forked from cf-convention/cf-convention.github.io
-
Notifications
You must be signed in to change notification settings - Fork 0
/
cf-standard-name-table.xml
executable file
·3454 lines (3454 loc) · 372 KB
/
cf-standard-name-table.xml
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280
281
282
283
284
285
286
287
288
289
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314
315
316
317
318
319
320
321
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394
395
396
397
398
399
400
401
402
403
404
405
406
407
408
409
410
411
412
413
414
415
416
417
418
419
420
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461
462
463
464
465
466
467
468
469
470
471
472
473
474
475
476
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508
509
510
511
512
513
514
515
516
517
518
519
520
521
522
523
524
525
526
527
528
529
530
531
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548
549
550
551
552
553
554
555
556
557
558
559
560
561
562
563
564
565
566
567
568
569
570
571
572
573
574
575
576
577
578
579
580
581
582
583
584
585
586
587
588
589
590
591
592
593
594
595
596
597
598
599
600
601
602
603
604
605
606
607
608
609
610
611
612
613
614
615
616
617
618
619
620
621
622
623
624
625
626
627
628
629
630
631
632
633
634
635
636
637
638
639
640
641
642
643
644
645
646
647
648
649
650
651
652
653
654
655
656
657
658
659
660
661
662
663
664
665
666
667
668
669
670
671
672
673
674
675
676
677
678
679
680
681
682
683
684
685
686
687
688
689
690
691
692
693
694
695
696
697
698
699
700
701
702
703
704
705
706
707
708
709
710
711
712
713
714
715
716
717
718
719
720
721
722
723
724
725
726
727
728
729
730
731
732
733
734
735
736
737
738
739
740
741
742
743
744
745
746
747
748
749
750
751
752
753
754
755
756
757
758
759
760
761
762
763
764
765
766
767
768
769
770
771
772
773
774
775
776
777
778
779
780
781
782
783
784
785
786
787
788
789
790
791
792
793
794
795
796
797
798
799
800
801
802
803
804
805
806
807
808
809
810
811
812
813
814
815
816
817
818
819
820
821
822
823
824
825
826
827
828
829
830
831
832
833
834
835
836
837
838
839
840
841
842
843
844
845
846
847
848
849
850
851
852
853
854
855
856
857
858
859
860
861
862
863
864
865
866
867
868
869
870
871
872
873
874
875
876
877
878
879
880
881
882
883
884
885
886
887
888
889
890
891
892
893
894
895
896
897
898
899
900
901
902
903
904
905
906
907
908
909
910
911
912
913
914
915
916
917
918
919
920
921
922
923
924
925
926
927
928
929
930
931
932
933
934
935
936
937
938
939
940
941
942
943
944
945
946
947
948
949
950
951
952
953
954
955
956
957
958
959
960
961
962
963
964
965
966
967
968
969
970
971
972
973
974
975
976
977
978
979
980
981
982
983
984
985
986
987
988
989
990
991
992
993
994
995
996
997
998
999
1000
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<standard_name_table xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance" xsi:noNamespaceSchemaLocation="CFStandardNameTable-1.1.xsd">
<version_number>2</version_number>
<last_modified>2006-09-26T18:12:43Z</last_modified>
<institution>Centre for Environmental Data Analysis</institution>
<contact>[email protected]</contact>
<entry id="aerosol_angstrom_exponent">
<canonical_units>1</canonical_units>
<description>"Aerosol" means the suspended liquid or solid particles in air (except cloud droplets).</description>
</entry>
<entry id="air_density">
<canonical_units>kg m-3</canonical_units>
<description></description>
</entry>
<entry id="air_potential_temperature">
<canonical_units>K</canonical_units>
<grib>13</grib>
<amip>theta</amip>
<description>Potential temperature is the temperature a parcel of air or sea water would have if moved adiabatically to sea level pressure.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="air_pressure">
<canonical_units>Pa</canonical_units>
<grib>1</grib>
<amip>plev</amip>
<description></description>
</entry>
<entry id="air_pressure_anomaly">
<canonical_units>Pa</canonical_units>
<grib>26</grib>
<description>"anomaly" means difference from climatology.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="air_pressure_at_cloud_base">
<canonical_units>Pa</canonical_units>
<description>cloud_base refers to the base of the lowest cloud.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="air_pressure_at_cloud_top">
<canonical_units>Pa</canonical_units>
<description>cloud_top refers to the top of the highest cloud.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="air_pressure_at_convective_cloud_base">
<canonical_units>Pa</canonical_units>
<description>cloud_base refers to the base of the lowest cloud. Convective cloud is that produced by the convection schemes in an atmosphere model.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="air_pressure_at_convective_cloud_top">
<canonical_units>Pa</canonical_units>
<description>cloud_top refers to the top of the highest cloud. Convective cloud is that produced by the convection schemes in an atmosphere model.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="air_pressure_at_freezing_level">
