Parameter / Parameter Tree

Definition

Reference

Planetary Boundary Layer Height
Earth Science >Atmosphere >Altitude >Planetary Boundary Layer Height

The height of the atmospheric layer from the Earth's surface up to an altitude of about 1 kilometer in which wind speed and direction are affected by frictional interaction with objects on the Earth's surface.
Unit: m

Glossary of Meteorology, American Meteorological Society, 1998.

Latent Heat Flux
Earth Science >Atmosphere >Atmospheric Energy >Latent Heat Flux

The flux of energy, per unit area, which leaves the surface as water is transformed into vapor.
Unit: W/m^2

Sensible Heat Flux
Earth Science >Atmosphere >Atmospheric Energy >Sensible Heat Flux

The flux of energy, per unit area , associated to the diffusion of heat away from the surface.
Unit: W/m^2

Sea Level Pressure
Earth Science >Atmosphere >Atmospheric Pressure >Sea Level Pressure

The atmospheric pressure at mean sea level, either directly measured, or, most commonly, empirically determined from the observed station pressure.
Unit: millibar

Glossary of Weather and Climate, American Meteorological Society, 1996.

Surface Pressure
Earth Science >Atmosphere >Atmospheric Pressure >Surface Pressure

In meteorology, the atmospheric pressure at a given location on the earth's surface.
Unit: millibar

Glossary of Weather and Climate, American Meteorological Society, 1996.

Incident Surface SW
Earth Science >Atmosphere >Atmospheric Radiation >Incident Surface SW

The amount of short wave radiation arriving at the surface. Most of the short wave energy is in the spectral band 0.2µm to 4µm.
Unit: W/m^2

Reflected Surface SW
Earth Science >Atmosphere >Atmospheric Radiation >Reflected Surface SW

The amount of short wave radiation reflected by the surface.
Unit: W/m^2

Surface Incoming LW Radiation
Earth Science >Atmosphere >Atmospheric Radiation >Surface Incoming LW Radiation

The long wave flux emitted by the atmosphere and reaching the surface. The energy is concentrated at wavelength greater than 4µm.
Unit: W/m^2

Surface Net Radiation
Earth Science >Atmosphere >Atmospheric Radiation >Surface Net Radiation

The net radiative energy  absorbed at the surface. This comprises the net short wave as well as the net long wave flux at the surface.
Unit: W/m^2

Surface Net SW Radiation
Earth Science >Atmosphere >Atmospheric Radiation >Surface Net SW Radiation

Short wave radiative energy absorbed at the surface.
Unit: W/m^2

TOA Net LW Radiation
Earth Science >Atmosphere >Atmospheric Radiation >TOA Net LW Radiation

Long wave radiative energy lost to space by the Earth.
Unit: W/m^2

TOA Net SW Radiation
Earth Science >Atmosphere >Atmospheric Radiation >TOA Net SW Radiation

Net Short wave energy absorbed by the Earth system as seen from the top of the atmosphere.
Unit: W/m^2

Lowest Level Temperature
Earth Science >Atmosphere >Atmospheric Temperature >Lowest Level Temperature

Temperature in the lowest layer of the soil model. This layer has a zero flux closure and thus only exchanges energy with the layer above.
Unit: K

Maximum Surface Air Temperature
Earth Science >Atmosphere >Atmospheric Temperature >Maximum Surface Air Temperature

Highest air temperature attained during a specific time interval, here 24 hours.
Unit: K

Glossary of Weather and Climate, American Meteorological Society, 1996.

Minimum Surface Air Temperature
Earth Science >Atmosphere >Atmospheric Temperature >Minimum Surface Air Temperature

Lowest surface air temperature attained during a specific time interval, here 24 hours.
Unit: K

Glossary of Weather and Climate, American Meteorological Society, 1996.

Surface Air Temperature
Earth Science >Atmosphere >Atmospheric Temperature >Surface Air Temperature

In meteorology, the temperature of the ambient air near the surface of the earth, almost invariably determined by a thermometer in an instrument shelter. In a model this is the result of an interpolation between the surface temperature and the temperature of the lowest atmospheric level.
Unit: K

Glossary of Weather and Climate, American Meteorological Society, 1996.

