One real, unbounded Independent Variable (NIV=1). Primary Variables are real. No Auxiliary Variables. Independent and Primary Variables are recorded in the same record.NLHEAD 1001
One real, unbounded Independent Variable (NIV=1). Primary Variables are real. Auxiliary Variables are real. The Independent and Auxiliary Variables are in the same record. All Primary Variables for a given Independent Variable Mark are recorded in the same record.NLHEAD 1010
One real, constant increment, unbounded Independent Variable with implied values between Independent Variable Marks (NIV=1). Primary Variables are real. Auxiliary Variables are real. The Independent and Auxiliary Variables are in the same record. A record of Primary Variable values at implied Independent Variable values is recorded for each Primary Variable.NLHEAD 1020
Two real Independent Variables (NIV=2); one unbounded, and one bounded with constant values defined in the file header. Primary Variables are real. Auxiliary Variables are real. Independent Variable Mark and Auxiliary Variables are in the same record. For each Primary Variable is a record of its values at the bounded Independent Variable values.NLHEAD 2010
Two real Independent Variables (NIV=2); one unbounded, and one bounded with its values recorded in the data records. Primary Variables are real. Auxiliary Variables are real; A(m,1)=NX(m,1) which defines the number of bounded Independent Variable values to be read from the records following the m-th Independent Variable Mark. The values of X(i,m,1) are included in the records with the Primary Variables. If NX(m,1)=AMISS(1) or NX(m,1)=0 then the implication is that the records containing values of the bounded Independent Variable and Primary Variables are omitted, and the next record contains the succeeding Independent Variable Mark and Auxiliary Variables.NLHEAD 2110
Two Independent Variables (NIV=2); the unbounded Independent Variable is a character string of length LENX(2); the bounded Independent Variable is real with its values recorded in the data records. Primary Variables are real. The Independent Variable Mark is in a separate record from the Auxiliary Variables. The value of the first Auxiliary Variable is NX(m,1); if its value is zero or AMISS(1) then the records with X(i,m,1) and the Primary Variable values are omitted. NAUXC is the number of Auxiliary Variables recorded as character strings, which follow the real-valued Auxiliary Variables and have lengths LENA(a), a=NAUXV-NAUXC+1,NAUXV. Therefore, AMISS(a), a=NAUXV-NAUXC+1,NAUXV are also character strings of length LENA(a).NLHEAD 2160
Two real Independent Variables (NIV=2); one unbounded, one bounded with its number of constant increment values, base value and increment defined in the Auxiliary Variable list. Primary Variables are real. Auxiliary Variables are real; the first three values are NX(m,1), X(1,m,1) and DX(m,1), which define the bounded Independent Variable values for the m-th Independent Variable Mark to be X(i,m,1) = X(1,m,1) + (i-1) * DX(m,1) for i=1,NX(m,1). If NX(m,1)=AMISS(1) or NX(m,1)=0 then the implication is that the records containing values of the primary variables are omitted, and the next record contains the succeeding Independent Variable Mark and Auxiliary Variable values. For each Primary Variable is a record of its values at the bounded Independent Variable values.NLHEAD 2310
Three real Independent Variables (NIV=3); one unbounded, two bounded with constant values defined in the file header. Primary Variables are real. Auxiliary Variables are real. The Independent Variable Marks and Auxiliary Variable values are in the same record. For each Primary Variable and value of the second Independent Variable, is a record of Primary Variable values at values of the first Independent Variable.NLHEAD 3010