<canonical_units>Pa</canonical_units>
<description></description>
</entry>
<entry id="air_pressure_at_sea_level">
<canonical_units>Pa</canonical_units>
<grib>2 E151</grib>
<amip>psl</amip>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="air_temperature">
<canonical_units>K</canonical_units>
<grib>11 E130</grib>
<amip>ta</amip>
<description>Air temperature is the bulk temperature of the air, not the surface (skin) temperature.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="air_temperature_anomaly">
<canonical_units>K</canonical_units>
<grib>25</grib>
<description>"anomaly" means difference from climatology. Air temperature is the bulk temperature of the air, not the surface (skin) temperature.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="air_temperature_at_cloud_top">
<canonical_units>K</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="air_temperature_lapse_rate">
<canonical_units>K m-1</canonical_units>
<grib>19</grib>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="air_temperature_threshold">
<canonical_units>K</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="altitude">
<canonical_units>m</canonical_units>
<grib>8</grib>
<description>Altitude is the (geometric) height above the geoid, which is the reference geopotential surface. The geoid is similar to mean sea level.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="altitude_at_top_of_dry_convection">
<canonical_units>m</canonical_units>
<description>Altitude is the (geometric) height above the geoid, which is the reference geopotential surface. The geoid is similar to mean sea level.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="area_fraction">
<canonical_units>1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="area_fraction_below_surface">
<canonical_units>1</canonical_units>
<amip>psbg</amip>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="atmosphere_absolute_vorticity">
<canonical_units>s-1</canonical_units>
<grib>41</grib>
<description>Absolute vorticity is the sum of relative vorticity and the upward component of vorticity due to the Earth's rotation.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="atmosphere_boundary_layer_thickness">
<canonical_units>m</canonical_units>
<amip>zmla</amip>
<description>The atmosphere boundary layer thickness is the "depth" or "height" of the (atmosphere) planetary boundary layer.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="atmosphere_cloud_condensed_water_content">
<canonical_units>kg m-2</canonical_units>
<grib>76</grib>
<amip>clwvi</amip>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="atmosphere_cloud_ice_content">
<canonical_units>kg m-2</canonical_units>
<grib>58</grib>
<amip>clivi</amip>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="atmosphere_cloud_liquid_water_content">
<canonical_units>kg m-2</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="atmosphere_content_of_sulfate_aerosol">
<canonical_units>kg m-2</canonical_units>
<amip>trsult</amip>
<description>"Content" indicates a quantity per unit area. "Aerosol" means the suspended liquid or solid particles in air (except cloud droplets).</description>
</entry>
<entry id="atmosphere_convective_mass_flux">
<canonical_units>kg m-2 s-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="atmosphere_dry_energy_content">
<canonical_units>J m-2</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="atmosphere_dry_static_energy_content">
<canonical_units>J m-2</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="atmosphere_eastward_stress_due_to_gravity_wave_drag">
<canonical_units>Pa</canonical_units>
<amip>tauugwd</amip>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="atmosphere_energy_content">
<canonical_units>J m-2</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="atmosphere_enthalpy_content">
<canonical_units>J m-2</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="atmosphere_heat_diffusivity">
<canonical_units>m2 s-1</canonical_units>
<description></description>
</entry>
<entry id="atmosphere_horizontal_streamfunction">
<canonical_units>m2 s-1</canonical_units>
<grib>35</grib>
<description>"Horizontal" indicates that the streamfunction applies to a horizontal velocity field on a particular vertical level.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="atmosphere_horizontal_velocity_potential">
<canonical_units>m2 s-1</canonical_units>
<grib>36</grib>
<description>A velocity is a vector quantity. "Horizontal" indicates that the velocity potential applies to a horizontal velocity field on a particular vertical level.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="atmosphere_hybrid_height_coordinate">
<canonical_units>m</canonical_units>
