APPENDIX

THE INTERNATIONAL
SYSTEM OF UNITS

ISstme International d L-nite'yl

The International Sv stem (SI) coni>t of >eell 'base unit, together with two

'supplementary units'. From these are formed others known as 'derived units'.

The base of supplementary units, and some of the derived units, have been given

names and symbols. The symbols are printed in lower case except where derived

from the name of a person; for example in (metre), but A (ampere) Symbols are

not pluralized (1 m, 10 m) nor do they take a full stop. The names of the units do

not, however, take capitals (except of course at the beginning of a sentence),

although they may be pluralized: for example. I kelvin. 10 kelvins.

The base units are:

1 nit

Symbol

Description

metre
kilogram

m
kg

second
ampere
kely in

s
A
K

candela
mole

cd
mol

the unit of length

the unit of mass

the unit of time
the unit of electrical current
the unit of thermodynamic temperature. defined as
1/273.15 of the thermodynamic
the fraction
temperature of the triple point of water.
the unit of luminous intensity
the unit of the amount of a substance which contains
the same number of molecules as there are atoms in
exactl 1_' grams of pure carbon.

1he t%uo>upplementary unit,, are:

\ tC\t uiihc

the mcauire of a plane angle

the mea'ure of a >olid an-fle

rad
sr

r1(111
I)
, teradian

d
L1cri\ units are:

Uliaruin

',,
nieofuni!

Svmbol

Iieyuency
I'uce

hertz

Hz
NIN=I
Pa
i
WIW

newton
pascal
joule

pressure
\, ork
power
iI nrtn

watt
Iii

',
.

,.

__

....

in hirsr units

Expressed

I Hz =1s
kg m , -

I pa =I Nrm-

IJ = INm

=1 J/s

hi

,,,,,

NON-SI UNITS

APPF\DI\

The following non-SI units are in current use in the Met. Office and may he found

in publications of the Office.

1.
Pressure
The millibar or hectopascal is used as the unit of pressure in meteorology.
(1 mb =1 hPa, where h= hecto = 102).

THE INTERNATIONAL

Height
4.
f (eights other than cloud heights are expressed in metres. Because of the

for
heights
the time being to

continue
the
will
of
cloud
requirements of aviation
be expressed in feet (1 foot = 0.3048 m).

Auroral Forms
G Glow: often the top of an arc on the horizon.
N Auroral light with unspecified form. usually as seen through breaks in cloud.
A Arc: like a curving arch, the aurora follows the curvature of the earth.
B Band: irregular in form.
P Patch: diffuse like a cloud but with no discernible lower border.
V Veil: extensive uniform luminosit- of diffuse form co\erinia much of the sky.
R Rays: like searchlight beam:.
2.

Qualifi"ing Symbol
m Multiple. Multiple term.. not nmltiplicit\ of detail: in would mean three

off.
f Fragmentary: a part onh of an arc. band or other trm. usually after it

breaks up.
c Corona]- Ra%scomer*ine like , pokes, of a heel ioards the magnetic
zenith.

3.

Structure
H Homoeeneoua: lack of internal structure. uniform brightness.
S Striated: fine filaments of arcs or bands, often at high altitude.
R Rayed: addition of rays to other forms, e.g. RA and RB.
R, Short rays, e.g. R, R. R, RB, R ;RA: fade rapidly with height.
RR Medium length rays. e.g RR. R: B. R: RA: fairly uniform hriehtnes,.

R: Lone ra\ s. r.,. R R. R B. R A: horizon to zenith: hriehtne, s chameesith

height.

4.

Condition
hn_htn
lu
Quiet:
m
han_:,
and , hah.
%er\
q
,
a Active: moves or changes rapidly in a period of the order of one second.
a, Movement of folds or irregularities along the boundaries of bands.

form
individual
border
lower
Shape
changes rapidly.
of
of
a
a, Rapid horizontal movement of rays in either or both directions.
in
brightness.
fairly
Pulsating:
often
rhythmical,
change
rapid.
a
p
P, Pulsating: uniform variation in brightness of a form.
P2 Flaming: surges of light usually sweeping upward through forms across the

Speed
The derived Sl unit is the metre per second (m/s). However, the World

Meteorological Organization recommends the use of the knot for horizontal wind

for
knot
is
kn
for
being.
The
recommended to avoid

the
time
symbol
, peed
be
kilotonne
for
normally
and
will
the
used in Met. Office
symbol
confusion with
hour
0.514
knot
(1
per
=
metres per second).
mile
publications
=1 nautical
t.

Time

t nits other than SI, such as day, week, month and year, are in common use.
Direction
-.
Direction is measured in degrees clockwise from north and refers to the true

is
320,
for
specifically indicated.
magnetic
unless
compass,
example
Cloud amounts
K.
The use of 'okta' for the measurement of cloud amount is authorized by the World

Meteorological Organization.

AURORA CODE

This code was prepared by the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics for

use by auroral observers during the International Year of the Quiet Sun 1964, and

published in the International Aurora Atlas by Edinburgh University Press, 1963.

2.
Temperature
The unit Celsius (symbol C) continues to be used.
Celsius temperature = temperature (in kelvins) minus 273.15 K. Note that the

degrees sign () is no longer used with K.

A difference in temperature should be expressed by use of the international
, vmbol `deg' without a qualifying C or K.
3.
Distance
There is a continuing requirement for ocean distances to be measured in nautical

miles (symbol n. mile).

Because the nautical mile varies with latitude an internationally agreed International

Nautical Mile is preferred. This has been in use in the United Kingdom since 1970.

The International Nautical Mile is defined as 1852 m (6076.12 feet).

I1.-k

sky.
flames.

looks
if
lit
by
flickering
display
large
Flickering:
a
as
part
of
p;
(( 'inlliqflN[l)

216

p' Streaming: irregular change of horizontal brightness along homogeneous

forms.

Brightness
I Comparable with the Milky Way: colour not perceived.
2 Comparable with moonlit cirrus cloud: green colour sometimes visible.
3 Comparable with brightly lit moonlit cirrus cloud or moonlit cumulus cloud.
4 Much brighter than 3, and can cast detectable shadows.

JZ

"

-+

F\

Fa

-3
7
.

<

I
I

2..
7

..

`
z
r.

('"lour Class
a Red upper region with green lower region.
b Red lower border of predominantly green bands.
c White if faint; green, white or yellow, if a mixture of green, red and blue
emissions.
d Red aurora at high altitude.
e Red and green irregularly distributed or alternating horizontally along
aurora.
t
Blue often in upper region of aurora, purple if mixed with red.

oNi

rV

(,.

"h

I
,

J
..

^O

CrJ

L`Vs

"

lz

00

1
Q

OO

rr

dX

iL
[l]

LU

V;

.`
S

C,

rl

ON

l
>

LL'

Con r/:

<

.C

Or,

{Jd

w
9

N.

%J r-

:, =-

uo

-3 u

ll

fV

rJ

rr,

<

fG

5Y

-N

V7

1:

L0

0.

<

ro

>

i-

2`

xx

oi

a>

t.)

Y <.

l pz

Qz

EF

<
LL1

j-

r .
N

v:
N

W.
N

r;

rJ

vJ
N

O
C

O
C

W11

10

10

APPENDIX

III

APPENDIX

TCRBO OE3SERV'0\TION W'ITII NEW EFFICIENCY

\\ ORLD SOLAR ECLIPSES*

To simplify the entering and transmission ofa coded meteorological observation,

has developed a

Institute (KNMI)
the Royal Netherlands Meteorological
computer program called TURBO 1 (Turbo Observation with New Efficiency).
The WMO Commission for Marine Meteorology announced at its Eleventh

Session in Lisbon in April 1993, that KNMI had agreed to make available the
TURBO 1 software and instruction manual, for WMO action to have the system

installed on Voluntary Observing Ships equipped with INMARSAT-C. KNMI

also agreed to maintain and update the system.

The TURBO 1 software requires a DOS personal computer, with at least 410
kb free working memory and a 3.5-inch disk drive. The manual, together with the

, ottware, provide all the necessary instructions.

