GCOOS Vocabulary
The GCOOS vocabulary is open to the public and users are welcome to use the compilation and we welcome comments on the list. The following are the formats that the table can be exported to:
File Format |
Remarks |
RDF/OWL File Format | The Resource Description Framework (RDF), a lightweight ontology system is fully compatible to Web Ontology Language (OWL), a language for authoring ontologies, and is endorsed by the World Web Consortium and used by the marine Metadara Interoperability Project to map ontologies in their registry, of which GCOOS is an active participant. |
Comman Separated Value (Text Format) | This table may also be exported to a Comma Separated Value (CSV) file format that can be imported onto a spreadsheet, database and other programs that supports this format. |
SQLite Data Format | The table as displayed below, are stored in SQLite database format, the most widely deployed SQL database engine. A copy of this database may also be downloaded as they are presented below. |
The URI for the GCOOS Vocabulary in the Ontology Registry and Repository is: http://mmisw.org/ont/gcoos/parameter
Total Number of Records: 124 |
[Click on the header to sort (ascending) the rows if desired.]
Label | Definition | minRange | maxRange | UnitOfMeasure | Abbreviation |
z | Z-coordinate of observation. Zero (z=0) is defined by reference. Up is positive. | meter | z | ||
wind_wave_to_direction | Direction the wind-waves are coming from. | degrees_true | wind_wv_dir | ||
wind_wave_period | Period of wind-waves. | second | wind_wv_per | ||
wind_wave_height | Average height of the highest one-third of the wind-waves, if a separation between swell and wind-wave energy peak exists. | meter | wind_wv_ht | ||
wind_to_direction | Direction toward which wind is blowing. Oceanographic convention. | 0.0 | 360.0 | degrees_true | wdir |
wind_stress_to_direction | Direction toward which wind stress is acting. | degrees_true | tau_dir | ||
wind_stress | Magnitude of wind stress. Wind stress is the force of wind imposed on a unit area. | N m-2 | tau | ||
wind_speed | Magnitude of wind velocity. | 0.0 | 150.0 | m s-1 | wspd |
wind_gust | Maximum instantaneous wind speed (usually no more than but not limited to 10 seconds) within a sample averaging interval. | 0.0 | 250.0 | m s-1 | wgust |
wind_from_direction | Direction from which wind is blowing. Meteorological Convention. | 0.0 | 360.0 | degrees_true | wdir |
wet_bulb_temperature | Temperature of evaporative cooling. | celsius | wet_bulb_temp | ||
wave_steepness | Measure of departure from typical wave slope. | steepness | |||
water_temperature | In situ water temperature | 5.0 | 35.0 | celsius | wtemp |
water_pressure | Amount of pressure caused by overlying water column. | Pa | bar | dbar | atm | water_press | ||
water_leaving_radiance | Radiance from below, leaving the water surface. | W m-2 m-1 sr-1 | Luw | ||
water_density | Mass of water per unit volume | kg m-3 | density | ||
voltage | Voltage measurement of the battery | volts | volt | ||
visibility | Greatest distance an object can be seen and identified. Usually refering to visibility in air but could be other medium. | m | visibility | ||
vertical_current | Upward/Downward component of ocean current. Upward is positive. | cm s-1 | water_w | ||
upwelling_radiance | Radiance from above. | W m-2 m-1 sr-1 | Lu | ||
upwelling_irradiance | Irradiance from below | W m-2 m-1 | Eu | ||
upward_wind | Up/Down component of wind vector. Up is positive. | m s-1 | z_wind | ||
turbidity | Measure of light scattering due to suspended material in water. | NTU | turb | ||
time | Time coordinate of observation based on number of seconds since the defined reference time. | sec since 1970-1-1 00:00:00 | time | ||
