Location
 
Definition

The <Location> field specifies the name of a place on the Earth, a location within the Earth, a vertical location, or a location outside of the Earth. The <Location> keywords are a 5-level hierarchy of controlled keywords under the following Categories:

    • Continent: specifies continents on the Earth:
      • Africa
      • Antarctica
      • Asia
      • Australia/New Zealand
      • Europe
      • North America
      • South America
    • Ocean: specifies an ocean body on the Earth:
      • Arctic Ocean
      • Atlantic Ocean
      • Indian Ocean   
      • Pacific Ocean
      • Southern Ocean
    • Geographic Region: specifies a region on the Earth (e.g., Polar)
    • Solid Earth: specifies a region within the Earth:
      • Core
      • Crust
      • Mantle
    • Space: specifies a region outside of the Earth, particularly regions of Earth-Sun interactions:
      • Earth Magnetic Field
      • Solar Region
    • Vertical Location: specifies a region in the vertical direction, either in the atmosphere or under the oceans:
      • Boundary Layer
      • Ionosphere
      • Land Surface
      • Mesosphere
      • Sea Floor
      • Sea Surface
      • Stratosphere
      • Thermosphere
      • Troposphere
 
Syntax

<Location>
    <Location_Category>Location Category keyword
    </Location_Category>
    <Location_Type> Location type keyword </Location_Type>
    <Location_Subregion1> Location subregion1 keyword
    </Location_Subregion1>
    <Location_Subregion2> Location subregion2 keyword
    </Location_Subregion2>
    <Location_Subregion3> Location subregion3 keyword
    </Location_Subregion3>
    <Detailed_Location>Text</Detailed_Location>
</Location>

  • <Detailed_Location> can contain up to 80 characters.
  • Characters may be selected from the printable ASCII character set.
 
Usage
  • The <Location> field is optional and repeatable.
  • The <Location> subfields are not repeatable within the <Location> field.
  • Location keywords must be selected from the set of controlled Location keywords..
  • <Detailed_Location> allows authors to include any location keywords that are not available in the controlled keyword list.

 

Example

<Location>
    <Location_Category>CONTINENT</Location_Category>
    <Location_Type>NORTH AMERICA</Location_Type>
    <Location_Subregion1>UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
    </Location_Subregion1>
    <Location_Subregion2>MARYLAND</Location_Subregion2>
    <Location_Subregion3>BALTIMORE</Location_Subregion3>
    <Detailed_Location>Middle River</Detailed_Location>
</Location>

 

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This document should be cited as:
Directory Interchange Format (DIF) Writer's Guide, 2007.
Global Change Master Directory. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. [http://gcmd.nasa.gov/User/difguide/].