moved special QARTOD variables out of attribute table and included URLs #62
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mwengren
reviewed
Feb 4, 2026
| qartod_variable:standard_name | CF | The full set of CF Standard Names available to identify QARTOD flag ancillary variables can be found in [Standard Name Table v72](http://cfconventions.org/Data/cf-standard-names/72/build/cf-standard-name-table.html) (March 2020) and includes: {::nomarkdown}<ul><li><code><b>aggregate_quality_flag</b></code>: an Aggregate/Rollup flag combining multiple individual flags</li><li><code><b>attenuated_signal_test_quality_flag</b></code>: Attenuated Signal Test flag</li><li><code><b>climatology_test_quality_flag</b></code>: Climatology Test flag</li><li><code><b>flat_line_test_quality_flag</b></code>: Flat Line Test flag</li><li><code><b>gap_test_quality_flag</b></code>: Timing/Gap Test flag</li><li><code><b>gross_range_test_quality_flag</b></code>: Gross Range Test flag</li><li><code><b>location_test_quality_flag</b></code>: Location Test flag</li><li><code><b>multi_variate_test_quality_flag</b></code>: Multi-variate Test flag</li><li><code><b>neighbor_test_quality_flag</b></code>: Neighbor Test flag </li><li><code><b>rate_of_change_test_quality_flag</b></code>: Rate of Change Test flag</li><li><code><b>spike_test_quality_flag</b></code>: Spike Test flag</li><li><code><b>syntax_test_quality_flag</b></code>: Syntax Test flag</li></ul>{:/} | variable | **required**, if applicable | ||
| qartod_variable:flag_values | CF | The **`flag_values`** and **`flag_meanings`** attributes describe a status flag consisting of mutually exclusive coded values. The **`flag_values`** attribute is the same type as the variable to which it is attached, and contains a list of the possible flag values. See the below example for recommended usage of **`flag_values`** for QARTOD flagging. | variable | recommended | ||
| qartod_variable:flag_meanings | CF | The **`flag_meanings`** attribute is a string whose value is a blank separated list of descriptive words or phrases, one for each flag value. If multi-word phrases are used to describe the flag values, then the words within a phrase should be connected with underscores. See the below example for recommended usage of **`flag_meanings`** for QARTOD flagging. | variable | recommended | ||
| [qartod_variable]:standard_name | CF | The [CF Conventions-compliant **`standard_name`** of the QARTOD variable](https://cfconventions.org/Data/cf-conventions/cf-conventions-1.7/build/ch03s03.html), in which a [standard_name modifier](https://cfconventions.org/Data/cf-conventions/cf-conventions-1.7/build/apc.html) is appended to the end of the standard name of the geophysical_variable with which the QARTOD variable is associated, separated by a space. | variable | **required**, if applicable |
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I think we'll need to discuss these changes. AFAIK, the approach for QARTOD flagging does not follow the CF standard_name modifier approach described in the link included here.
See the existing example for how QARTOD flagging should be handled:
https://ioos.github.io/ioos-metadata/ioos-metadata-profile-v1-2#example-3
It's also described in this section of the CF guidance (this was added/modified by us when implementing the IOOS MP 1.2):
https://cfconventions.org/cf-conventions/cf-conventions.html#ancillary-data
We can discuss and maybe a reduced set of formatting changes can be made.
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Here are some related CF github discussion links for light background reading on the changes we made:
cf-convention/cf-conventions#205
cf-convention/cf-conventions#216
and
cf-convention/cf-conventions#264
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I moved the list of special QARTOD variables (e.g., aggregate_quality_flag) out of the attribute table and into it's own list. I also added URL links to each variable's definition.