<descriptor thcode="2"><thesaurus thcode="2" name="USGS Thesaurus" scope="Topics and methods of scientific study carried out by USGS, with product types, scientific disciplines, geologic time, and types of institutional structure and activities.  Broad and shallow, used to help people find scientific information." creator="U.S. Geological Survey" rights="Public domain" edition="2.0" date="2020-01-09" codetype="number" prefix="topic" uri="https://www2.usgs.gov/science/USGSThesaurus" tblname="term" nonpref="nonpref" relterm="relterm" root_code="1" contact="pschweitzer"><category><term thcode="25" code="29" name="distinct labels" parent="26" scope="Preferred labels (descriptor texts) are distinct within the thesaurus. A concept can be specified either by its unique identifier (code) or by the text of its descriptor."/><term thcode="25" code="16" name="hierarchical" parent="11" scope="Substantive broader-narrower relationships exist among the terms."/><term thcode="25" code="13" name="transitive" parent="12" scope="Narrower terms have an &quot;is a&quot; relationship with their broader terms, and generally can be described as part-of, type-of, or instance-of the broader term."/><term thcode="25" code="21" name="disciplines" parent="2" scope="Broad categories of human inquiry or activity, such as scientific disciplines."/><term thcode="25" code="20" name="methods" parent="2" scope="Actions taken to obtain or analyze information"/><term thcode="25" code="19" name="organizational functions" parent="2" scope="Things that organizations do, typically including various types of programs, projects, and services."/><term thcode="25" code="7" name="temporal" parent="2" scope="Terms indicate periods of time, such as chronostratigraphic units, named historical periods or intervals surrounding known historical events, or seasons."/><term thcode="25" code="5" name="theme" parent="2" scope="Terms indicate domains of human concern, such as scientific discipline, societal problems, or characteristics of earth, space, oceans, and living things."/><term thcode="25" code="29" name="distinct labels" parent="26" scope="Preferred labels (descriptor texts) are distinct within the thesaurus. A concept can be specified either by its unique identifier (code) or by the text of its descriptor."/><term thcode="25" code="16" name="hierarchical" parent="11" scope="Substantive broader-narrower relationships exist among the terms."/><term thcode="25" code="13" name="transitive" parent="12" scope="Narrower terms have an &quot;is a&quot; relationship with their broader terms, and generally can be described as part-of, type-of, or instance-of the broader term."/><term thcode="25" code="21" name="disciplines" parent="2" scope="Broad categories of human inquiry or activity, such as scientific disciplines."/><term thcode="25" code="20" name="methods" parent="2" scope="Actions taken to obtain or analyze information"/><term thcode="25" code="19" name="organizational functions" parent="2" scope="Things that organizations do, typically including various types of programs, projects, and services."/><term thcode="25" code="7" name="temporal" parent="2" scope="Terms indicate periods of time, such as chronostratigraphic units, named historical periods or intervals surrounding known historical events, or seasons."/><term thcode="25" code="5" name="theme" parent="2" scope="Terms indicate domains of human concern, such as scientific discipline, societal problems, or characteristics of earth, space, oceans, and living things."/></category><altlabel><altlabel>USGSThesaurus</altlabel><altlabel>USGSThesaurus</altlabel></altlabel></thesaurus><term thcode="2" code="63" name="atmospheric and climatic processes" parent="101" scope="Phenomena affecting or occurring within the mass of gases that surrounds the earth, including its physics, chemistry, dynamics, and weather conditions."/><uf><usefor name="climate"/><usefor name="microclimate"/><usefor name="weather"/><usefor name="weather monitoring"><usewith><term thcode="2" code="375" name="field inventory and monitoring" parent="376" scope="Repeated observation or sampling at a site, on a scheduled or event basis, for study and analysis.  In general, this category excludes sampling programs in which materials are obtained in the field and brought back to a laboratory for study and analysis."/></usewith></usefor><usefor name="weather observations"><usewith><term thcode="2" code="375" name="field inventory and monitoring" parent="376" scope="Repeated observation or sampling at a site, on a scheduled or event basis, for study and analysis.  In general, this category excludes sampling programs in which materials are obtained in the field and brought back to a laboratory for study and analysis."/></usewith></usefor></uf><bt><term thcode="2" code="101" name="biological and physical processes" parent="1174" scope="All continuing activities, functions, and phenomena associated with organisms and non-living matter."/><term thcode="2" code="1174" name="topics" parent="1" scope="Themes, subjects, and concerns for which USGS information resources are relevant."/><term thcode="2" code="1" name="Categories" scope="Thematic terms for categorizing information resources.  This thesaurus is intended to support finding and understanding scientific information."/></bt><nt><term thcode="2" code="64" name="atmospheric circulation" parent="63" scope="Movement of atmospheric gases around the earth."/><term thcode="2" code="66" name="atmospheric deposition (chemical &amp; particulate)" parent="63" scope="The transfer of substances from the air to the surface of the earth, either in wet form (rain, fog, snow, dew, frost, hail) or in dry form (gases, aerosols, particles)."/><term thcode="2" code="168" name="climate change" parent="63" scope="Long-term alteration in the characteristic weather conditions of a region, such as changes in precipitation and temperature."/><term thcode="2" code="284" name="droughts" parent="63" scope="Extended periods of moisture deficit over a sizeable area sufficient to have an adverse effect on vegetation, animals, or man."/><term thcode="2" code="1355" name="evaporation" parent="63" scope="Transfer of water from a surface into the atmosphere."/><term thcode="2" code="1704" name="greenhouse effect" parent="63" scope="Local, regional, or global warming in the atmosphere due to the higher heat capacity of certain gases such as carbon dioxide, methane, and ozone."/><term thcode="2" code="823" name="ocean-atmosphere interaction" parent="63" scope="Processes, including momentum, heat, gas and other exchanges, which result in profound effects on climate and interactions between the air in the lowest part of the atmosphere and the oceans."/><term thcode="2" code="927" name="precipitation (atmospheric)" parent="63" scope="Any or all forms of water particles that fall from the atmosphere, such as rain, snow, hail and sleet."/><term thcode="2" code="1102" name="storms" parent="63" scope="Atmospheric disturbances with winds of unusual force or direction. Accompanied by rain, snow, hail, or sleet, and often by thunder and lightning."/><term thcode="2" code="1690" name="wind" parent="63" scope="Local air movements."/></nt><rt><term thcode="2" code="67" name="atmospheric properties" parent="287" scope="Characteristics of the mass of gases surrounding the earth  such as composition, temperature, pressure, and humidity."/><term thcode="2" code="68" name="atmospheric sciences" parent="291" scope="Studies relating to composition, structure, physics, chemistry, and dynamics of the atmosphere."/><term thcode="2" code="731" name="meteorology" parent="68" scope="Branch of science dealing with the short-term variations of atmospheric conditions including wind, precipitation, temperature, humidity, cloud cover, and air pressure."/><term thcode="2" code="1072" name="snow and ice cover" parent="287" scope="Accumulation of snow or ice blanketing land surfaces."/></rt></descriptor>