Back to cf_standard_names | Category Index
CF Standard Names (copied into data request to facilitate validation, particularly validation of consistency of definition in the CF standard with usage in the data request).
| Attribute | Value |
|---|---|
| canonical_units | m |
| description | The effective radius of a size distribution of particles, such as aerosols, cloud droplets or ice crystals, is the area weighted mean radius of particle size. It is calculated as the ratio of the third to the second moment of the particle size distribution. The phrase "stratiform_liquid_water_cloud_top" refers to the top of the highest stratiform liquid water cloud. In an atmosphere model, stratiform cloud is that produced by large-scale convergence (not the convection schemes). "Cloud liquid water" refers to the liquid phase of cloud water. A diameter of 0.2 mm has been suggested as an upper limit to the size of drops that shall be regarded as cloud drops; larger drops fall rapidly enough so that only very strong updrafts can sustain them. Any such division is somewhat arbitrary, and active cumulus clouds sometimes contain cloud drops much larger than this. Reference: AMS Glossary http://glossary.ametsoc.org/wiki/Cloud_drop. |
| name | effective_radius_of_stratiform_cloud_liquid_water_particles_at_stratiform_liquid_water_cloud_top |
| uid | 3ba666fe-8ca2-11ef-944e-41a8eb05f654 |