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
has canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: platform_speed_wrt_ground

eastward_atmosphere_water_vapor_transport_across_unit_distance
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: eastward_atmosphere_water_vapor_transport_across_unit_distance

mass_fraction_of_cloud_condensed_water_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: mass_fraction_of_cloud_condensed_water_in_air

soil_suction_at_saturation
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: soil_suction_at_saturation

tendency_of_mass_fraction_of_cloud_ice_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: tendency_of_mass_fraction_of_cloud_ice_in_air

northward_ocean_salt_transport_due_to_bolus_advection
type: Standard Name
Description: 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: kg s-1
Standard Name: northward_ocean_salt_transport_due_to_bolus_advection

sea_ice_amount
type: Standard Name
Description: "Amount" means mass per unit area.
has canonical units: kg m-2
Standard Name: sea_ice_amount

downwelling_photosynthetic_photon_flux_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: downwelling_photosynthetic_photon_flux_in_sea_water

product_of_eastward_wind_and_air_temperature
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.)
has canonical units: K m s-1
Standard Name: product_of_eastward_wind_and_air_temperature

projection_y_coordinate
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: projection_y_coordinate

toa_outgoing_longwave_flux_assuming_clear_sky
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: rlutcs
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: toa_outgoing_longwave_flux_assuming_clear_sky

sound_intensity_level_in_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: sound_intensity_level_in_water

m2 s-1 rad-1
type: Canonical Units

tendency_of_air_temperature_due_to_shortwave_heating
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: tntsw
has canonical units: K s-1
Standard Name: tendency_of_air_temperature_due_to_shortwave_heating

soil_temperature
type: Standard Name
Description: Soil temperature is the bulk temperature of the soil, not the surface (skin) temperature.
GRIB: 85
has canonical units: K
Standard Name: soil_temperature

downwelling_photon_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: downwelling_photon_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water

tendency_of_land_ice_thickness
type: Standard Name
Description: "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time. "Land ice" means glaciers, ice-caps and ice-sheets resting on bedrock.
has canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: tendency_of_land_ice_thickness

surface_upwelling_shortwave_flux_in_air_assuming_clear_sky
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: rsuscs
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: surface_upwelling_shortwave_flux_in_air_assuming_clear_sky

surface_diffuse_downwelling_photosynthetic_radiative_flux_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: surface_diffuse_downwelling_photosynthetic_radiative_flux_in_air

tropopause_altitude
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: tropopause_altitude

water_evaporation_amount
type: Standard Name
Description: "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".)
GRIB: 57
has canonical units: kg m-2
Standard Name: water_evaporation_amount

pseudo_equivalent_temperature
type: Standard Name
has canonical units: K
Standard Name: pseudo_equivalent_temperature

net_downward_shortwave_flux_in_air_assuming_clear_sky
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: rsntpcs
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: net_downward_shortwave_flux_in_air_assuming_clear_sky

integral_of_air_temperature_excess_wrt_time
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: K s
Standard Name: integral_of_air_temperature_excess_wrt_time

tendency_of_air_temperature_due_to_radiative_heating
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: tendency_of_air_temperature_due_to_radiative_heating

tendency_of_specific_humidity_due_to_advection
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: tendency_of_specific_humidity_due_to_advection

speed_of_sound_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: Speed is the magnitude of velocity.
has canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: speed_of_sound_in_sea_water

air_pressure
type: Standard Name
GRIB: 1
AMIP: plev
has canonical units: Pa
Standard Name: air_pressure

geostrophic_northward_wind
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: geostrophic_northward_wind

volume_absorption_coefficient_of_radiative_flux_in_sea_water_due_to_dissolved_organic_matter
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: m-1
Standard Name: volume_absorption_coefficient_of_radiative_flux_in_sea_water_due_to_dissolved_organic_matter

tropopause_net_downward_longwave_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: tropopause_net_downward_longwave_flux

rainfall_rate
type: Standard Name
has canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: rainfall_rate

tendency_of_atmosphere_water_vapor_content_due_to_turbulence
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: tendency_of_atmosphere_water_vapor_content_due_to_turbulence

sound_pressure_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: sound_pressure_in_air

surface_downwelling_longwave_flux_in_air_assuming_clear_sky
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: rldscs
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: surface_downwelling_longwave_flux_in_air_assuming_clear_sky

brunt_vaisala_frequency_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: Frequency is the number of oscillations of a wave per unit time.
has canonical units: s-1
Standard Name: brunt_vaisala_frequency_in_air

eastward_wind
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.)
GRIB: 33 E131
AMIP: ua
has canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: eastward_wind

mass_fraction_of_convective_cloud_liquid_water_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: mass_fraction_of_convective_cloud_liquid_water_in_air

soil_type
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: soil_type

gross_primary_productivity_of_carbon
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: gross_primary_productivity_of_carbon

air_potential_temperature
type: Standard Name
Description: Potential temperature is the temperature a parcel of air or sea water would have if moved adiabatically to sea level pressure.
GRIB: 13
AMIP: theta
has canonical units: K
Standard Name: air_potential_temperature

downwelling_shortwave_flux_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: downwelling_shortwave_flux_in_air

snow_grain_size
type: Standard Name
has canonical units: m
Standard Name: snow_grain_size

toa_incoming_shortwave_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
AMIP: rsdt
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: toa_incoming_shortwave_flux

upward_heat_flux_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: upward_heat_flux_in_air

downwelling_photosynthetic_photon_radiance_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: downwelling_photosynthetic_photon_radiance_in_sea_water

toa_adjusted_radiative_forcing
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: toa_adjusted_radiative_forcing

precipitation_amount
type: Standard Name
Description: "Amount" means mass per unit area.
GRIB: 61
has canonical units: kg m-2
Standard Name: precipitation_amount

sea_ice_x_velocity
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: sea_ice_x_velocity

moles_of_oxygen_per_unit_mass_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: moles_of_oxygen_per_unit_mass_in_sea_water

isotropic_longwave_radiance_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: isotropic_longwave_radiance_in_air

upwelling_shortwave_flux_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: upwelling_shortwave_flux_in_air

air_pressure_at_convective_cloud_top
type: Standard Name
Description: cloud_top refers to the top of the highest cloud. Convective cloud is that produced by the convection schemes in an atmosphere model.
has canonical units: Pa
Standard Name: air_pressure_at_convective_cloud_top

sea_surface_temperature
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: K
Standard Name: sea_surface_temperature

mass_fraction_of_cloud_ice_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: 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).
AMIP: cli
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: mass_fraction_of_cloud_ice_in_air

product_of_northward_wind_and_geopotential_height
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.)
AMIP: mpvzga
has canonical units: m2 s-1
Standard Name: product_of_northward_wind_and_geopotential_height

tendency_of_air_temperature_due_to_turbulence
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: tendency_of_air_temperature_due_to_turbulence

atmosphere_heat_diffusivity
type: Standard Name
has canonical units: m2 s-1
Standard Name: atmosphere_heat_diffusivity

water_vapor_saturation_deficit
type: Standard Name
Description: Water vapor saturation deficit is the difference between the saturation water vapor pressure and the actual water vapor pressure.
GRIB: 56
has canonical units: Pa
Standard Name: water_vapor_saturation_deficit

surface_upwelling_radiance_in_air_emerging_from_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: W m-2 sr-1
Standard Name: surface_upwelling_radiance_in_air_emerging_from_sea_water

upwelling_shortwave_radiance_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
has canonical units: W m-2 sr-1
Standard Name: upwelling_shortwave_radiance_in_air

northward_wind
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.)
GRIB: 34 E132
AMIP: va
has canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: northward_wind

water_sublimation_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
Standard Name: water_sublimation_flux

net_upward_longwave_flux_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
GRIB: 115
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: net_upward_longwave_flux_in_air

net_rate_of_absorption_of_longwave_energy_in_atmosphere_layer
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: net_rate_of_absorption_of_longwave_energy_in_atmosphere_layer

surface_downwelling_photosynthetic_photon_flux_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: surface_downwelling_photosynthetic_photon_flux_in_sea_water

solar_azimuth_angle
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: degree
Standard Name: solar_azimuth_angle

product_of_northward_sea_water_velocity_and_temperature
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: K m s-1
Standard Name: product_of_northward_sea_water_velocity_and_temperature

soil_frozen_water_content
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
AMIP: mrfso
has canonical units: kg m-2
Standard Name: soil_frozen_water_content

soil_respiration_carbon_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: soil_respiration_carbon_flux

sea_ice_speed
type: Standard Name
Description: Speed is the magnitude of velocity.
GRIB: 94
has canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: sea_ice_speed

tendency_of_mass_fraction_of_cloud_liquid_water_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: tendency_of_mass_fraction_of_cloud_liquid_water_in_air

surface_downwelling_spectral_radiative_flux_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: surface_downwelling_spectral_radiative_flux_in_air

