CSN Process Names

  CSDMS Standard Names — Process Names

• CSDMS Standard Names require an "object" part and a "quantity" part. The quantity part can contain a process name as a modifier to a base quantity, as in "snow_melt_rate".
  
  

• Process names are typically nouns derived from verbs, usually ending with:

"tion" (absorption, convection, radiation),
"sion" (conversion, dispersion),
"ing"  (swimming, upwelling),
"age"  (drainage, seepage, storage),
"y"    (discovery, recovery),
"ance" (acceptance, maintanence) and
"ment" (alignment, improvement, recruitment).

• The "ing" ending is often dropped (but perhaps we shouldn't allow it to be dropped?), as in:

birth, boil, burn, creep, flow, icefall, lapse, launch, melt,
rainfall, shear, snowfall, start, stop, throughfall and tilt.

• Rainfall is a somewhat unusual example in that the relevant object (rain) and the associated process (falling) have been fused to create the process name. Adding the object part in front would mean repeating the word rain. One way to avoid this issue is to use "precipitation" instead of "rainfall" and then specify the object as "water", or perhaps "methane" for Titan.
  
  

• Process names can almost always be paired with "_rate" in order to quantify how fast the process/action occurs, and this then creates a quantity name. However, the process name need not occur in other variable names that are associated with the process.
  
  

• Some process names may be naturally paired with an ending other than (or in addition to) "_rate", such as

gestation_period
penetration_depth
rainfall_duration
recovery_time
striking_distance
turning_radius
vibration_frequency

• Cracking is a good example of a process name that is used with a different meaning depending on the object, which therefore highlights the importance of the object part of CSDMS Standard Names. For example:

corn_cracking
ice_cracking
joke_cracking
molecule_cracking  (chemistry)
nut_cracking
password_cracking
safe_cracking
whip_cracking

• Note that a "tion" ending creates a noun while a "tive" ending creates an advective. Common examples are:

conduction   vs. conductive
convection   vs. convective
radiation    vs. radiative
reproduction vs. reproductive

• Some words are created by combining two processes, with the first in adjective form, as in: "radiative_transfer" and "convective_transport".
  
  

• Note that "friction" is not included in this list of process names. It is really a force rather than a process and doesn't fit the verb-to-noun pattern. The adjective "frictional" is used in terms like "frictional_momentum_loss_rate" (related to shear_stress); i.e. the frictional force causes momentum loss. A Google search indicates that "friction_rate" is sometimes used in connection with air ducts. The word "traction" has similar issues.
  
  

• Some process names that aren't typically used in the sciences are included in a separate document: CSDMS_Standard_Name_Processes_Extra.txt. Some are used in economics, manufacturing and horticulture, for example.
  
  

• This file contained over 606 process names as of July 25, 2012. Each process name is followed by the associated verb, in parentheses.

A

abatement (abate)
ablation (ablate)
abrasion (abrade)
absorption (absorb)
abstraction (abstract)   (synonym for extraction of water)
acceleration (accelerate)
accommodation (accommodate)   (e.g. accomodation_space)
accretion (accrete)  (in CF)
accumulation (accumulate)   (in CF)
acidification (acidify)
action (act)
activation (activate)    (e.g. activation_energy)
adaptation (adapt)
addition (add)   (see division, multiplication, subtraction)
adjustment (adjust)
adsorption (adsorb)   (see absorption, desorption, sorption)
advection  (advect)
aeration (aerate)
aging (age)
aggradation (aggrade)   (see "progradation")
aggregation (aggregate)   (e.g. diffusion-limited aggregation or DLA)
alleviation (alleviate)
alignment (align)            (e.g. of planets)
amplification (amplify)
animation (animate)          (e.g. suspended animation)
annealing (anneal)
annihilation (annihilate)    (e.g. matter and antimatter)
armoring (armor)             (e.g. stream bed armoring)
arrival (arrive)
assimilation (assimilate)    (e.g. protein_assimilation_rate)
attachment (attach, attaching)    (see detachment)
attack (attack, attacking)   (e.g. in medical context)
attenuation (attenuate)
attraction (attract)         (e.g. planets and atoms)
austempering (austemper)        (hardening process for metals)
austenitization (austenitize)   (heating process for metals)
autoconversion (autoconvert)  (in CF)
avalanching (avalanche)   (e.g. avalanching_rate)
averaging (average)
aversion (avert)     (e.g. risk_aversion)
avoidance (avoid)    (e.g. zone of avoidance in astronomy)
avulsion (avulse)