Four real Independent Variables (NIV=4); one unbounded, three bounded with constant values defined in the file header. Primary Variables are real. Auxiliary Variables are real. The Independent Variable Marks and Auxiliary Variables are in the same record. For each Primary Variable and value of the third and second Independent Variables, is a record of Primary Variable values at values of the first Independent Variable.NLHEAD 4010
Org | Organization Name |
DLR | Deutsches Zentrum fuer Luft- und Raumfahrt |
DU | University of Denver |
HU | Harvard University |
NASA ARC | NASA Ames Research Center |
NASA GSFC | NASA Goddard Space Flight Center |
NASA JPL | NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
NASA LaRC | NASA Langley Research Center |
NCAR | National Center for Atmospheric Research |
NOAA AL | NOAA Aeronomy Laboratory |
NOAA CMDL | NOAA Climate Monitoring and Diagnostics Laboratory |
Plat | Platform Description |
Aura | Aura satellite |
balloon | Gondola balloon |
DC-8 717 | DC-8 aircraft, NASA ARC 717 |
DC-8 817 | DC-8 aircraft, NASA DFRC 817 |
ER-2 706 | ER-2 aircraft, NASA ARC 706 |
ground | Ground station, fixed location |
model | Mathematical model |
sonde | Small balloon, expendable instrument package |
WB-57 926 | WB-57 aircraft, NASA JSC 926 |
Inst | Instrument Name |
ALIAS | Aircraft Laser Infrared Absorption Spectrometer |
DADS | Data Acquisition and Display System |
DIAL | Differential Absorption Lidar |
FCAS II | Focused Cavity Aerosol Spectrometer II |
GSFCAM | NASA GSFC Data Assimilation Model |
GSFCTM | NASA GSFC Trajectory Model |
HUCO2 | HU High-Altitude Fast-Response CO2 Analyzer |
HUTW | HU Total Water Instrument |
HUWV | HU Water Vapor Instrument |
ICATS | Information Collection and Transmission System |
LAH | Lyman Alpha Hygrometers |
MkIV | Mark IV Interferometer |
MMS | Meteorological Measurement System |
MTP | Microwave Temperature Profiler |
NavRec | Platform navigation recording system |
N-MASS | Nucleation-Mode Aerosol Size Spectrometer |
O3sonde | Ozonesonde instrument package |
raob | Radiosonde instrument package |
Class | Subject | Notes |
gloc | altitude | Altitude is measured as height above mean sea level (MSL), although there are various models for both MSL and the height above MSL. Negative if below MSL. |
gloc | latitude | Latitude is measured as positive north of the Equator, negative south of the Equator. Range: -90 to +90. |
gloc | longitude | Longitude is measured as east longitude; west longitude can be expressed as negative numbers. Range is either 0 to 360, or -180 to +180. |
gloc | time | Time of an observation, or applicable time of an integrated measurement or grab sample. |
gloc | launch time | Launch time of an aircraft or sounding platform (balloon, rocket, dropsonde, etc.). |
gloc | sample start time | Start time of a grab sample or integrated measurement. Requires an associated stop time. |
gloc | sample stop time | Stop time of a grab sample or integrated measurement. Requires an associated start time. |
Class | Qualifier | Standard Units | Notes |
gloc | barometric | m | A synonym for pressure altitude. Which Standard Atmosphere? |
gloc | geodetic | m | Surveyed or modeled using a geodetic Earth model (non-GPS). Which model? |
gloc | geometric | m | Geometrically measured height above MSL (lidar, radar, yardstick, ...). |
gloc | geopotential | m | Geopotential meters, from hydrostatic integration. |
gloc | GPS | m | Global Positioning System (GPS) uses the WGS-84 Earth model. |
gloc | geodetic | deg | Surveyed or modeled using a (non-GPS) geodetic Earth model. Which model? |
gloc | GPS | deg | Global Positioning System uses the WGS-84 Earth model. |
gloc | INS | deg | Inertial Navigation System (INS). |
gloc | spherical | deg | Spherical Earth model. Radius? |
gloc | seconds | s | Seconds since 00:00 UTC on day given by DATE (line 7). |
gloc | hours | h | Hours since 00:00 UTC on day given by DATE (line 7). |
gloc | days | d | Days since 00:00 UTC on day given by DATE (line 7). |
gloc | days since year0 | d | Days since 00:00 UTC on January 1 of year given in DATE (line 7). |
