ALMA Standard Variables

Expected Range of Values


A summary of quality control values for the ALMA standard variable definitions are given below. Sign conventions correspond to the 'traditional' choice.

The variables have been grouped into eight general categories:

In the case of the meteorological forcing the hourly time scale was considered to provide a range of values. For the other categories it was considered that the daily time scales would be appropriate. Thus it must be kept in mind that if for instance output is generated from the land-surface scheme every hour the values may exceed the provided range.

Meteorological Forcings:
Variable
Units
Lower Limit
Upper Limit
Wind_N 
m/s
-75.0
75.0
Wind_E
m/s
-75.0
75.0
Rainf
kg/m2/s
0.0
0.02
Rainf_LS
kg/m2/s
0.0
0.02
Rainf_C
kg/m2/s
0.0
0.02
Snowf 
kg/m2/s
0.0
0.002
Snowf_LS 
kg/m2/s
0.0
0.002
Snowf_C 
kg/m2/s
0.0
0.002
Tair 
K
213.0
333.0
Qair 
kg/kg
0.0
0.03
PSurf 
Pa
5,000.0
110,000.0
SWdown
W/m2
0.0
1,360.0
LWdown
W/m2
0.0
750.0
CO2air
ppmv
160
600

General energy balance components:
Variable
Units
Lower Limit
Upper Limit
SWnet
W/m2
0.0
1200.0
LWnet
W/m2
-500.0
510.0
Qle
W/m2
-300.0
300.0
Qh
W/m2
-500.0
500.0
Qg
W/m2
-100.0
200.0
Qf
W/m2
-10.0
10.0
Qv
W/m2
-10.0
10.0
Qa
W/m2
-10.0
10.0
DelSoilHeat
W/m2
-10.0
10.0
DelColdCont
W/m2
-10.0
10.0

General water balance components:
Variable
Units
Lower Limit
Upper Limit
Snowf
kg/m2s
0.0
0.002
Rainf
kg/m2s
0.0
0.002
Evap
kg/m2s
-0.00015
0.00015
Qs
kg/m2s
0.0
5.0
Qrec
kg/m2s
0.0
5.0
Qsb
kg/m2s
0.0
5.0
Qsm
kg/m2s
0.0
0.005
DelSoilMoist
kg/m2
-2000.0
2000.0
DelSWE
kg/m2
-2000.0
2000.0
SurfStor
kg/m2
-2000.0
2000.0
DelIntercept
kg/m2
-100.0
100.0

Surface state variables:
Variable
Units
Lower Limit
Upper Limit
SnowT
K
213.0
280.0
VegT
K
213.0
333.0
BaresoilT
K
213.0
343.0
AvgSurfT
K
213.0
333.0
RadT
K
213.0
353.0
Albedo
-
0.0
1.0
SWE
kg/m2
0.0
2000.0
SurfStor
kg/m2
0.0
2000.0