B

backcrossing (backcross)   (e.g. in genetics)
backscattering (backscatter)   (preferred to: backwards_scattering ??)
binding (bind)
binning (bin)
biodegradation (biodegrade)   (see degradation)
bioluminescence (bioluminesce ??)  (see fluorescence)
bioturbation (bioturbate  ??)
birth (birth, birthing)  (more an event than a process?)
blasting (blast)    (e.g. abrasive blasting) 
bleaching (bleach)  (e.g. coral bleaching)
blowing (blow)      (e.g. blowing snow)
boiling (boil)
bombardment (bombard)   (e.g. elementary particles, cratering)
bonding (bond)
boring (bore)       (drilling)
braiding (braid)
braking (brake)
branching (branch)   (e.g. branching_ratio)
breaking (break)     (e.g. breaking_point)
breakup (breakup)    (e.g. drops and bubbles, ice breakup)
breathing (breathe)
bridging (bridge)
bubbling (bubble)    (e.g. bubbling_pressure_head)
buoyancy (buoy, buoyance)   (e.g. larvae_buoyancy_rate;  see sinking)
burial (bury, burying)
burning (burn)
burrowing (burrow)

C

calibration (calibrate)
calving (calve)
capping (cap)    (e.g. capping a well)
capturing (capture)
carving (carve)      (glaciers "carve" valleys)
catalyzing (catalyze)
cavitation (cavitate)
circulation (circulate)
cleavage (cleave)
cloning (clone)
clumping (clump)
clustering (cluster)
coalescence (coalesce)    (droplets: coalescence_rate vs. rupturing_rate)
collapse (collapse, collapsing)
collection (collect)
collision (collide)       (e.g. atomic and subatomic particles)
colonization (colonize)
combustion (comust)
compaction (compact)
competition (compete)   (e.g. species)
completion (complete)
compounding (compound)
compensating (compensate, compensation)  (e.g. frequency_compensation in EE)
compression (compress)
conception (conceive)
condensation  (condense)
conditioning (condition)
conduction (conduct)
confining (confine)  (e.g. confining_pressure)
confinement (confine)  (e.g. atoms, fusion)
congelation (congeal ??)  (in CF)
connection (connect)
conservation (conserve)
conserving (conserve)    (e.g. mass-conserving system)
consumption  (consume)   (e.g. fuel_consumption)
containment (contain)    (e.g. "containment field")
contamination (contaminate)
contraction (contract)    (see expansion)
control (control, controlling)
convection (convect, convecting, convective)
conversion (convert)
cooling (cool)
corrasion (corrade)
correction (correct)   (also a Base Quantity)
correlation (correlate)    (e.g. correlation_coefficient)
corrosion (corrode, corroding)
coupling (couple)
coverage (cover)      (e.g. coverage processes)
covering (cover)
cracking (crack)
cratering (crater)    (see pitting, impact)
creation (create)  (e.g. job_creation, in economics)
creep  (creep, creeping)
crystallization (crystallize)
cultivation (cultivate)
cycling (cycle)   (e.g. carbon cycling)