Evapotranspiration
Earth Science >Atmosphere >Atmospheric Water Vapor >Evapotranspiration

The sum of evaporation from bare soil, transpiration from plants and sublimation of snow covered areas.
Unit: kg/(m^2s)

Surface Air Humidity
Earth Science >Atmosphere >Atmospheric Water Vapor >Surface Air Humidity

The humidity of the air at about 2m above the ground. Again in a model this is an interpolation between saturated humidity at the surface and the value in the lowest layer of the atmospheric model.
Unit: Kg/Kg

Wind Stress
Earth Science >Atmosphere >Atmospheric Winds >Wind Stress

Energy lost to friction at the surface by the wind.
Unit: N/m^2

Cloud Amount/Frequency
Earth Science >Atmosphere >Clouds >Cloud Amount/Frequency

The fraction of the skycover (reported in tenths of sky covered) that is attributed to a particular cloud type, or cloud layer; often used synonymously with cloud cover.
Unit: %

Glossary of Weather and Climate, American Meteorological Society, 1996.

LW Cloud Radiative Forcing
Earth Science >Atmosphere >Clouds >LW Cloud Radiative Forcing

The change induced by clouds on the long wave energy budget at the top of the atmosphere.
Unit: W/m^2

SW Cloud Radiative Forcing
Earth Science >Atmosphere >Clouds >SW Cloud Radiative Forcing

The impact of clouds on the short wave energy budget at the top of the atmosphere.
Unit: W/m^2

Precipitable Water
Earth Science >Atmosphere >Liquid Water Equivalent >Precipitable Water

The vertically integrated content of water in the atmospheric column and in its three phases.
Unit: Kg/m^2

Precipitation Rate
Earth Science >Atmosphere >Precipitation >Precipitation Rate

The amount of precipitation that is collected over a specific time period; usually measured in kg per squared meter and seconds. This unit is equivalent to millimeters per seconds.
Unit: kg/(m^2s)

Snow
Earth Science >Atmosphere >Precipitation >Snow

A type of frozen precipitation composed of white or translucent ice crystals, chiefly in complex branch hexagonal form and often agglomerated into snow-flakes, especially at temperatures warmer than -5 C (23 F).
Unit: kg/(m^2s)

Glossary of Weather and Climate, American Meteorological Society, 1996.

Temporal Precipitation Variance
Earth Science >Atmosphere >Precipitation >Temporal Precipitation Variance

The day to day variance of precipitation. Typically computed over a month.
Unit: kg/(m^2s)

Interception Loss
Earth Science >Biosphere >Vegetation >Interception Loss

The evaporation of the water intercepted by the canopy.
Unit: kg/(m^2s)

Leaf Area Index
Earth Science >Biosphere >Vegetation >Leaf Area Index

The area of all leafs divided by the surface on the ground covered by the plant.
Unit: -

Transpiration
Earth Science >Biosphere >Vegetation >Transpiration

Evaporation by the plants of water in the soil moisture reservoir.
Unit: kg/(m^2s)

Snow Water Equivalent
Earth Science >Hydrosphere >Snow/Ice >Snow Water Equivalent

The mass of water in the snow cover.
Unit: Kg/m^2

Runoff
Earth Science >Hydrosphere >Surface Water >Runoff

The excess water which can no infiltrate into the soils or which is lost because the soil moisture exceeds the holding capacity.
Unit: kg/(m^2s)

Moisture Avaibility Function
Earth Science >Hydrosphere >Surface water >Moisture Avaibility Function

The ratio of actual over potential evaporation as simulated by the land-surface model.
Unit: -

Land Surface Temperature
Earth Science >Land Surface >Land Temperature >Land Surface Temperature

The surface temperature resulting from the energy balance simulated at the surface. The exact definition of this variable is model specific as it depends on the assumptions made.
Unit: K

Soil Evaporation
Earth Science >Land Surface >Soils >Soil Evaporation

Evaporation from the bare soil fraction.
Unit: kg/(m^2s)

Soil Heat Flux
Earth Science >Land Surface >Soils >Soil Heat Flux

The thermal flux from the surface into the soil.
Unit: W/m^2

Soil Moisture/Water Content
Earth Science >Land Surface >Soils >Soil Moisture/Water Content

The amount of water in the soil as assumed by the land-surface model. This variable is also strongly dependent on the assumption made by the model on the soil characteristics.
Unit: Kg/m^2

Albedo
Earth Science >Land Surface >Surface Radiative Properties >Albedo

Albedo is the ratio of the radiation (radiant energy or luminous energy) reflected by a surface to that incident on it. Snow and cloud surfaces have a high albedo, because most of the energy of the visible solar spectrum is reflected. Vegetation and ocean surfaces have low albedo, because they absorb a large fraction of the energy. Clouds are the chief cause of variations in the Earth's albedo.
Unit: %

Maunder, W.J. 1994. Dictionary of Global Climate Change, 2nd ed. Chapman and Hall, NY. WMO, 1966. International Meteorological Vocabulary, WMO/OMM/BMO - No. 182 TP. 91, Switzerland.

List Creation Date:

2002-07-10

Last List Revision Date: