SEACOOS CDL v2.0
December 9, 2004
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float wgust(time);
wgust: standard_name = "wind_gust";
wgust: units = "m s-1";
wgust: z = 45;
The following example uses eastward and northward components (u and v).
float u(time) ;
u:standard_name = "eastward_wind" ;
u:units = "m s-1" ;
u:z = 10. ;
float v(time) ;
v:standard_name = "northward_wind" ;
v:units = "m s-1" ;
v:z = 10. ;
If a vertical wind component is measured then this can be provided with an upward wind
component variable (w).
float w(time) ;
w:standard_name = "upward_wind" ;
w:units = "m s-1" ;
w:z = 10. ;
7.2 Water Temperature
Ocean water temperature is a scalar. The variable attribute (sst: z) gives the depth of the
temperature measurement in relation to the description and units used by the vertical variable.
The example given is for a platform and sensor where the vertical variable is constant.
float SST(time);
SST: standard_name = "water_temperature";
SST: units = "degrees Celsius";
SST: z = -5;
7.3 Water Level
Water level is a scalar. The sea surface is defined mathematically by statistical averaging of the
observed values and is affected by local topography (Gill and Schultz, 2001). Water level data in
the netCDF file is required to have the attribute reference value set to one of the particular
phases of the tidal cycle (e.g. MLLW, MLW, etc). It is in the best interest of the data provider to
also provide the statistically determined local offset to other tide phases and local bench mark if
available and the averaging period and tidal epoch. The more offsets that the data provider can
provide the more likely data users can transform water- level data to their reference level and
make use of it.
The variable attribute (wl: z) gives the height of the water level measurement in relation to the
description and units used by the vertical variable. The example given is for a platform and
sensor where the vertical variable is constant. The first example shows how to provide all local
reference differences so others may transform the data provided to other reference levels.