swell_to_direction | Direction the swell is coming from. | degrees_true | swell_dir | ||
swell_period | Period of the swells. | second | swell_per | ||
swell_height | Average height of the highest one-third of the swells, if a separation between swell and wind-wave energy peak exists. | meter | swell_ht | ||
surface | Upper 1-2 meters of an interface between two layers, commonly the sea surface. | surface | |||
spectral_reflectance | Upwelling irradiance (Eu) divided by downwelling radiance (Ed) at a specific spectral wavelength. | R | |||
spectral_radiance | Light energy of specific wavelength from a set of directions (solid angle) at a point and time in space. | W m-2 m-1 sr-1 | L | ||
spectral_irradiance | Light energy of specific wavelength from all directions at a point and time in space. | W m-2 m-1 | E | ||
specific_conductance | Ability of a specific volume (1 cubic centimeter) of water to pass an electrical current. | uS cm-1 | sp_cond | ||
source_time | Time coordinate of observation based on unit of time (seconds, hours, days) since a defined reference time. | {sec | hr | day} since YYYY-MM-DD HH:MM:SS.xxx {+/- ZONE} | source_time | ||
sound_velocity | Magnitude of velocity of sound in water. | m s-1 | sound_velocity | ||
skin | Upper millimeter to centimeter of a surface. | meter | skin | ||
significant_wave_period | Period of the significant wave. | second | sig_wv_per | ||
signifcant_wave_to_direction | Significant wave direction. | degrees_true | sig_wv_dir | ||
signifcant_wave_height | Average height of the highest one-third of the waves. | meter | sig_wv_ht | ||
sensible_heat_flux | Conductive or convective exchange of heat from the atmosphere to the ocean. Positive is downward. | W m-2 | Q_sensible | ||
sea_surface_elevation | Height or altitude of the sea surface above specified reference. | meter | surf_el | ||
sample_interval | Time period between observations. | seconds | sample_interval | ||
salinity | Measure of salt content of a seawater sample follows UNESCO standards; approximately parts per thousand. | 20.0 | 38.0 | PSS or PSU or PPT | salinity |
remote_sensing_spectral_reflectance | Upwelling radiance (Lu) divided by downwelling radiance (Ed) at a specific spectral wavelength. | sr-1 | Rrs | ||
relative_wind_speed | Magnitude of wind velocity relative to a moving platform, e.g. ship. | 0.0 | 70.0 | m s-1 | rel_wndspd |
relative_wind_from_direction | Direction from which wind is blowing relative to a moving platform, e.g. ship. | 0.0 | 360.0 | degrees_true | rel_wnddirec |
relative_humidity | Amount of moisture in the air as vapor relative to how much it can possibly hold at the same temperature. | 0.0 | 105.0 | precent | rel_humid |
precipitation_rate | Amount of wet equivalent precipitation per unit time. | mm hr-1 | precip_rate | ||
precipitation_accumlated_daily | Amount of wet equivalent precipitation accumulated for a 24 hour period. | mm | precip_accum | ||
photosynthetically_available_radiation | Integrated downwelling irradiance for wavelengths from 400 to 700nm. | W m-2 | PAR | ||
oxygen_saturation | Concentration at which oxygen becomes saturated in water. | ug L-1 | oxygen_sat | ||
oxygen_concentration | Concentration in water of dissolved oxygen. | ug L-1 | oxygen_concen | ||
number_profile_bins | Number of uniformely spaced depth cells where data is collected | number_bins | |||
number_adcp_beams | Number of directionally independent beams of the ADCP | 2.0 | 6.0 | number_beams | |
northward_wind_stress | North/South component of wind stress. Northward is positive. | N m-2 | tau_y | ||
northward_wind | North/South component of wind vector. Northward wind is positive. | m s-1 | north_wind | ||
northward_current | North/South component of ocean current. Northward is positive. | cm s-1 | water_v | ||