tendency_of_water_vapor_content_of_atmosphere_layer_due_to_turbulence
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
Standard Name: tendency_of_water_vapor_content_of_atmosphere_layer_due_to_turbulence

land_ice_lwe_surface_specific_mass_balance
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: land_ice_lwe_surface_specific_mass_balance

tendency_of_atmosphere_water_content_due_to_advection
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
Standard Name: tendency_of_atmosphere_water_content_due_to_advection

volume_fraction_of_water_in_soil
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: volume_fraction_of_water_in_soil

sea_ice_area
type: Standard Name
Description: "X_area" means the horizontal area occupied by X within the grid cell.
has canonical units: m2
Standard Name: sea_ice_area

pseudo_equivalent_potential_temperature
type: Standard Name
Description: Potential temperature is the temperature a parcel of air or sea water would have if moved adiabatically to sea level pressure.
GRIB: 14
has canonical units: K
Standard Name: pseudo_equivalent_potential_temperature

surface_drag_coefficient_for_momentum_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere.
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: surface_drag_coefficient_for_momentum_in_air

tendency_of_eastward_wind_due_to_advection
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: tendency_of_eastward_wind_due_to_advection

sea_surface_wave_directional_variance_spectral_density
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: m2 s-1 rad-1
Standard Name: sea_surface_wave_directional_variance_spectral_density

sound_intensity_level_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: dB
Standard Name: sound_intensity_level_in_air

leaf_area_index
type: Standard Name
Description: "X_area" means the horizontal area occupied by X within the grid cell.
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: leaf_area_index

specific_kinetic_energy_of_air
type: Standard Name
Description: "specific" means per unit mass.
has canonical units: m2 s-2
Standard Name: specific_kinetic_energy_of_air

surface_snow_area_fraction
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: snc
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: surface_snow_area_fraction

surface_downwelling_photosynthetic_photon_flux_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: surface_downwelling_photosynthetic_photon_flux_in_air

downward_heat_flux_in_soil
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: downward_heat_flux_in_soil

water_volume_transport_into_ocean_from_rivers
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: water_volume_transport_into_ocean_from_rivers

tendency_of_surface_air_pressure
type: Standard Name
Description: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere. "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time.
GRIB: E158
has canonical units: Pa s-1
Standard Name: tendency_of_surface_air_pressure

sea_floor_depth_below_geoid
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: zobt
has canonical units: m
Standard Name: sea_floor_depth_below_geoid

convective_precipitation_amount
type: Standard Name
Description: "Amount" means mass per unit area.
GRIB: 63
has canonical units: kg m-2
Standard Name: convective_precipitation_amount

surface_temperature_where_open_sea
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: surface_temperature_where_open_sea

upwelling_longwave_radiance_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
has canonical units: W m-2 sr-1
Standard Name: upwelling_longwave_radiance_in_air

platform_roll_angle
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: platform_roll_angle

tendency_of_air_density
type: Standard Name
Description: "tendency_of_X" means derivative of X with respect to time.
has canonical units: kg m-3 s-1
Standard Name: tendency_of_air_density

tropopause_adjusted_shortwave_forcing
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: tropopause_adjusted_shortwave_forcing

sea_surface_wave_zero_upcrossing_period
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: s
Standard Name: sea_surface_wave_zero_upcrossing_period

surface_net_upward_shortwave_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
GRIB: 111 E177
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: surface_net_upward_shortwave_flux

ocean_s_coordinate
type: Standard Name
Description: See Appendix D of the CF convention for information about dimensionless vertical coordinates.
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: ocean_s_coordinate

tendency_of_northward_wind
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.)
AMIP: tnmmvtot
has canonical units: m s-2
Standard Name: tendency_of_northward_wind

surface_upwelling_shortwave_flux_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: rsus
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: surface_upwelling_shortwave_flux_in_air

sound_intensity_in_water
type: Standard Name
Description: Sound intensity is the sound energy per unit time per unit area.
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: sound_intensity_in_water

ocean_integral_of_sea_water_temperature_wrt_depth
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: K m
Standard Name: ocean_integral_of_sea_water_temperature_wrt_depth

northward_ocean_heat_transport_due_to_overturning
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: htovovrt
has canonical units: W
Standard Name: northward_ocean_heat_transport_due_to_overturning

downward_x_stress_at_sea_ice_base
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: Pa
Standard Name: downward_x_stress_at_sea_ice_base