Class | Subject | Notes |
gphy | air | Bulk property of the atmosphere |
gphy | sea | Bulk property of the sea/ocean |
gphy | cloud | Atmospheric cloud property |
gphy | aerosol | Solid or liquid particles suspended in the atmosphere |
gphy | sulfate aerosol | |
gphy | soot | |
gphy | CH4 | Methane molecules |
gphy | ClO | Chlorine monoxide molecules |
gphy | ClNO3 | Chlorine nitrate molecules |
gphy | CO | Carbon monoxide molecules |
gphy | CO2 | Carbon dioxide molecules |
gphy | H2O | Water molecules |
gphy | H2O ice | Water, solid phase |
gphy | H2O liquid | Water, liquid phase |
gphy | H2O vapor | Water, vapor phase |
gphy | H2SO4 | Sulfuric acid |
gphy | HCl | Hydrogen chloride molecules |
gphy | HF | Hydrogen fluoride molecules |
gphy | HNO3 | Nitric acid |
gphy | N2O | Nitrous oxide molecules |
gphy | NO | Nitric oxide molecules |
gphy | NO2 | Nitrogen dioxide molecules |
gphy | O3 | Ozone molecules. |
gphy | SO2 | Sulfur dioxide molecules |
Class | Qualifier | Standard Units | Notes |
gphy | pressure | Pa | |
gphy | partial pressure | Pa | Partial pressure of a gaseous ingredient. |
gphy | saturation vapor pressure | Pa | Over water? Over ice? |
gphy | relative humidity | 1 | Ratio of the actual water vapor pressure to the saturation vapor pressure (Pa Pa-1). |
gphy | temperature | K | |
gphy | dew-point temperature | K | |
gphy | dew-point depression | K | Difference between temperature and dew-point temperature. |
gphy | frost-point temperature | K | |
gphy | virtual temperature | K | |
gphy | potential temperature | K | |
gphy | brightness temperature | K | Radiant energy intensity of a particular wave band, expressed as temperature. |
gphy | wind direction | deg | Direction from which the horizontal wind blows, reckoned clockwise from true north. |
gphy | wind speed | m s-1 | Magnitude of horizontal wind component. |
gphy | eastward wind | m s-1 | Magnitude of east-west wind component; positive toward east. |
gphy | northward wind | m s-1 | Magnitude of north-south wind component; positive toward north. |
gphy | vertical wind | m s-1 | Magnitude of vertical wind component; positive upward. |
gphy | potential vorticity | K m2 kg-1 s-1 | |
gphy | mass density | kg m-3 | Mass of an ingredient per unit volume of that ingredient. |
gphy | mass concentration | kg m-3 | Mass of a substance per unit volume of the mixture. |
gphy | number concentration | m-3 | The number of particles or molecules of a substance per unit volume of the mixture. |
gphy | column number | m-2 | Number concentration integrated over a line-of-sight. Zenith? Nadir? Slant? |
gphy | surface area concentration | m-1 | Total particle surface area of a substance per unit volume of the mixture (m2 m-3). |
gphy | volume concentration | 1 | Total particle volume of a substance per unit volume of the mixture (m3 m-3). |
gphy | mass mixing ratio | 1 | Ratio of the mass concentration of an ingredient to the mass concentration of all other ingredients of the mixture. |
gphy | mass fraction | 1 | Ratio of the mass concentration of a substance to the mass concentration of the mixture. Synonym for specific humidity if the ingredient is water vapor and the mixture is air. |
gphy | aerosol mass fraction | 1 | Ratio of the mass concentration of a substance to the mass concentration of all aerosols. |
gphy | volume mixing ratio | 1 | Ratio of the number of moles of an ingredient to the total number of moles of all other ingredients of the mixture (mol mol-1). |
gphy | mole fraction | 1 | Ratio of the number of moles of a substance to the total number of moles in the mixture (mol mol-1). |
gphy | specific number | kg-1 | The number of particles or molecules of a substance per unit mass of the mixture. |
gphy | diameter | m | |
Class | Qualifier | Standard Units | Notes |
plat | ground speed | m s-1 | Speed relative to the ground. |
plat | eastward speed | m s-1 | Magnitude of east-west ground speed component; positive toward east. |