<description>See Appendix D of the CF convention for information about dimensionless vertical coordinates.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="atmosphere_hybrid_sigma_pressure_coordinate">
<canonical_units>1</canonical_units>
<description>See Appendix D of the CF convention for information about dimensionless vertical coordinates.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="atmosphere_kinetic_energy_content">
<canonical_units>J m-2</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="atmosphere_ln_pressure_coordinate">
<canonical_units>1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="atmosphere_mass_per_unit_area">
<canonical_units>kg m-2</canonical_units>
<description>"X_area" means the horizontal area occupied by X within the grid cell.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="atmosphere_momentum_diffusivity">
<canonical_units>m2 s-1</canonical_units>
<description></description>
</entry>
<entry id="atmosphere_net_rate_of_absorption_of_longwave_energy">
<canonical_units>W m-2</canonical_units>
<description>"longwave" means longwave radiation. Net absorbed radiation is the difference between absorbed and emitted radiation.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="atmosphere_net_rate_of_absorption_of_shortwave_energy">
<canonical_units>W m-2</canonical_units>
<description>"shortwave" means shortwave radiation. Net absorbed radiation is the difference between absorbed and emitted radiation.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="atmosphere_northward_stress_due_to_gravity_wave_drag">
<canonical_units>Pa</canonical_units>
<amip>tauvgwd</amip>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="atmosphere_optical_thickness_due_to_aerosol">
<canonical_units>1</canonical_units>
<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).</description>
</entry>
<entry id="atmosphere_potential_energy_content">
<canonical_units>J m-2</canonical_units>
<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.)</description>
</entry>
<entry id="atmosphere_relative_vorticity">
<canonical_units>s-1</canonical_units>
<grib>43 E138</grib>
<description>Relative vorticity is the upward component of the vorticity vector i.e. the component which arises from horizontal velocity.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="atmosphere_sigma_coordinate">
<canonical_units>1</canonical_units>
<description>See Appendix D of the CF convention for information about dimensionless vertical coordinates.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="atmosphere_sleve_coordinate">
<canonical_units>1</canonical_units>
<description>See Appendix D of the CF convention for information about dimensionless vertical coordinates.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="atmosphere_specific_convective_available_potential_energy">
<canonical_units>J kg-1</canonical_units>
<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".</description>
</entry>
<entry id="atmosphere_sulfate_content">
<canonical_units>kg m-2</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="atmosphere_water_content">
<canonical_units>kg m-2</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="atmosphere_water_vapor_content">
<canonical_units>kg m-2</canonical_units>
<grib>54</grib>
<amip>prw</amip>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="baroclinic_eastward_sea_water_velocity">
<canonical_units>m s-1</canonical_units>
<description>A velocity is a vector quantity. "Eastward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed eastward (negative westward).</description>
</entry>
<entry id="baroclinic_northward_sea_water_velocity">
<canonical_units>m s-1</canonical_units>
<description>A velocity is a vector quantity. "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward).</description>
</entry>
<entry id="barotropic_eastward_sea_water_velocity">
<canonical_units>m s-1</canonical_units>
<description>A velocity is a vector quantity. "Eastward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed eastward (negative westward).</description>
</entry>
<entry id="barotropic_northward_sea_water_velocity">
<canonical_units>m s-1</canonical_units>
<description>A velocity is a vector quantity. "Northward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed northward (negative southward).</description>
</entry>
<entry id="bedrock_altitude">
<canonical_units>m</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="bedrock_altitude_change_due_to_isostatic_adjustment">
<canonical_units>m</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="bioluminescent_photon_rate_in_sea_water">
<canonical_units>s-1 m-3</canonical_units>
<description></description>
</entry>
<entry id="biomass_burning_carbon_flux">
<canonical_units>kg m-2 s-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="brightness_temperature">
<canonical_units>K</canonical_units>
<grib>118</grib>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="brunt_vaisala_frequency_in_air">