D

damage (damage, damaging)
damming (dam)    (see impounding)
dampening (dampen)
death (death, mortality)
decay (decay, decaying)   (e.g. decay_rate, exponential_decay)
deceleration (decelerate)
decision (decide)
deflation (deflate)
deformation (deform)
degradation (degrade)     (see biodegradation)
dehydration (dehydrate)   (see hydration)
deionization (deionize)   (see ionization)
delay (delay, delaying)   (e.g. delay_factor)
delineation (delineate)
delivery (deliver)     (e.g. with drugs, or giving birth)
demarcation (demarcate)
denaturation (denature)   (e.g. of proteins)
denitrification (denitrify)  (in CF)
densification (density)
departure (depart)
depletion (deplete)      (e.g. fossil_fuel_depletion)
deployment (deploy)
deposition (deposit)
depression (depress)
desalination (desalinate;  also desalinize, desalinization)
desorption (desorb)
destruction (destruct)
detachment (detach)      (e.g. detachment_limited;  see attachment)
detection (detect)
deterrence (deter)
detrainment (detrain)   (in CF;  see entrainment)
deviation (deviate)     (e.g. standard_deviation;  also a Base Quantity ########)
dew  (dew, dewing)      (e.g. dew_point;  "dewing" may be more "correct"; see melt/melting)
dewatering (dewater)
differentiation (differentiate)
diffraction (diffract)    (see refraction)
diffusion  (diffuse)
digestion (digest)
digging (dig)
dilation (dilate)
dilution (dilute)
disappearance (disappear)   (e.g. of a species)
discharge  (discharge, discharging)   (discharge_rate = stream_flow_rate ?)
discovery (discover)
dispersion (disperse, dispersal, dispersement ??)
displacement (displace)
disposal (dispose)
disposing (dispose)
disruption (disrupt)
dissipation (dissipate)  (in CF)
dissociation (dissociate)   (e.g. bond_dissociation_energy)
dissolution (dissolve)
distillation (distill)
distortion (distort)
disturbance (disturb)   (e.g. disturbance_frequency, fires)
diversion (divert)      (e.g. of flows)
division (divide)       (cell_division_rate)
dosing (dose)
downburst (downburst, downbursting)   (e.g. microburst, macroburst)
downcutting (downcut)
downdraft (downdraft, downdrafting)   (see updraft)
downscaling (downscale)
downturn (downturn, downturning)
downwelling (but "downwell" is not a word)
drag (drag, dragging)    (in aerodynamics;  see lift, thrust)
drainage  (drain, draining)
drifting (drift)    (e.g. snow_drifting, particle_drifting, drift_velocity)
drilling (drill)
dripping (drip)   (e.g. in irrigation)
driving (drive)    (e.g. driving_force;  see forcing)
drought  #############
drying (dry)
duplication (duplicate)   (e.g. DNA, gene duplication)

E

egress (egress)     (e.g. signal egress, or leakage in cables; see ingress)
ejection (eject)
electrification (electrify)
elimination (eliminate)
elongation (elongate)
emergence (emerge)
emigration (emigrate)
emission (emit)               (e.g. particle emission)
emulsification (emulsify)
encapsulation (encapsulate)
encasement (encase, encasing)  (e.g. glass or resin encasement)
enrichment (enrich)   (e.g of uranium)
entanglement (entangle)    (e.g. quantum entanglement)
entrainment (entrain)
erosion (erode)
eruption (erupt)   (e.g. volcanic)
eutrophication (eutrophicate)
evaporation (evaporate)
evapotranspiration (evapotranspirate)
evolution (evolve)
examination (examine)
excavation (excavate)
exchange (exchange, exchanging)
excitation (excite)     (see inhibition)
exclusion (exclude)
excretion (excrete)
exhaust  (exhaust, exhausting)   (e.g. from an automobile)
exhaustion (exhaust)
expansion (expand)      (see contraction)
explosion (explode)     (see implosion)
exporting (export)  ??  (see import)
exposure (expose)
expression (express)
expulsion (expel)
extension (extend)
extinction (extinct)  (extinct is also a verb, from "extinguish")
extinguishment (extinguish)
extraction (extract)    (e.g. of water;  see abstraction)
extrapolation (extrapolate)
extrusion (extrude)

F

failure (fail, failing)
falling (fall)
fallout (fallout)
faulting (fault)    (e.g. detachment_faulting, thrust_faulting)
feedback (feedback, "feeding back")
filling (fill)
filtration (filtrate)
finding (find)    (e.g. root_finding)
fining (fine)   (e.g. downstream fining of grain size)
firing (fire)          (neuron_firing_rate)
fission #####   (e.g. nuclear_fission, cell_fission)
fixation (fixate)   (in CF)
flexure (flex)
flight (fly, flying)    (e.g. flying_time)
flocculation (flocculate)
flood (flood, flooding)
flotation (float)
flow (flow, flowing)   (e.g. sea_water_flow_speed)
fluctuation (fluctuate)
fluorescence (fluoresce)   (see bioluminescence)
flushing (flush)
folding (fold)     (e.g. protein_folding and in geology)
foraging (forage)
forcing (force)
forging (forge)
formation  (form)
fouling (foul)
fractionization (fractionize)
fracturing (fracture)   (e.g. hydraulic_fracturing or "hydrofracking")
fragmentation (fragment)
freezing   (freeze)
freshening (freshen)  (of salt water)
fumigation (fumigate)
fusion (fuse)