lwe_thickness_of_atmosphere_water_vapor_content
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
GRIB: E137
has canonical units: m
Standard Name: lwe_thickness_of_atmosphere_water_vapor_content

snow_soot_content
type: Standard Name
Description: "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area.
has canonical units: kg m-2
Standard Name: snow_soot_content

wind_speed_shear
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
GRIB: N136
has canonical units: s-1
Standard Name: wind_speed_shear

tendency_of_air_temperature
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: tendency_of_air_temperature

surface_upward_latent_heat_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
GRIB: 121 E147
AMIP: hfls
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: surface_upward_latent_heat_flux

altitude_at_top_of_dry_convection
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: altitude_at_top_of_dry_convection

downwelling_spectral_radiative_flux_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: downwelling_spectral_radiative_flux_in_air

downwelling_photon_flux_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: downwelling_photon_flux_in_sea_water

toa_net_upward_longwave_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: toa_net_upward_longwave_flux

tendency_of_mass_fraction_of_cloud_condensed_water_in_air_due_to_advection
type: Standard Name
Description: 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).
has canonical units: s-1
Standard Name: tendency_of_mass_fraction_of_cloud_condensed_water_in_air_due_to_advection

toa_net_upward_shortwave_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
GRIB: 113 E178
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: toa_net_upward_shortwave_flux

sea_surface_swell_wave_period
type: Standard Name
Description: A period is an interval of time, or the time-period of an oscillation. Swell waves are waves on the ocean surface.
GRIB: 106
has canonical units: s
Standard Name: sea_surface_swell_wave_period

square_of_brunt_vaisala_frequency_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: "square_of_X" means X*X. Frequency is the number of oscillations of a wave per unit time.
GRIB: N138
has canonical units: s-2
Standard Name: square_of_brunt_vaisala_frequency_in_air

convective_snowfall_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: convective_snowfall_flux

tendency_of_atmosphere_water_vapor_content_due_to_advection
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: tendency_of_atmosphere_water_vapor_content_due_to_advection

downward_y_stress_at_sea_ice_base
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: Pa
Standard Name: downward_y_stress_at_sea_ice_base

surface_drag_coefficient_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere.
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: surface_drag_coefficient_in_air

toa_adjusted_shortwave_forcing
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: toa_adjusted_shortwave_forcing

northward_ocean_heat_transport_due_to_bolus_advection
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: northward_ocean_heat_transport_due_to_bolus_advection

northward_atmosphere_water_transport_across_unit_distance
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: kg s-1 m-1
Standard Name: northward_atmosphere_water_transport_across_unit_distance

grid_longitude
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: grid_longitude

downward_heat_flux_in_sea_ice
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: downward_heat_flux_in_sea_ice

sea_ice_mass
type: Standard Name
has canonical units: kg
Standard Name: sea_ice_mass

atmosphere_content_of_sulfate_aerosol
type: Standard Name
Description: "Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. "Aerosol" means the suspended liquid or solid particles in air (except cloud droplets).
AMIP: trsult
has canonical units: kg m-2
Standard Name: atmosphere_content_of_sulfate_aerosol

soil_porosity
type: Standard Name
Description: The soil porosity is the proportion of its total volume not occupied by soil solids.
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: soil_porosity

mass_fraction_of_convective_cloud_ice_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: mass_fraction_of_convective_cloud_ice_in_air

product_of_eastward_wind_and_upward_air_velocity
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
has canonical units: m2 s-2
Standard Name: product_of_eastward_wind_and_upward_air_velocity

downward_dry_static_energy_flux_due_to_diffusion
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: downward_dry_static_energy_flux_due_to_diffusion

thickness_of_convective_rainfall_amount
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: thickness_of_convective_rainfall_amount

air_temperature_lapse_rate
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
GRIB: 19
has canonical units: K m-1
Standard Name: air_temperature_lapse_rate

tendency_of_potential_energy_content_of_atmosphere_layer_due_to_advection
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: tendency_of_potential_energy_content_of_atmosphere_layer_due_to_advection

sea_area_fraction
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: 1
Standard Name: sea_area_fraction

sea_ice_area_fraction
type: Standard Name
Description: "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".
GRIB: 91
AMIP: sic
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: sea_ice_area_fraction

downwelling_spectral_radiative_flux_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: downwelling_spectral_radiative_flux_in_sea_water

tendency_of_water_vapor_content_of_atmosphere_layer_due_to_convection
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
Standard Name: tendency_of_water_vapor_content_of_atmosphere_layer_due_to_convection