<canonical_units>s-1</canonical_units>
<description>Frequency is the number of oscillations of a wave per unit time.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="canopy_and_surface_water_amount">
<canonical_units>kg m-2</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="canopy_height">
<canonical_units>m</canonical_units>
<description>Height is the vertical distance above the surface. "Canopy" means the plant or vegetation canopy.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="canopy_water_amount">
<canonical_units>kg m-2</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="change_in_atmosphere_energy_content_due_to_change_in_sigma_coordinate_wrt_surface_pressure">
<canonical_units>J m-2</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="change_in_energy_content_of_atmosphere_layer_due_to_change_in_sigma_coordinate_wrt_surface_pressure">
<canonical_units>J m-2</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="change_over_time_in_atmospheric_water_content_due_to_advection">
<canonical_units>kg m-2</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="change_over_time_in_surface_snow_amount">
<canonical_units>kg m-2</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="cloud_area_fraction">
<canonical_units>1</canonical_units>
<grib>71 E164</grib>
<amip>clt</amip>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="cloud_area_fraction_in_atmosphere_layer">
<canonical_units>1</canonical_units>
<amip>cl</amip>
<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".</description>
</entry>
<entry id="cloud_base_altitude">
<canonical_units>m</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="cloud_condensed_water_content_of_atmosphere_layer">
<canonical_units>kg m-2</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="cloud_ice_content_of_atmosphere_layer">
<canonical_units>kg m-2</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="cloud_liquid_water_content_of_atmosphere_layer">
<canonical_units>kg m-2</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="cloud_top_altitude">
<canonical_units>m</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="concentration_of_chlorophyll_in_sea_water">
<canonical_units>kg m-3</canonical_units>
<description></description>
</entry>
<entry id="concentration_of_suspended_matter_in_sea_water">
<canonical_units>kg m-3</canonical_units>
<description></description>
</entry>
<entry id="convective_cloud_area_fraction">
<canonical_units>1</canonical_units>
<grib>72 E185</grib>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="convective_cloud_area_fraction_in_atmosphere_layer">
<canonical_units>1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="convective_cloud_base_altitude">
<canonical_units>m</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="convective_cloud_base_height">
<canonical_units>m</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="convective_cloud_top_altitude">
<canonical_units>m</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="convective_cloud_top_height">
<canonical_units>m</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="convective_precipitation_amount">
<canonical_units>kg m-2</canonical_units>
<grib>63</grib>
<description>"Amount" means mass per unit area.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="convective_precipitation_flux">
<canonical_units>kg m-2 s-1</canonical_units>
<amip>prc</amip>
<description>In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="convective_rainfall_amount">
<canonical_units>kg m-2</canonical_units>
<description>"Amount" means mass per unit area.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="convective_rainfall_flux">
<canonical_units>kg m-2 s-1</canonical_units>
<description>In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="convective_rainfall_rate">
<canonical_units>m s-1</canonical_units>
<description></description>
</entry>
<entry id="convective_snowfall_amount">
<canonical_units>kg m-2</canonical_units>
<grib>78</grib>
<description>"Amount" means mass per unit area.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="convective_snowfall_flux">
<canonical_units>kg m-2 s-1</canonical_units>
<description>In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="coriolis_parameter">
<canonical_units>s-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="depth">
<canonical_units>m</canonical_units>
<description>Depth is the vertical distance below the surface.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="dew_point_depression">
<canonical_units>K</canonical_units>
<grib>18</grib>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="dew_point_temperature">
<canonical_units>K</canonical_units>
<grib>17</grib>
<description>Dew point temperature is the temperature at which a parcel of air reaches saturation upon being cooled at constant pressure and specific humidity.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="difference_of_air_pressure_from_model_reference">
