Hints and tips for navigating the CMIP7 Data Request database on Airtable

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Navigate to [https://bit.ly/CMIP7-DReq-v1_1](http://bit.ly/CMIP7-DReq-v1_1) The Data Request v1.1 database will open in Airtable.

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The database should look like this when it is first opened. **Note screenshots have been taken from the v1.0beta release, but the overall database structure has stayed the same** so still reflect the latest version of the Data Request.

Elements of the database

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**Database title,** including version information.

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**Tables of the Data Request**, displayed as tabs across the top of the Airtable. Each table contains information about a different component of the Data Request. The key tables most users will need are highlighted further down in this guide. Click the arrow on the right-hand side of the tabs to scroll and see more Tables.

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**Options to customise the appearance of the Data Request.** If any of these are applied, they only apply locally to the individual user.

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**Metadata fields**, represented as columns within each table.

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**Records**. Each record is shown by a different line of the table. The image below shows three different records.

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**Table/field documentation**. Wherever there is a small i in a circle you can either click it, or hover over it to view a description of the table/field. Not every single field will have a piece of documentation. Work is ongoing to ensure there is a complete set of documentation for future releases of the Data Request.

Key tables in the Data Request

The first six tables in the database are likely the key pieces of information users will need to review the Data Request. The key six tables are listed below, in order that they appear in the Data Request database. 1. **Opportunity** 1. These are the intended use-case/justification for one or multiple variable groups. Opportunities are linked to relevant experiment groups. Identifying opportunities helps to provide a structure to map variables against requirements. Each opportunity description will convey why this combination of variables and experiments is important and how they contribute to impact. 2. **Variable Group** 1. These are non-exclusive grouping of CMIP variables (e.g. monthly time slices of the baseline variables). Variables can belong to more than one group. 3. **Variables** 1. The Variables of the CMIP7 Data Request. Each variable record corresponds to a physical parameter specification combined with information about the spatial/temporal sampling of the parameter. In CMIP6 'Variables' were called 'CMOR variables' (e.g. Amon.tas). 4. **Experiment Group** 1. These are non-exclusive grouping of experiments (e.g. ‘AR7 Fast Track’, ‘DECK’, ‘Scenarios’ etc.). Experiments can belong to more than one Experiment Group. 5. **Experiments** 1. Experiments requesting data in the CMIP AR7 Fast Track Data Request. The list of experiments is currently limited to those in the AR7 Fast Track, but there will be chance to propose new experiments for inclusion in the data request during Phase 2 of the consultation (October/November 2024). 6. **Physical Parameters** 1. Each Physical Parameter record defines a MIP variable name, associated with a CF Standard Name. In CMIP6 'Physical Parameters' were known as MIP Variables (e.g. tas).

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To navigate between the tables, click on the tab you would like to view. E.g. to move to the Variable Group tab, click here:

Navigating the data in the Data Request

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To easily read all information about a particular record, you can **expand records**. Hover your mouse to the left of the first column, and click the two arrows which appear.

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An expanded record will look like this. You can scroll up/down to read through all the metadata associated with this record. In the example below, we have expanded the 'Accurate assessment of land-atmosphere coupling' Opportunity.

The Data Request database is a [relational database](https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/what-is-a-relational-database-rdbms-definition/). This means that the records in different tables are **linked** together. This reduces the amount of information duplication that is needed in each table. For example, each Opportunity is **linked** to four other tables: 1. Lead theme and Themes columns: 1. These two columns in Opportunities are linked to the Data Request Themes table 2. Time Slice column 1. This column is linked to the Time Slice table. This column identifies time slices which should be applied to experiments within the Opportunity. 3. Variable Groups column 1. This column is linked to the Variable Group table. It identifies the variable groups which should be produced when a modelling centre decides to support an Opportunity. 4. Experiment Groups column 1. This column is linked to the Experiment Group table. It identifies the experiments are required to support an Opportunity.

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To view more information about the fields linked to a record, you can click through on the relevant field. For example, within the 'Accurate assessment of land-atmosphere coupling' Opportunity, the 'landatm_coupling_3ha' variable group is linked/attached to the Opportunity. Click on the Variable Group as shown below to open the record for the attached Variable Group. You could follow the same process to view information about the 'historical' experiment group which has been linked in the Experiment Groups field.

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By clicking on the 'landatm_coupling_3ha' in the previous step, you will open that variable group. As before you can scroll up/down to view the metadata about this variable group, including the variables which are included in it.

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Once you have scrolled down to find the list of variables attached to the 'landatm_coupling_3ha' Variable Group, you can click on any variable to view its metadata and learn more information about it.

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To close any expanded record, click the 'x' in the top right corner. If you have followed through links within a record, you may have more than one record open (for example if you have followed all steps above, you should have the '3hr.pr' variable, the 'landatm_coupling_3ha' Variable Group, and the 'Accurate assessment of land-atmosphere coupling' Opportunity open). You will need to close each one in turn to return to the table view of the information.