nitrate_concentration | Measured nitrate concentration in the immediate environment | ug L-1 | nitrate | ||
net_shortwave_radiation | Net solar insolation considering albedo effects. Positive is downward. | 0.0 | 1400.0 | W m-2 | Q_sw |
net_longwave_radiation | Net IR radiation includes reflected IR radiation. Positive is downward. | W m-2 | Q_lw | ||
net_heat_flux | Combined net shortwave, net longwave, sensible and latent heat fluxes. Positive is downward. | W m-2 | Q_net | ||
mixing_ratio | The ratio of mass of water vapor to the mass of dry air in the sample. | g kg-1 | mix | ||
longitude_seconds+A151 | Fraction of lon_min divided by 60. | 0.0 | 60.0 | angular_second | lon_sec |
longitude_minutes | Fraction of longitude degree divided by 60. | 0.0 | 60.0 | angular_minute | lon_min |
longitude_hemisphere | Eastern or Western hemisphere | E | W | lon_hem | ||
longitude_degrees | Integer degrees of longitude | degrees_east | lon_deg | ||
longitude | X-coordinate of dependent observation in geographic coordinate. East is positive. Alternate definition: The angular distance east and west of the prime meridian (0° lon.), that runs through Greenwich, England. | degrees_east | lon | ||
light_attenuation_coefficient | Measure of combined effects on light caused by absorption and scattering over a defined distance for a specific wavelength of light. | m-1 | attenuate | ||
latitude_seconds | Fraction of lat_min divided by 60. | 0.0 | 60.0 | angular_second | lat_sec |
latitude_minutes | Fraction of latitude degree divided by 60. | 0.0 | 60.0 | angular_minute | lat_min |
latitude_hemisphere | Northern or Southern hemisphere | N | S | lat_hem | ||
latitude_degrees | Integer degrees of latitude | degrees_north | lat_deg | ||
latitude | Y-coordinate of dependent observation in geographic coordinate. North is positive. Alternate definition: The angular distance north and south of the equator, with the equator being 0° and the poles 90°. | degrees_north | lat | ||
latent_heat_flux | Evaporative exchange of heat from the atmosphere to the ocean. Positive is downward. | W m-2 | Q_latent | ||
initial_bin_distance | Distance from instrument to first bin measurement | meters | init_bin_dist | ||
height | Z-coordinate of observation in vertical distance above reference. Up is positive. | meter | height | ||
gps_elevation | Elevation from where the GPS reading was made | km | gps_elev | ||
electromagnetic_wavelength | specific frequency of energy within the electromagnetic spectrum. | m | wavelength | ||
eastward_wind_stress | East/West component of wind stress. Eastward is positive. | N m-2 | tau_x | ||
eastward_wind | East/West component of wind vector. Eastward wind is positive. | m s-1 | east_wind | ||
eastward_current | East/West component of ocean current. Eastward is positive. | cm s-1 | water_u | ||
downwelling_uv_radiance | Integrated downwelling radiance for wavelengths in the ultraviolet region. | W m-2 sr-1 | uv_rad | ||
downwelling_uv_irradiance | Integrated downwelling irradiance for wavelengths in the ultraviolet region. | W m-2 | uv_irrad | ||
downwelling_shortwave_irradiance | Integrated downwelling irradiance for spectral wavelengths less than 700nm. | W m-2 | psp_irrad | ||
downwelling_radiance | Radiance from below. | W m-2 m-1 sr-1 | Ld | ||
downwelling_longwave_irradiance | Integrated downwelling irradiance for spectral wavelengths greater than 700nm. | W m-2 | pir_irrad | ||
downwelling_irradiance | Irradiance from above. | W m-2 m-1 | Ed | ||
downward_shortwave_radiation | Downward solar insolation. Positive is downward. | 0.0 | 1400.0 | W m-2 | Q_dsw |
downward_longwave_radiation | Downward IR radiation. Positive is downward. | 250.0 | 450.0 | W m-2 | Q_dlw |