<canonical_units>Pa</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="dimensionless_exner_function">
<canonical_units>1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="direction_of_sea_ice_velocity">
<canonical_units>degree</canonical_units>
<grib>93</grib>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="direction_of_sea_water_velocity">
<canonical_units>degree</canonical_units>
<grib>47</grib>
<description>"direction_of_X" means direction of a vector, a bearing. A velocity is a vector quantity.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="dissipation_in_atmosphere_boundary_layer">
<canonical_units>W m-2</canonical_units>
<grib>E145</grib>
<description></description>
</entry>
<entry id="divergence_of_sea_ice_velocity">
<canonical_units>s-1</canonical_units>
<grib>98</grib>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="divergence_of_wind">
<canonical_units>s-1</canonical_units>
<grib>44 E155</grib>
<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.)</description>
</entry>
<entry id="downward_dry_static_energy_flux_due_to_diffusion">
<canonical_units>W m-2</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="downward_eastward_momentum_flux_in_air">
<canonical_units>Pa</canonical_units>
<grib>124</grib>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="downward_eastward_stress_at_sea_ice_base">
<canonical_units>Pa</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="downward_heat_flux_at_ground_level_in_snow">
<canonical_units>W m-2</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="downward_heat_flux_at_ground_level_in_soil">
<canonical_units>W m-2</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="downward_heat_flux_in_air">
<canonical_units>W m-2</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="downward_heat_flux_in_sea_ice">
<canonical_units>W m-2</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="downward_heat_flux_in_soil">
<canonical_units>W m-2</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="downward_northward_momentum_flux_in_air">
<canonical_units>Pa</canonical_units>
<grib>125</grib>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="downward_northward_stress_at_sea_ice_base">
<canonical_units>Pa</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="downward_sea_ice_basal_salt_flux">
<canonical_units>kg m-2 s-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="downward_water_vapor_flux_in_air_due_to_diffusion">
<canonical_units>kg m-2 s-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="downward_x_stress_at_sea_ice_base">
<canonical_units>Pa</canonical_units>
<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).</description>
</entry>
<entry id="downward_y_stress_at_sea_ice_base">
<canonical_units>Pa</canonical_units>
<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).</description>
</entry>
<entry id="downwelling_longwave_flux_in_air">
<canonical_units>W m-2</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="downwelling_longwave_radiance_in_air">
<canonical_units>W m-2 sr-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="downwelling_photon_flux_in_sea_water">
<canonical_units>mol m-2 s-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="downwelling_photon_radiance_in_sea_water">
<canonical_units>mol m-2 s-1 sr-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="downwelling_photon_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water">
<canonical_units>mol m-2 s-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="downwelling_photosynthetic_photon_flux_in_sea_water">
<canonical_units>mol m-2 s-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="downwelling_photosynthetic_photon_radiance_in_sea_water">
<canonical_units>mol m-2 s-1 sr-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="downwelling_photosynthetic_photon_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water">
<canonical_units>mol m-2 s-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="downwelling_photosynthetic_radiance_in_sea_water">
<canonical_units>W m-2 sr-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="downwelling_photosynthetic_radiative_flux_in_sea_water">
<canonical_units>W m-2</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="downwelling_photosynthetic_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water">
<canonical_units>W m-2</canonical_units>
<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".</description>
</entry>
<entry id="downwelling_radiance_in_sea_water">
<canonical_units>W m-2 sr-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="downwelling_radiative_flux_in_sea_water">
<canonical_units>W m-2</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="downwelling_shortwave_flux_in_air">
<canonical_units>W m-2</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="downwelling_shortwave_radiance_in_air">