G

gaining  (gain)
gathering (gather)
generation (generate)
genesis   ##############
germination (germinate)
glaciation (glaciate)   (also used in cloud physics)
governing (govern)    (e.g. governing equations)
gravitation (gravitate)
grazing (graze)   (and overgrazing)
grounding (ground)
growing  (grow)    (e.g. growing_season)
growth  (grow)   (e.g. population_mean_growth_rate)
gyration (gyrate)  (e.g. gyration_rate of a gyre)

H

hadronization (hadronize)   (forming hadrons out of quarks and gluons)
hardening (harden)    (see softening)
harvest (harvest, harvesting)
heating (heat)
heaving (heave)   (e.g. frost_heaving)
hibernation (hibernate)
hiding (hiding)   (e.g. hiding factor ??)
hitting (hit)     (e.g. hit_rate ??)
hydration (hydrate)

I

icefall  (icefall, "icefalling")   (see rainfall, snowfall)
icing (ice, like "ice up")
icepush (icepush, "icepushing")  ###### ????  (see ridging)
ignition (ignite)
immersion (immerse)
immigration (immigrate)   (see emigration)
impact (impact, impaction)    (e.g. crater_formation)
impedance (impede)
implosion (implode)
importing (import)  ??  (see export)
impounding (impound)    (damming;  Note: impoundment refers to the reservoir ??)
improvement (improve)
inclusion (include)
incubation (incubate)    (e.g. incubation_period)
induction (induce)       (e.g. induction_period in chemical kinetics)
infiltration (infiltrate)
inflation (inflate)      (e.g. cosmic_inflation)
infusion (infuse)
ingress (ingress)        (e.g. signal ingress, or leakage into cables; see egress)
inheritance (inherit)    (in genetics)
inhibition (inhibit)     (see excitation)
injection (inject)       (injection_rate in a well)
insertion (insert)
insolation (insolate)    (synonum for "solar irradiation")
insulation (insulate)
intake (intake, intaking)
integration (integrate)
interaction (interact)        (e.g. wave_wave_ or wave_current_interaction ??)
intercalation (intercalate)   (e.g. intercalated DNA)
interference (interfere)      (e.g. waves)
interpolation (interpolate)
introgression (introgress)    (e.g. in genetics, also introgressive hybridization)
intrusion (intrude)           (e.g. salt_water_intrusion)
inundation (inundate)         (e.g. flood_plain_inundation)
invasion (invade)
inversion (inverse)           (e.g. atmospheric_inversion, thermal_inversion)
ionization (ionize)
irradiation (irradiate)       (see "insolation")
irrigation (irrigate)
iteration (iterate)

J

(None yet)

K

(None yet)

L

lag (lag, lagging)      (e.g. lag_time)
landfall (landfall)     (e.g. hurricane_landfall_rate ??)
lapse (lapse, lapsing)  (e.g. lapse_rate of an atmospheric variable, usuaally temperature)
lateration (laterate)   (also: "unilateration", "trilateration", "multilateration"; see "ranging")
launching (launch)
laying (lay)
leaching (leach)   (e.g. leaching into soil)
lead (lead, leading)   (e.g. lead_time for disaster warnings)
levitation (levitate)  (e.g. magnetic levitation)
lifting (lift)         (in aerodynamics;  see drag, thrust)
ligation (ligate)
liquefaction (liquefy or liquify)
loading (load)           (e.g. beam_loading)
locomotion (locomote)    (e.g. aquatic_locomotion, animal self movement)
loss (lose, losing)
lowering (lower)
lubrication (lubricate)

M

magnetization (magnetize)
magnification (magnify)   (e.g. magnification_factor)
maneuvering (maneuver)
martempering (martemper)  (heat treatment for steel)
matching (match)
measurement (measure, measuring)
mediation (mediate)    (e.g. semantic_mediation)
melt   (melt, melting)
metabolic (metabolize, metabolization?)   (basal_metabolic_rate, resting_metabolic_rate)
migration (migrate)
mining (mine)
mitigation (mitigate)
mixing (mix)     (e.g. prandtl_mixing_length)
mobilization (mobilize)
motion (move)   (motion_rate = velocity)
multiplication (multiply)
mutation (mutate)