sea_ice_temperature
type: Standard Name
has canonical units: K
Standard Name: sea_ice_temperature

tendency_of_specific_humidity_due_to_convection
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: tnmrc
has canonical units: s-1
Standard Name: tendency_of_specific_humidity_due_to_convection

height_at_cloud_top
type: Standard Name
Description: cloud_top refers to the top of the highest cloud. Height is the vertical distance above the surface.
has canonical units: m
Standard Name: height_at_cloud_top

volume_scattering_coefficient_of_radiative_flux_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
has canonical units: m-1
Standard Name: volume_scattering_coefficient_of_radiative_flux_in_sea_water

surface_drag_coefficient_for_heat_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere.
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: surface_drag_coefficient_for_heat_in_air

soil_albedo
type: Standard Name
Description: Soil albedo is the albedo of the soil surface assuming no snow.
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: soil_albedo

volume_fraction_of_water_in_soil_at_wilting_point
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: 1
Standard Name: volume_fraction_of_water_in_soil_at_wilting_point

tendency_of_eastward_wind_due_to_diffusion
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: tendency_of_eastward_wind_due_to_diffusion

wind_speed
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
GRIB: 32
has canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: wind_speed

upward_heat_flux_at_ground_level_in_snow
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: upward_heat_flux_at_ground_level_in_snow

cloud_base_altitude
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: m
Standard Name: cloud_base_altitude

downwelling_radiative_flux_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: downwelling_radiative_flux_in_sea_water

convective_rainfall_rate
type: Standard Name
has canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: convective_rainfall_rate

platform_speed_wrt_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.
has canonical units: m s-1
Standard Name: platform_speed_wrt_sea_water

potential_energy_content_of_atmosphere_layer
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: potential_energy_content_of_atmosphere_layer

surface_downwelling_spectral_radiative_flux_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: W m-2 m-1
Standard Name: surface_downwelling_spectral_radiative_flux_in_sea_water

downwelling_spectral_photon_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: downwelling_spectral_photon_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water

large_scale_precipitation_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: large_scale_precipitation_flux

surface_upward_sensible_heat_flux
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
GRIB: 122 E146
AMIP: hfss
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: surface_upward_sensible_heat_flux

product_of_northward_wind_and_upward_air_velocity
type: Standard Name
Description: "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 canonical units: m2 s-2
Standard Name: product_of_northward_wind_and_upward_air_velocity

surface_downwelling_spectral_photon_radiance_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: mol m-2 s-1 m-1 sr-1
Standard Name: surface_downwelling_spectral_photon_radiance_in_sea_water

surface_upwelling_longwave_flux_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: rlus
has canonical units: W m-2
Standard Name: surface_upwelling_longwave_flux_in_air

precipitation_flux_onto_canopy_where_land
type: Standard Name
Description: 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.
AMIP: prveg
has canonical units: kg m-2 s-1
Standard Name: precipitation_flux_onto_canopy_where_land

downwelling_photosynthetic_radiance_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: downwelling_photosynthetic_radiance_in_sea_water

mass_fraction_of_convective_condensed_water_in_air
type: Standard Name
Description: "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
Standard Name: mass_fraction_of_convective_condensed_water_in_air

sea_surface_wind_wave_zero_upcrossing_period
type: Standard Name
Description: 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 canonical units: s
Standard Name: sea_surface_wind_wave_zero_upcrossing_period

volume_mixing_ratio_of_oxygen_at_stp_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: "ratio_of_X_to_Y" means X/Y. "stp" means standard temperature (0 degC) and pressure (101325 Pa).
has canonical units: 1
Standard Name: volume_mixing_ratio_of_oxygen_at_stp_in_sea_water

sea_ice_draft
type: Standard Name
Description: Sea ice draft is the depth of the sea-ice lower surface below the water surface.
has canonical units: m
Standard Name: sea_ice_draft

surface_downwelling_radiance_in_sea_water
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: surface_downwelling_radiance_in_sea_water

tropopause_adjusted_radiative_forcing
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: tropopause_adjusted_radiative_forcing

northward_ocean_freshwater_transport_due_to_overturning
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: northward_ocean_freshwater_transport_due_to_overturning

square_of_northward_wind
type: Standard Name
Description: "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.)
AMIP: mpvva
has canonical units: m2 s-2
Standard Name: square_of_northward_wind

surface_eastward_sea_water_velocity
type: Standard Name
Description: 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
Standard Name: surface_eastward_sea_water_velocity