<canonical_units>W m-2 sr-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="downwelling_spectral_photon_flux_in_sea_water">
<canonical_units>mol m-2 s-1 m-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="downwelling_spectral_photon_radiance_in_sea_water">
<canonical_units>mol m-2 s-1 m-1 sr-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="downwelling_spectral_photon_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water">
<canonical_units>mol m-2 s-1 m-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="downwelling_spectral_radiance_in_air">
<canonical_units>W m-2 m-1 sr-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="downwelling_spectral_radiance_in_sea_water">
<canonical_units>W m-2 m-1 sr-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="downwelling_spectral_radiative_flux_in_air">
<canonical_units>W m-2 m-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="downwelling_spectral_radiative_flux_in_sea_water">
<canonical_units>W m-2 m-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="downwelling_spectral_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water">
<canonical_units>W m-2 m-1</canonical_units>
<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".</description>
</entry>
<entry id="downwelling_spherical_irradiance_in_sea_water">
<canonical_units>W m-2</canonical_units>
<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".</description>
</entry>
<entry id="dry_energy_content_of_atmosphere_layer">
<canonical_units>J m-2</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="dry_static_energy_content_of_atmosphere_layer">
<canonical_units>J m-2</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="duration_of_sunshine">
<canonical_units>s</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="eastward_atmosphere_dry_static_energy_transport_across_unit_distance">
<canonical_units>W m-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="eastward_atmosphere_water_transport_across_unit_distance">
<canonical_units>kg s-1 m-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="eastward_atmosphere_water_vapor_transport_across_unit_distance">
<canonical_units>kg m-1 s-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="eastward_mass_flux_of_air">
<canonical_units>kg m-2 s-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="eastward_momentum_flux_correction">
<canonical_units>Pa</canonical_units>
<amip>tauucorr</amip>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="eastward_sea_ice_velocity">
<canonical_units>m s-1</canonical_units>
<grib>95</grib>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="eastward_sea_water_velocity">
<canonical_units>m s-1</canonical_units>
<grib>49</grib>
<description>A velocity is a vector quantity. "Eastward" indicates a vector component which is positive when directed eastward (negative westward).</description>
</entry>
<entry id="eastward_water_vapor_flux">
<canonical_units>kg m-2 s-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="eastward_water_vapor_transport_across_unit_distance_in_atmosphere_layer">
<canonical_units>kg m-1 s-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="eastward_wind">
<canonical_units>m s-1</canonical_units>
<grib>33 E131</grib>
<amip>ua</amip>
<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.)</description>
</entry>
<entry id="eastward_wind_shear">
<canonical_units>s-1</canonical_units>
<grib>45</grib>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="enthalpy_content_of_atmosphere_layer">
<canonical_units>J m-2</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="equilibrium_line_altitude">
<canonical_units>m</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="equivalent_potential_temperature">
<canonical_units>K</canonical_units>
<description>Potential temperature is the temperature a parcel of air or sea water would have if moved adiabatically to sea level pressure.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="equivalent_pressure_of_atmosphere_ozone_content">
<canonical_units>Pa</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="equivalent_temperature">
<canonical_units>K</canonical_units>
<description></description>
</entry>
<entry id="equivalent_thickness_at_stp_of_atmosphere_ozone_content">
<canonical_units>m</canonical_units>
<grib>10</grib>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="ertel_potential_vorticity">
<canonical_units>K m2 kg-1 s-1</canonical_units>
<amip>vorpot</amip>
<description></description>
</entry>
<entry id="forecast_period">
<canonical_units>s</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="forecast_reference_time">
<canonical_units>s</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="fractional_saturation_of_oxygen_in_sea_water">
<canonical_units>1</canonical_units>
<description>Fractional saturation is the ratio of some measure of concentration to the saturated value of the same quantity.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="freezing_level_altitude">
<canonical_units>m</canonical_units>
<description>Altitude is the (geometric) height above the geoid, which is the reference geopotential surface. The geoid is similar to mean sea level.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="freezing_temperature_of_sea_water">
<canonical_units>K</canonical_units>
<description></description>
</entry>
<entry id="frozen_water_content_of_soil_layer">
<canonical_units>kg m-2</canonical_units>
<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).</description>
</entry>
<entry id="geopotential">
<canonical_units>m2 s-2</canonical_units>
<grib>6 E129</grib>
<description>Geopotential is the sum of the specific gravitational potential energy relative to the geoid and the specific centripetal potential energy.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="geopotential_height">
<canonical_units>m</canonical_units>
<grib>7 E156</grib>
<amip>zg</amip>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="geopotential_height_anomaly">
<canonical_units>m</canonical_units>
<grib>27</grib>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="geostrophic_eastward_wind">
<canonical_units>m s-1</canonical_units>
<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.)</description>
</entry>
<entry id="geostrophic_northward_wind">
<canonical_units>m s-1</canonical_units>
<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.)</description>
</entry>
<entry id="global_average_sea_level_change">
<canonical_units>m</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="global_average_thermosteric_sea_level_change">
<canonical_units>m</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="grid_latitude">
<canonical_units>degree</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="grid_longitude">
<canonical_units>degree</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="gross_primary_productivity_of_carbon">
<canonical_units>kg m-2 s-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="heat_flux_correction">
<canonical_units>W m-2</canonical_units>
<amip>hfcorr</amip>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="height">
<canonical_units>m</canonical_units>
<amip>zh</amip>
<description>Height is the vertical distance above the surface.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="height_above_sea_floor">
<canonical_units>m</canonical_units>
<description></description>
</entry>
<entry id="height_at_cloud_top">
<canonical_units>m</canonical_units>
<description>cloud_top refers to the top of the highest cloud. Height is the vertical distance above the surface.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="heterotrophic_respiration_carbon_flux">
<canonical_units>kg m-2 s-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="horizontal_atmosphere_dry_energy_transport">
<canonical_units>W m-2</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="horizontal_dry_energy_transport_in_atmosphere_layer">
<canonical_units>W m-2</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="humidity_mixing_ratio">
<canonical_units>1</canonical_units>
<grib>53</grib>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="integral_of_air_temperature_deficit_wrt_time">
<canonical_units>K s</canonical_units>
<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".</description>
</entry>
<entry id="integral_of_air_temperature_excess_wrt_time">
<canonical_units>K s</canonical_units>
<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".</description>
</entry>
<entry id="integral_of_sea_water_temperature_wrt_depth_in_ocean_layer">
<canonical_units>K m</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="isccp_cloud_area_fraction">
<canonical_units>1</canonical_units>
<amip>clisccp</amip>
<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).</description>
</entry>
<entry id="isotropic_longwave_radiance_in_air">
<canonical_units>W m-2 sr-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="isotropic_shortwave_radiance_in_air">
<canonical_units>W m-2 sr-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="isotropic_spectral_radiance_in_air">
<canonical_units>W m-2 m-1 sr-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="kinetic_energy_content_of_atmosphere_layer">
<canonical_units>J m-2</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="lagrangian_tendency_of_air_pressure">
<canonical_units>Pa s-1</canonical_units>
<grib>39 E135</grib>
<amip>wap</amip>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="lagrangian_tendency_of_atmosphere_sigma_coordinate">
<canonical_units>s-1</canonical_units>
<grib>38</grib>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="land_area_fraction">
<canonical_units>1</canonical_units>
<grib>81</grib>
<amip>sftlf</amip>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="land_binary_mask">
