Controlled Vocabulary

 

Controlledvoc transparent frontpicture 

Here you find a comprehensive overview about all terms (parameters and attributes) used in the GTN-P Database.

 

Objects: Entities on the different levels of the hierarchy of the GTN-P database.

Data types

Frequency: Regularity of data collection (measurements).

Variables

Methods: Measuring method used for data collection.

Sample Medium: the type of element/surrounding from which the measurements origin.

Quality Check: Assessed data quality of permafrost data.

Resolution: Grid used for data collection, referring to satellite data.

Policy: Regulations for the provision of data.

Drilling Method: Technique which was used for drilling the borehole.

Vegetation zones: Vegetation zones that have been chosen to lead spatial analysis with permafrost data on account of the effect of vegetation on permafrost temperatures.

Topography/Relief: Surface features of the land at the monitoring site on account of the effect of different reliefs on permafrost temperatures.

Site accessibility: Mode with which the monitoring site can be accessed.

Permafrost Zone: Permafrost zone in which the monitoring site is located. 

Disturbance by heat sources: Type of interruptions which have an effect on permafrost temperatures and are within range of the monitoring site.

UTC Time Zone: Time zones around the world expressed as positive or negative offsets from UTC (coordinated universal time).

 

Objects

Countries: Countries being part of the GTN-P Network.

Site: A site is a part of a country and contains temperature columns, active layer monitoring sites and ancillary measurements. Sites are represented by a bounding box enclosing the maximum extent of the contained objects.

Borehole: A borehole designates a column along which temperatures are monitored. Contains ground, surface, and air temperature measurements.

Active Layer: An active layer monitoring site is a scientific protocol measuring an active layer's seasonal thawing by grid, transect probing, borehole or thawing tube.

Ancillary Measurements: Additional measurements by the side of boreholes and active layer monitoring sites.

Citations: Entities which are accountable and to be cited for the respective monitoring sites.

Organizations: All organizations participating in the monitoring sites of the GTN-P network.

Contacts: Persons participating in the monitoring sites of the GTN-P network and their address information.

 

Data Types

Average: The values represent the average over a time interval, such as daily mean temperature.

Categorical: The values are categorical rather than continuous valued quantities. Mapping from Value values to categories is through the CategoryDefinitions table.

Constant Over Interval: The values are quantities that can be interpreted as constant over the time interval from the previous measurement.

Continuous: A quantity specified at a particular instant in time measured with sufficient frequency (small spacing) to be interpreted as a continuous record of the phenomenon.

Cumulative: The values represent the cumulative value of a variable measured or calculated up to a given instant of time, such as cumulative volume of flow or cumulative precipitation.

Incremental: The values represent the incremental value of a variable over a time interval, such as the incremental volume of flow or incremental precipitation.

Maximum: The values are the maximum values occurring at some time during a time interval, such as annual maximum discharge or a daily maximum air temperature.

Median: The values represent the median over a time interval, such as daily median temperature.

Minimum: The values are the minimum values occurring at some time during a time interval, such as 7-day low flow for a year or the daily minimum temperature.

Mode: The values are the most frequent values occurring at some time during a time interval, such as annual most frequent wind direction.

Sporadic: The phenomenon is sampled at a particular instant in time but with a frequency that is too coarse for interpreting the record as continuous. This would be the case when the spacing is significantly larger than the support and the time scale of fluctuation of the phenomenon, such as for example infrequent water quality samples.The phenomenon is sampled at a particular instant in time but with a frequency that is too coarse for interpreting the record as continuous. This would be the case when the spacing is significantly larger than the support and the time scale of fluctuation of the phenomenon, such as for example infrequent water quality samples.

Standard Deviation: The values represent the standard deviation of a set of observations made over a time interval. Standard deviation computed using the unbiased formula SQRT(SUM((Xi-mean)^2)/(n-1)) are preferred. The specific formula used to compute variance can be noted in the methods description.The values represent the standard deviation of a set of observations made over a time interval. Standard deviation computed using the unbiased formula SQRT(SUM((Xi-mean)^2)/(n-1)) are preferred. The specific formula used to compute variance can be noted in the methods description.

Variance: The values represent the variance of a set of observations made over a time interval. Variance computed using the unbiased formula SUM((Xi-mean)^2)/(n-1) are preferred. The specific formula used to compute variance can be noted in the methods description.The values represent the variance of a set of observations made over a time interval. Variance computed using the unbiased formula SUM((Xi-mean)^2)/(n-1) are preferred. The specific formula used to compute variance can be noted in the methods description.

Unknown: The data type is unknown.

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Frequency

Continual

Hourly

2 hours

3 hours

Fortnightly

6 hours

12 hours

Daily

Weekly

Monthly

Quarterly

Annually

As Needed

Not Planned

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Variables

Active Layer Thickness(ALT): Length (unit: Centimeter, Meter).

Air Temperature: Temperature (unit: Degree Celsius, Degree Fahrenheit, Degree Kelvin, Degree Rankine).

