| Vocabulary | Description |
|---|---|
| Composite Observed Property | Describes the group of simple observed properties whose values are estimated in the course of an observation. |
| Computation Type | Describes the type of the Computation process (e.g. Mathematical model, software). |
| Feature Of Interest | A real-world object, carrying the properties which are under observation. It is the subject of the observation. In ESPAS corresponds to the region of space (e.g. Ionosphere, Magnetosphere) of the observed property of the observation. |
| Instrument Type | Describes the type of an Instrument (e.g. Radar, Digisonde). |
| Interaction | Describes the interaction between the wave and propagation medium that defines the Observed Property (it applies only to wave phenomena). |
| Measurand | Describes the measurable quantity of the Observed Property, whose value is estimated in the course of an observation. |
| Observed Property | Corresponds to a phenomenon associated with the feature of interest for which the observation result provides an estimate of its value. It is the object of the observation (e.g. Temperature, Electron Density) |
| Phenomenon | Corresponds to the underlying phenomenon for which the Observation provides an estimate of its value (e.g. Particle.Charged.Electron, Field.Electric, Field.Magnetic). |
| Propagation Mode | Describes the mechanism by which the oscillating physical quantity (agent) travels in medium (only for wave pheonomena). |
| Qualifier | A common, cross-class attribute that refines the Measurand definition. Typical Qualifier examples include Maximum, Vector, Average, Approximation. |
| Vocabulary | Description |
|---|---|
| Component | For vector properties, it describes which of the three components is provided in the data only in those cases when observation does not specify the vector property in full. Typical components are X, Y, Z. The Component has to be accompanied by a suitable description of the Coordinate Reference System (Crs). |
| Compressed Representation | Describes the formalism of compressed representation of voluminous or complex 3D, 2D, and 1D data. Typical examples are spherical harmonics for 2D maps on the sphere, truncated Fourier transforms (harmonics) for diurnal time series, Empirical Orthogonal Functions (EOF). |
| Coordinate Reference System (CRS) | Corresponds to the Coordinate Reference Systems (e.g. GSE, GSM, ..) used to describe a vector Component (observed property definition), the location of a Platform and the geographic extent of an Observation. |
| Dimensionality-Instance | Dimensionality is a compact description of the domain X spanned by the independent (input) variables x1, x2, x3 ... of the Observation result (output dependent variable Y):
Y = f(x1, x2, x3 ...) The independent variables x1, x2, x3 ... are tested in the course of the Observation to acquire values of the dependent variable Y. For example, an Observed Property "NeutralWindVelocity" is a vector field variable with a natural presentation as a Vector (magnitude and direction) defined in 3D space (latitude, longitude, altitude). The Dimensionality Instance describes the Single instance of the acquired Y values of the observed property in time (time is not included in the list of independent variables) (e.g. 1D.point, 1D.Profile, 2D.Map, 2D.image). |
| Dimensionality-Timeline | Dimensionality is a compact description of the domain X spanned by the independent (input) variables x1, x2, x3 ... of the Observation result (output dependent variable Y):
Y = f(x1, x2, x3 ...) The independent variables x1, x2, x3 ... are tested in the course of the Observation to acquire values of the dependent variable Y. For example, an Observed Property "NeutralWindVelocity" is a vector field variable with a natural presentation as a Vector (magnitude and direction) defined in 3D space (latitude, longitude, altitude). The Dimensionality Timeline describes the timeline of the acquired Y values of the observed property (time is one of the independent variables) (e.g. Timeseries, Animation). |
| PlatformType | Describes the type of a Platform (e.g. ground-based station, satellite). |
| Projection | For vector properties, it describes a plane or a line on which the vector projection is observed by the Instrument. The Projection is provided in the data only in those cases when Observation does not specify the vector property in full. Typical projections are horizontal, line of sight, orbital, perpendicular. The Projection has to be accompanied by a suitable description of the Coordinate Reference System (crs). |
| Related Observation Role | Describes the role of the related Observation (e.g. location information,...). |
| Related Party Role | Describes the role (owner, principal investigator, researcher, etc) of a related party for an object (Project, Observation Collection, Instrument etc). |
| Result Accumulation | Describes the frequency with which additions are/were made to the Observation's result (e.g. daily, monthly, hourly, ..). |
| Result Data Format | Describes the data format of a resulting file of an Observation. |
| Service Function | Describes the function of a service offered by a Data Provider at the Observation Result level. So, it specifies whether the Observation Result files (data files) are available for download or for view only from the end user. |
| Status | Describes the status of a Project, an Observation, an Operation of a Platform (e.g. historical, ongoing,..). |
| Unit | Describes the unit of the Observed Property as measured in a specific process (e.g. Km, MHz). |