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precipitation

vr.tr.precipitation-phenomenon · thing-precipitation-phenomenon

Let an agent handle precipitation by type, amount, intensity and duration, with measurements and warnings.

Thing Registry Physical world and living systems PHY.FLW
Bundle → Layer → Finding → QuestionsClassifiersWhat it isWhy it existsDistinguishing featuresWhat robots and AI may and may not doMoral aspectsOwnersLinks to other meta-modelsIdentity and identifiersDirect propertiesRecognitionCapabilities and actionsHazards and failure modesStandards and interfacesContext of useSources

Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled

4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions

Type What falls.

Phase

Liquid or frozen.

Type

Precipitation type.

  1. What type of precipitation is falling? definition
  2. At what temperature? measurement

Intensity

Rate.

Intensity

Intensity.

  1. How intense is it? measurement
  2. Is it heavy by the local definition? boundary
Measurement How much.

Gauge

Totals.

Totals

Measured totals.

  1. How much fell, at which gauge? measurement
  2. Over what period? definition

Radar

Estimates.

Radar

Radar estimates.

  1. What do radar estimates show? measurement
  2. How well do they match gauges? measurement
Impact Floods and travel.

Hazards

Flood, ice, hail.

Hazards

Hazards.

  1. What hazards does it bring? boundary
  2. Are warnings in force? provenance

Water resources

Supply.

Water

Water supply effects.

  1. How does it affect reservoirs and groundwater? measurement
  2. Is there a drought or surplus? boundary
Forecast What is coming.

Prediction

Amounts and timing.

Forecast

Forecast.

  1. How much is forecast, when, by whom? provenance
  2. With what probability? measurement

Actions

Preparation.

Actions

Preparation.

  1. How should people prepare? action
  2. When should travel be avoided? action

Classifiers Filled

Family
Thing Registry
Category
Physical world and living systems
Entry kind
noun.phenomenon
Plane
PHY
Domain
PHY.FLW
Facets: substance
energy
Facets: origin
natural
Facets: agency
inert
Facets: mobility
not-applicable
Facets: scale
not-applicable
Facets: affordances
observable
Other names and narrower kinds
fine spray, hail, downfall, sleet, virga

What it is Filled

The falling to Earth of water in any form, such as rain, snow, hail, sleet or drizzle, including virga that evaporates before reaching the ground.

Why it exists Filled

Let an agent handle precipitation by type, amount, intensity and duration, with measurements and warnings.

Distinguishing features Filled

  • Water falling from the atmosphere
  • Many types by phase and size
  • Measured as depth of water
  • Showers are convective precipitation

What robots and AI may and may not do Filled

Must not

  • Contradict or impersonate official flood or snow warnings.
  • Send vehicles or people into flooded roads or avalanche zones.
  • Alter rain gauge data or records.
  • Present cloud seeding or other weather modification as certain to work.

Only with a human decision

  • Ordering evacuation for floods.
  • Opening reservoir gates or flood defences.

May

  • Report rainfall, snow and hail from official observations.
  • Pass on flood and snow warnings issued by authorities.

Moral aspects Filled

  • Floods and droughts decide livelihoods and lives.
  • Water is shared, and upstream choices affect people downstream.

Who is affected

  • Residents of flood plains
  • Farmers
  • Travellers

Owners Filled

Steward

Nobody owns the rain; meteorological and hydrological services record it.

Links to other meta-models Filled

parent

  • oewn-11545095-n - registry parent class

related

  • shower - convective
  • atmospheric phenomenon - parent
  • flood - hazard
  • weather - element

What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled

Identity and identifiers required Filled

  • Vercy registry: vr.tr.precipitation-phenomenon
  • Open English WordNet: oewn-11515038-n

Direct properties required Filled

  • heavy rain threshold: about 7.6-10 mm/h - varies by service
  • snow to water ratio: about 10:1 ratio - varies widely

Recognition required Filled

  • Type of falling water
  • Gauge totals in mm
  • Radar images
  • Rain, snow, hail, sleet and drizzle falling from clouds; virga as streaks below clouds.

Capabilities and actions required Filled

  • measure it with gauges and radar
  • forecast it
  • warn about heavy precipitation
  • manage water resources

Hazards and failure modes required Filled

  • Flooding
  • Ice and snow hazards
  • Hail damage

Standards and interfaces required Filled

  • WMO precipitation measurement guidance
  • National warning thresholds

Context of use required Filled

  • Precipitation supplies water, affects travel and can cause floods.
  • rain and drizzle
  • snow
  • hail
  • sleet and freezing rain
  • virga

Sources Filled

  1. Open English WordNet 2024, synset oewn-11515038-n - sense and gloss of the concept
  2. Wiktionary: precipitation - word senses and usage

Open questions

  • Should precipitation types be separate entries?
  • How should thresholds be linked by service?
  • How should snow depth and water equivalent be recorded?

Machine files

Card as JSON Specification Card backlog vercy.card/1

Provenance

thing registry research (pass 2) · unreviewed

Built from: models/things/publications/thing-precipitation-phenomenon/spec.json