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Facilitating Access to Global Observing Systems Data and Information

GCOS Essential Climate Variables (ECV)

Data Access Matrix

The Essential Climate Variables (ECV) are required to support the work of the UNFCCC and the IPCC. All ECV are technically and economically feasible for systematic observation. It is these variables for which international exchange is required for both current and historical observations. Additional variables required for research purposes are not included in this table. It is emphasized that the ordering within the table is simply for convenience and is not an indicator of relative priority. Currently, there are 44 ECVs plus soil moisture recognized as an emerging ECV.

Note: The 'Other long-lived greenhouse gases' [1] fall under a single ECV but are listed separately in the matrix below.

Reference Documentation

Updated January 15, 2010

Atmospheric (over land/sea/ice)
Oceanic
Terrestrial [2]
Surface
Surface
Air Pressure Water Use -- (ECV T2 Standards)
Air Temperature
Precipitation Lake Levels-- (ECV T4 Standards)
Surface Radiation Budget Snow Cover-- (ECV T5 Standards)
Water Vapor Glacier and Ice Caps-- (ECV T6 Standards)
Wind Speed and Direction Permafrost and Seasonally-Frozen Ground -- (ECV T7 Standards)
Upper-Air
Ocean Color (for biological Activity)
Albedo -- (ECV T8 Standards)
Cloud Properties Land Cover (including vegetation type) -- (ECV T9 Standards)
Earth Radiation Budget (including Solar Radiation)
Sub-surface
 Fraction of Absorbed Photosynthetically Active Radiation (fAPAR) -- (ECV T10 Standards)
Upper-Air Temperature Leaf Area Index (LAI) -- (ECV T11 Standards)
Water Vapor Biomass -- (ECV T12 Standards)
Wind Speed and Direction Fire Disturbance -- (ECV T13 Standards)
Composition
Soil Moisture [3]
Aerosol Properties  
Carbon Dioxide  
Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)[1]  
Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs)[1]
 
Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) [1]
 
Methane
 
Nitrous Oxide (N2O) [1]
 
Ozone
 
Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) [1]
 
Sulphur hexafluroride (SF6)[1]
 

[1] Other long-lived greenhouse gases

[2] Includes runoff (m3 s-1), ground water extraction rates (m3 yr-1) and location, snow cover extent (km2) and duration, snow depth (cm), glacier/ice cap inventory and mass balance (kg m-2 yr-1), glacier length (m), ice sheet mass balance (kg m-2 yr-1) and extent (km2), permafrost extent (km2), temperature profiles and active layer thickness, above ground biomass (t/ha), burnt area (ha), date and location of active fire, burn efficiency (%vegetation burned/unit area).

[3] Recognized as an emerging Essential Climate Variable (not part of the 44).
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