List of vertical Layers and horizontal Coverages

Vertical dimension

In OSCAR, a 'layer' refers to a range of altitude or depth where a physical variable is measured and a requirement for this variable is applicable. This concept allows assigning different requirements for the same variable depending on the considered altitude or depth.

This table lists all layers sorted by domain.

Domain Acronym Full name Definition
Atmosphere TC
Total column
TrC
Troposphere column
MUS
Mid-upper stratosphere
UTLS
Upper troposphere / lower stratosphere
FT
Free troposphere
PBL
Planetary boundary layer
Near Surface
At the surface (in the air)
Cloud-top
At the cloud top surface
TOA
Top of the atmosphere
LoThermo
Low Thermosphere (From 100 km to 200 km altitude)
HiThermo
High Thermosphere (From 200 to about 500 km altitude)
M
Mesosphere
Ocean Sea surface
Surface of the ocean
Bulk
Bulk layer (ocean sub-surface)
Upper oc
Upper ocean
Deep oc
Deep ocean
Terrestrial Land surface
Land surface
Root
Root region of the soil
Deep soil
Deep soil layer
Interior
Interior earth
Outer Space Ionos
Ionosphere
L1
At Lagrange point L1 (about 1,500,000 km from Earth)
L4-L5
At Lagrange points L4, L5
Geo
Around the geostationary orbit
Leo
Low Earth Orbit altitude range
Meo
Medium Earth Orbit altitude range
Helio
In the whole heliosphere
Sun
Solar surface and atmosphere
Magnet
Magnetosphere
Cross-cutting n/a (2D)
Not applicable. 2D field, no altitude dependence
n/a
Not applicable. No altitude dependence

Horizontal dimension

The “horizontal coverage“ parameter locates where the variable is to be observed in the horizontal dimension. From a list of 8 options, exactly one entry must be specified. The options are: Global; Global Land; Global Ocean; Coastal areas; Regional (the applicable WMO Region/s to be specified in Comments); Sub-regional (area of magnitude 1000x1000 km to be specified in Comments); Local (area of magnitude 100x100 km to be specified in Comments); and Point (specific locations to be specified in Comments).

This table lists all 'horizontal coverage' types used in OSCAR to further specify where a specific Requirement is applicable, e.g., only over the oceans, at specific points (Airports), regionally or globally.

Name Definition
Global Applicable globally
Global ocean Globally applicable to oceans and ocean surfaces
Global land Globally applicable to land surfaces and over land surfaces
Costal areas Globally applicable to coastal areas
Regional Applicable in specific WMO regions as defined in "Comments"
Sub-regional Applicable in specific areas of typically 1000*1000 km to be defined in "Comments"
Local Applicable in specific areas of typically 100 *100 km to be defined in "Comments"
Point Applicable at specific locations, e.g. Airports, to be defined in "Comments"