authority: gcos
slug: surface-stress
name: Surface Stress
domain: atmosphere
subdomain: surface
authority_id: gcos:surface-stress
external_ids:
  nvs_uri: null
  # CF standard name pending verification — the generic
  # `surface_downward_eastward_stress` / `surface_downward_northward_stress`
  # names apply to any surface but are already used by
  # `ocean-surface-stress.yaml`. The atmospheric Surface Stress ECV
  # scalar form is typically `magnitude_of_surface_downward_stress` but
  # this needs confirmation against the current CF table before adoption.
  cf_standard_name: null
  iadopt_concepts:
    property: momentum-flux
    entity: land-surface
canonical_units: Pa
gcos_requirement_tier:
  threshold: null
  breakthrough: null
  goal: null
description: |
  Momentum flux from the atmosphere to the land surface (wind stress over
  land), derived from scatterometer winds and reanalysis. The
  atmosphere-side ECV; the ocean-side counterpart is tracked separately
  as `ocean-surface-stress`. Drives near-surface wind profiles, boundary-
  layer turbulence, and aerodynamic resistance for land-surface models.
theme: atmosphere
demos: []
status: stub
sources:
  - https://gcos.wmo.int/site/global-climate-observing-system-gcos/essential-climate-variables/surface-stress