The software has three objectives:
ia

To compile ships' meteorological reports in standard WMO SHIP code

and prepare them for transmission as a standard telex message through
the messaging channel of the INMARSAT-C system;
To store the report on the disk for later retrieval, further quality control
and permanent archival for climatological purposes;

(C)

To perform simple quality

transmission and storage.

control

on the report

prior

to its

-1he numbers of ships equipped with INMARSAT-C

terminals, and
[N\IARSAT Land Earth Stations (LES) able to accept the short code 41 dialling

SHIP
INMARSAT-C
to
relay
reports to national Meteorological

procedure with
Services, are expected to increase rapidly with time. There are already sufficient

INMARSAT-C LES accepting code 41 ships' reports to provide worldwide

coy erage.
The software and operating manual are distributed for use by the INMARSAT-C

Ships
Observing
Voluntary
of participating countries, and training

equipped
arranged where necessary. Whenever practicable, the disk is replaced at the end

disk
The
the
stored
on
reports
used
are extracted, converted for

voyage.
a
ship's
of
use by all WMO Members and after quality control the compiled marine

for
data
the Marine Climatological
Summaries

are
archived
climatological
Scheme.
This project is expected to improve the efficiency and accuracy of transmitting

and archiving ships' meteorological reports, as well as reduce the cost of these

transmissions.
KNMI has also produced a computer program, called TURBO6, to computr

from
drift,
set
and
ship's
with the aim of distributing it to suitabl

currents
surface
Voluntary Observing Ships after testing.

For the information of manners, a schedule of expected

solar eclipses, both total

and annular up to the year 2015, follows.

Two eclipses during the period will be visible from parts

of the United Kingdom:

1. The total eclipse of 11 August 1999, visible from the Scilly Isles, Cornwall

and Alderney.
2. The annular eclipse of 31 May 2003. visible from northern Scotland.

Maximum
Tipe' Date

Marini

Duration'

Lat'

L, +i,

Lncatiou

A
T
T
T

29.4.1995
06.37
24.10.1995 02.11
9.3.1997
02.50
26.2.1998
04.09

4 S
8 N
57 N
4N

-9` \\
113 E
113 E
82 W

A
A

22.8.1998
16.2.1999

03.14
00.40

3 S
39 S

145E
93 E

11.8.1999

02.23

45 N

24 E

North Atlantic. Scillies. Cornwall.

Turkey, Iran, India

21.6.2001
14.12.2001
10.6.2002
4.12.2002
31.5.2003
23.11.2003
8.4.2005
3.10.2005
29.3.2006
22.9.2006
7.2.2008
1.8.2008
26.1.2009
22.7.2009
15.1.2010
11.7.2010

04.57
03.53
00.23
02.04
03.37
01.57
00.42
04.31
04.07
07.09
02.12
02.27
07.54
06.39
11.08
05.20

11S
1 N
34 N
39 S
67 N
72 S
10 S
13N
23 N
21S
67 5
65 N
34 S
24 N
2N
20 N

3 E
130W
178 W
60 E
24W
88 E
119 W
28 E
16 E
9 W
150W
72 E
70 E
144E
69 E
122'W

South Atlantic, Southern Africa

Pacific, ends in Costa Rica
Pacific in entirety
SouthernAfrica, South Indian Ocean
Scotland Iceland. Greenland
Antarctica in entirety
Pacific. ends in Colombia
North Atlantic, Spain, Africa. Indian Ocean
Atlantic. Africa, Turkey, Black Sea. Russia
Atlantic in entirety
Antarctica, South Pacific
Greenland North Polar. Russia. Mongolia, China

Indian Ocean,ends in Sumatera

China. Pacific
Ethiopia. Indian Ocean, India. Sri Lanka, China

South Pacific, ends in Chile

A
T

20.5.2012
13.11.2012

05.46
04.02

49 N
40 S

176 W
161 W

Japan. North Pacific. California

Queensland Pacific in entiret\

A
A/T
A

10.52013
3.11.2013
29.4.2014

06.04
01.40
00.00

2 N
4N
70S

175E
12 W
131E

Australia, Solomon Islands. Pacific

Atlantic. Central Africa
Antarctica in entirety

20.32015

024'

64 N

6` W

North Atlantic.

T
A
A
T
A
T
A/T
A
T
A
A
T
A
T
A
T

Notes:
1.
T- Total
A/T - Annular loldl
AAnnular.

2
Ihir: tlinn fl
!:jlir

tiurt

s::

South Pacific. Ecuador, Peru, Brazil

India. Thailand, Cambodia, Sabah
Mongolia, Russia, North Polar
Galapagos,Colombia. Venezuela,Antigua,
Montserrat
Sumatera.Sarawak.Melanesia, Pacific
South Indian Ocean,Australia
Europe.

Faeroe.. North Polar

nuddl

e..

LL
Park, Leighton kiuLzard. BedIor"urz
for further information should be addressed

220

IV

r.:. _

11

"a . ;,, ,.; ini ait

yun, or ryu, ts