plat | northward speed | m s-1 | Magnitude of north-south ground speed component; positive toward north. |
plat | vertical speed | m s-1 | Positive upward, negative downward. |
plat | true air speed | m s-1 | Speed relative to the air. |
plat | Mach number | 1 | Ratio of the true air speed to the speed of sound. |
plat | height above Earth | m | From radar or lidar height (geometric). |
plat | ground track angle | deg | Reckoned clockwise from true north. |
plat | pitch angle | deg | Nose up is positive. |
plat | roll angle | deg | Right wing down is positive. |
plat | true heading | deg | Reckoned clockwise from true north. |
NA Name | Description |
format version | One element specifying the format version. A value of 2 indicates Version 2 format extensions. Must be the first metadata declaration |
LUDL_V_n | Two elements which specify the constant lower and upper detection limits for the n-th Primary Variable, V(X,n), where n can assume a value in the range n=1,NV. Same units as V(X,n). |
NIVM | One element specifying the number of Independent Variable Marks, which is also the dimension of the unbounded Independent Variable (for all formats except FFI=1020). Must be the second metadata declaration. |
SUoffset_A | NAUXV-NAUXC elements specifying the offsets to convert units of all numeric Auxiliary Variables to Standard Units. |
SUoffset_V | NV elements specifying the offsets to convert units of all Primary Variables to Standard Units. |
SUoffset_X | NIV elements specifying the offset to convert units of all Independent Variables to Standard Units. |
SUscale_A | NAUXV-NAUXC elements specifying the scale factors to convert units of all numeric Auxiliary Variables to Standard Units. |
SUscale_V | NV elements specifying the scale factors to convert units of all Primary Variables to Standard Units. |
SUscale_X | NIV elements specifying the scale factors to convert units of all Independent Variables to Standard Units. |
SA Name | Description |
note_A_a | Note pertaining to a-th Auxiliary Variable; a=1,NAUXV. For more complete descriptions of a parameter and of its measurement and error characteristics. |
note_V_n | Note pertaining to n-th Primary Variable; n=1,NV. For more complete descriptions of a parameter and of its measurement and error characteristics. |
note_X_s | Note pertaining to s-th Independent Variable; s=1,NIV. For more complete descriptions of a parameter and of its measurement and error characteristics. |
ONAME_add | An even-element array specifying family and given names of additional contributors (DOs) to the exchange file, which will not fit in the ONAME line. |
ORG_add | An array specifying additional contact information. There are 4 elements for each additional person, which correspond to the 4 fields in the ORG line. |
SNAME_add | An even-element array specifying additional Platform/Instrument data sources, which will not fit in the SNAME line. These additional sources are a continuation of those listed in SNAME and can also be referenced from parameter descriptions. |
station name | One element specifying the name of a fixed station. |
SU_A | NAUXV-NAUXC elements specifying the Standard Units for all numeric Auxiliary Variables. |
SU_V | NV elements specifying the Standard Units for all Primary Variables. |
SU_X | NIV elements specifying the Standard Units for all Independent Variables. |
Quantity | Name | In Base Units | Standard Units |
Standard Units not required | NULL | ||
pure number, unitless | 1 | ||
length | meter | m | m |
mass | kilogram | kg | kg |
time | second | s | s |
thermodynamic temperature | kelvin | K | K |
amount of substance | mole | mol | mol |
electric current | ampere | A | A |
luminous intensity | candela | cd | cd |
pressure | pascal | m-1 kg s-2 | Pa |
energy | joule | m2 kg s-2 | J |
power | watt | m2 kg s-3 | W |
solid angle | steradian | m2 m-2 | sr |
plane angle | degree | deg | |
hour | hour | h | h |
day | day | d | d |