Climate and Forecast Standard Names
Mapping to be determined
sea_surface_foundation_temperature
The sea surface foundation temperature is the water temperature that is not influenced by a thermally stratified layer of diurnal temperature variability (either by daytime warming or nocturnal cooling). The foundation temperature is named to indicate that it is the temperature from which the growth of the diurnal thermocline develops each day, noting that on some occasions with a deep mixed layer there is no clear foundation temperature in the surface layer. In general, sea surface foundation temperature will be similar to a night time minimum or pre-dawn value at depths of between approximately 1 and 5 meters. In the absence of any diurnal signal, the foundation temperature is considered equivalent to the quantity with standard name sea_surface_subskin_temperature. The sea surface foundation temperature defines a level in the upper water column that varies in depth, space, and time depending on the local balance between thermal stratification and turbulent energy and is expected to change slowly over the course of a day. If possible, a data variable with the standard name sea_surface_foundation_temperature should be used with a scalar vertical coordinate variable to specify the depth of the foundation level. Sea surface foundation temperature is measured at the base of the diurnal thermocline or as close to the water surface as possible in the absence of thermal stratification. Only in situ contact thermometry is able to measure the sea surface foundation temperature. Analysis procedures must be used to estimate sea surface foundation temperature value from radiometric satellite measurements of the quantities with standard names sea_surface_skin_temperature and sea_surface_subskin_temperature. Sea surface foundation temperature provides a connection with the historical concept of a "bulk" sea surface temperature considered representative of the oceanic mixed layer temperature that is typically represented by any sea temperature measurement within the upper ocean over a depth range of 1 to approximately 20 meters. The general term, "bulk" sea surface temperature, has the standard name sea_surface_temperature with no associated vertical coordinate axis. Sea surface foundation temperature provides a more precise, well defined quantity than "bulk" sea surface temperature and, consequently, is more representative of the mixed layer temperature. The temperature of sea water at a particular depth (other than the foundation level) should be reported using the standard name sea_water_temperature and, wherever possible, supplying a vertical coordinate axis or scalar coordinate variable.