<canonical_units>1</canonical_units>
<grib>E172</grib>
<description>X_binary_mask has 1 where condition X is met, 0 elsewhere. 1 = land, 0 = sea.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="land_cover">
<canonical_units>1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="land_ice_area_fraction">
<canonical_units>1</canonical_units>
<amip>sftgif</amip>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="land_ice_basal_melt_rate">
<canonical_units>m s-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="land_ice_basal_x_velocity">
<canonical_units>m s-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="land_ice_basal_y_velocity">
<canonical_units>m s-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="land_ice_calving_rate">
<canonical_units>m s-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="land_ice_lwe_basal_melt_rate">
<canonical_units>m s-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="land_ice_lwe_calving_rate">
<canonical_units>m s-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="land_ice_lwe_surface_specific_mass_balance">
<canonical_units>m s-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="land_ice_sigma_coordinate">
<canonical_units>1</canonical_units>
<description>"Land ice" means glaciers, ice-caps and ice-sheets resting on bedrock.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="land_ice_surface_specific_mass_balance">
<canonical_units>m s-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="land_ice_temperature">
<canonical_units>K</canonical_units>
<description>"Land ice" means glaciers, ice-caps and ice-sheets resting on bedrock.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="land_ice_thickness">
<canonical_units>m</canonical_units>
<description>"Land ice" means glaciers, ice-caps and ice-sheets resting on bedrock.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="land_ice_vertical_mean_x_velocity">
<canonical_units>m s-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="land_ice_vertical_mean_y_velocity">
<canonical_units>m s-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="land_ice_x_velocity">
<canonical_units>m s-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="land_ice_y_velocity">
<canonical_units>m s-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="large_scale_cloud_area_fraction">
<canonical_units>1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="large_scale_precipitation_amount">
<canonical_units>kg m-2</canonical_units>
<grib>62</grib>
<description>"Amount" means mass per unit area.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="large_scale_precipitation_flux">
<canonical_units>kg m-2 s-1</canonical_units>
<description>In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="large_scale_rainfall_amount">
<canonical_units>kg m-2</canonical_units>
<description>"Amount" means mass per unit area.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="large_scale_rainfall_flux">
<canonical_units>kg m-2 s-1</canonical_units>
<description>In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="large_scale_rainfall_rate">
<canonical_units>m s-1</canonical_units>
<description></description>
</entry>
<entry id="large_scale_snowfall_amount">
<canonical_units>kg m-2</canonical_units>
<grib>79</grib>
<description>"Amount" means mass per unit area.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="large_scale_snowfall_flux">
<canonical_units>kg m-2 s-1</canonical_units>
<description>In accordance with common usage in geophysical disciplines, "flux" implies per unit area, called "flux density" in physics.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="latitude">
<canonical_units>degree_north</canonical_units>
<amip>latitude</amip>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="leaf_area_index">
<canonical_units>1</canonical_units>
<description>"X_area" means the horizontal area occupied by X within the grid cell.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="liquid_water_content_of_snow_layer">
<canonical_units>kg m-2</canonical_units>
<description>"Content" indicates a quantity per unit area.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="liquid_water_content_of_soil_layer">
<canonical_units>kg m-2</canonical_units>
<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).</description>
</entry>
<entry id="litter_carbon_content">
<canonical_units>kg m-2</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="litter_carbon_flux">
<canonical_units>kg m-2 s-1</canonical_units>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="longitude">
<canonical_units>degree_east</canonical_units>
<amip>longitude</amip>
<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.</description>
</entry>
<entry id="lwe_convective_precipitation_rate">
<canonical_units>m s-1</canonical_units>
<description>"lwe" means liquid water equivalent.</description>