Ground Temperature: Temperature below the ground (unit: Degree Celsius, Degree Fahrenheit, Degree Kelvin, Degree Rankine).

Snow Density: Concentration (unit: Gramme per Square Centimeter).

Snow Depth: Length (unit: Centimeter, Meter).

Snow Temperature: Temperature (unit: Degree Celsius, Degree Fahrenheit, Degree Kelvin, Degree Rankine).

Soil Moisture: Percentage (unit: Percentage).

Surface Soil Moisture (Satellite): Percentage (unit: Percentage).

Surface Temperature: Temperature (unit: Degree Celsius, Degree Fahrenheit, Degree Kelvin, Degree Rankine).

Surface Temperature (Satellite): Temperature (unit: Degree Celsius, Degree Fahrenheit, Degree Kelvin, Degree Rankine).

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Methods

Frost/Thaw Tubes: Measurements of position of ice in the tube.

(Applies to Active Layer Thickness.)

Ground Subsidence: Measurements of surface elevation (optical leveling, DGPS, thaw tubes).

(Applies to Active Layer Thickness.)

Mechanical Probing: Measurements by gradual metal rod collected manually.

(Applies to Active Layer Thickness.)

Thermistor Automated: Measurements from a thermistor that are collected with a datalogger or other recording device.

(Applies to Air Temperature, Ground Temperature, Snow Temperature, and Surface Temperature.)

Thermistor Manual: Measurements from a thermistor that are collected manually.

(Applies to Air Temperature, Ground Temperature, Snow Temperature, and Surface Temperature.)

Thermocouple Automated: Measurements from a thermocouple that are collected with a datalogger or other recording device.

(Applies to Air Temperature, Ground Temperature, Snow Temperature, and Surface Temperature.)

Thermocouple Manual: Measurements from a thermocouple that are collected manually.

(Applies to Air Temperature, Ground Temperature, Snow Temperature, and Surface Temperature.)

Thermometer: Measurements taken with a mercury or alcohol thermometer.

(Applies to Air Temperature, Ground Temperature, Snow Temperature, and Surface Temperature.)

Temperature Interpolation: Interpolation of depth corresponding to 0 C degree isoterm.

(Applies to Ground Temperature.)

Mechanical Probling: 

(Applies to Snow Depth.)

Gravimetric Soil Sampling:

(Applies to Soil Moisture.)

Spatial Measurements:

(Applies to Soil Moisture.)

Stationary Measurements:

(Applies to Soil Moisture.)

Metop ASCAT (Satellite):

(Applies to Surface Soil Moisture (satellite)).

AATSR (Satellite):

(Applies to Surface Temperature (satellite)).

MODIS (Satellite):

(Applies to Surface Temperature (satellite)).

Unknown: The method for mesurement is unknown.

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Sample Medium

Air: Sample taken from the atmosphere.

Snow: Observation in, of or sample taken from snow.

Soil: Sample taken from the soil.

Soil Air: Air contained in the soil pores.

Soil Water: The water contained in the soil pores.

Not Relevant: Sample medium not relevant in the context of the measurement.

Other: Sample medium other than those contained in the CV.

Unknown: The sample medium is unknown.

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Resolution

1x1 km:

25x25 km:

Irrevelant:

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Policy

Open:

Restricted: 

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Quality Check

Derived Products: Derived products that require scientific and technical interpretation and may include multiple-sensor data.

Interpreted Products: Interpreted products that require researcher driven analysis and interpretation model-based interpretation using other data and/or strong prior assumptions.

Knowledge Products: Knowledge products that require researcher driven scientific interpretation and multidisciplinary data integration and include model-based interpretation using other data and/or strong prior assumptions.

Quality Controlled Data: Quality controlled data that have passed quality assurance procedures such as routine estimation of timing and sensor calibration or visual inspection and removal of obvious errors.

Raw Data: Raw and unprocessed data and data products that have not undergone quality control. Depending on the variable data type and data transmission system raw data may be available within seconds or minutes after the measurements have been made. Examples include real time precipitation ground temperature measurements.

Unknown: The quality control level is unknown.

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Drilling Method

Cable:

Rotary:

Auger:

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Vegetation Zones

Polar Desert

Tundra

Shrub Tundra

Forest Tundra

Coniferous Forest

Deciduous Forest

Grassland

No Vegetation

Other

PLUS -- Space for vegetation description in more detail

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Topography/Relief

Valley

Plain

Slope

Top of hill or ridge

Other

PLUS -- Space for special topography description, e.g. slope angle

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Site Accessibility

Road

Offroad vehicle

Helicopter

River boat

Other

PLUS -- Space for special descriptions

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Permafrost Zone

Continuous

Discontinuous

Sporadic

Isolated patches

Mountain

No permafrost

Unknown

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Disturbance by heat sources

(should be possible to select more than 1 parameter)

Lake (plus: select meters)

River (plus: select meters)

Anthropogenic (plus: select meters)

Other (plus: select meters)

No disturbance (plus: select meters)

PLUS -- Space for special descriptions

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ISO 19115/2

Strategy and Implementation Plan