dew_point_temperature | Temperature at which air begins to condense. | celsius | dew_point | ||
depth | Z-coordinate of observation in vertical distance below reference. Down is positive. | 0.0 | 300.0 | meter/decibar | depth |
day_of_year | Number of days since day 1 of reference year. | 0.0 | 366.0 | days | doy |
date_time_string | Date and time character string of observation that includes year, month, day, hour, minute and second. | string YYYY MM DD hh mm ss | date_time_string | ||
current_to_direction | Direction towards which ocean current is going. | 0.0 | 360.0 | degrees_true | c_dir |
current_speed | Magnitude of velocity of ocean current. | 0.0 | 360.0 | cm s-1 | c_spd |
conductivity | Ability of a material to pass an electrical current. Inverse of resistance. | siemens | uS | cond | ||
cloud_cover | Percent of sky covered by clouds of all types. | 0.0 | 100.0 | percent | cloud cover |
chl_concentration | concentration of chloropyll-a in a defined volume of water | ug L-1 (not kg m-3) | chl_conc | ||
cdom | colored (or chromophoric) dissolved organic matter, of riverine origin | mg/l or 1/m | cdom | ||
bw_radiance | Radiance for black body and white light source. | W m-2 sr-1 | bw_rad | ||
bw_irradiance | Irradiance for black body and white light source. | W m-2 | bw_irrad | ||
btm_track_heading | Heading in degrees to by a series of long pulses sent out from ADCP | degrees | btm_track_hdg | ||
bottom_tracking_depth | Distance to sea floor determined by a series of long pulses sent out from ADCP | meters | btm_track_depth | ||
bottom | Ocean bottom. | bottom | |||
bin_width | Width distance between bins | meters | bin_width | ||
bin_velocity | Current velocity of bin | cm s-1 | bin_vel | ||
bin_v_vector | North/South component of bin vector. Northward is positive. | cm s-1 | bin_v | ||
bin_u_vector | East/West component of bin vector. Eastward is positive. | cm s-1 | bin_u | ||
bin_direction | Current direction of bin | 0.0 | 360.0 | cm s-1 | bin_dir |
beam_velocity | Current velocity measured parallel to the path of an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler beam | -300.0 | 300.0 | cm s-1 | beam_vel |
beam_echo_intensity | Measure of the echo intensity returning to beam 1 from the ADCP transmit pulse | 0.0 | 200.0 | db | beam_echo |
beam4_velocity | Current velocity measured parallel to the path of beam 4 | cm s-1 | beam4_vel | ||
beam4_echo_intensity | Measure of the echo intensity returning to beam 4 from the ADCP transmit pulse | 0.0 | 200.0 | db | beam4_echo |
beam3_velocity | Current velocity measured parallel to the path of beam 3 | cm s-1 | beam3_vel | ||
beam3_echo_intensity | Measure of the echo intensity returning to beam 3 from the ADCP transmit pulse | 0.0 | 200.0 | db | beam3_echo |
beam2_velocity | Current velocity measured parallel to the path of beam 2 | cm s-1 | beam2_vel | ||
beam2_echo_intensity | Measure of the echo intensity returning to beam 2 from the ADCP transmit pulse | 0.0 | db | beam2_echo | |
beam1_velocity | Current velocity measured parallel to the path of beam 1 | -300.0 | 300.0 | cm s-1 | beam1_vel |
beam1_echo_intensity | Measure of the echo intensity returning to beam 1 from the ADCP transmit pulse | 0.0 | 200.0 | db | beam1_echo |
averaging_interval | Time periood over which several observations are averaged. | seconds | average_interval | ||
altitude | Z-coordinate of observation in vertical distance above reference. Up is positive. | meter | altitude | ||
albedo | Fraction of downward radiation that is reflected or scattered | 0.0 | 1.0 | alb | |
air_temperature | Temperature of air (in situ). | 10.0 | 38.0 | celsius | air_temp |
air_pressure | Pressure exerted by overlying air. | 822.0 | 1040.0 | hPa | air_press |
air_density | Mass of air per unit volume. | kg m-3 | air density | ||