N

navigation (navigate)
neutralization (neutralize)    (e.g. an odor)
nitrification (nitrify)  (see denitrification)
nourishment (nourish)  (e.g. beach nourishment)
nucleation (nucleate)
nudging (nudge)      (e.g., in climate models)
nullification (nullify)
nutation (nutate)    (in astronomy;  see precession)

O

observation (observe)
obliteration (obliterate)
occurrence (occur)
oscillation (oscillate)
outbreak (outbreak, outbreaking)    (in context of disease)
outgassing (outgas)
overturning (overturn)  (in CF)
oxidation (oxidize)   (see reduction)
oxygenation (oxygenate)

P

pairing (pair)
partitioning (partition)   (e.g. partitioning_coefficient)
penetration (penetrate)    (e.g. penetration_depth)
percolation (percolate)
perturbation (perturb)
pinging (ping)
pitting (pit)
plucking (pluck)    (as in sediment on a streambed)
polarization (polarize)    (e.g. polarizaion_angle)
pollution (pollute)
polymerization (polymerize)   (in chemistry)
ponding (pond)    (e.g. infiltration ponding time)
population (populate)     (population_growth_rate, repopulation_rate ??)
precession (precess)         (e.g. precession of Mercury;  see nutation)
precipitation (precipitate)
processing (process)
predation (prey, preying)    (e.g. predation_pressure)
production (produce)
progradation (prograde)     (see "aggradation")
projection (project)
propagation (propagate)
propulsion (propel)
protection (protect)
pruning (prune)   (e.g. in network extraction from DEMs)
pulling (pull)
pulsation (pulsate)    (e.g. heart_pulsation_rate vs. pulse_rate)
pulverizing (pulverize)
pumping (pump)    (think about heart_rate vs. heart_pumping_rate, etc.)
purification (purify)

Q

quenching (quench)   (rapid cooling; quenching_distance in combustion)

R

radiation (radiate)
rafting (raft)   (e.g. ice rafting;  sediment transported on or in ice)
rainfall (rainfall, "rainfalling")   (then rainfall_rate is preferred to rain_rate)
ranging (range)  (also in combinations like "free_ranging" & laser_ranging; see "lateration")
rating (rate)    (e.g. rating_coefficient)
reaction (react)
rebound (rebound, rebounding?)     (e.g. isostatic_rebound)
recharge (recharge, recharging)   (see discharge)
reckoning (reckon)   (e.g. dead reckoning)
recognition (recognize)     (e.g. pattern_recognition)
reconciliation (reconcile)
recovery (recover)
recruitment (recruit)
rectifying (rectify)
recurrence (recur)
recycling (recycle)   (e.g. nutrient recycling)
redistribution (redistribute)    (e.g. of water in soil)
reduction (reduce)
reducing  (reduce,  e.g. chemistry:  reducing atmosphere)
refining (refine)
reflection (reflect)   (e.g. sonar signals)
refraction (refract)   (see "diffraction")
refreshing (refresh)   (e.g. refresh_rate for monitors, aquariums?)
regression (regress)   (see "transgression")
regulation (regulate)
reinforcement (reinforce)   (e.g. positive and negative; or in construction)
reintroduction (reintroduce)   (e.g. a species)
rejection (reject)
relaxation (relax)   (in CF)
releasing (release)
relief (relieve)
removal (remove)
repair (repair, repairing)
replacement (replace)
replenishment (replenish)   (e.g. beach replenishment;  see nourishment)
replication (replicate)      (e.g. DNA, virus;  self_replication)
repopulation (repopulate)
reproduction (reproduce, what about reproductive ?;  see production)
requesting (request)
rescaling (rescale)   (see upscaling, downscaling)
rescue (rescue, rescuing)
residence (reside)    (residence_time)
resilience (resilient, but not a verb  #########)
resistance (resist)
resonance (resonate)
respiration (respirate)
response (respond, responding)
restoration (restore) (in CF)
retarding (retard)
retention (retain)            (e.g. retention_pond ??)
retrieval (retrieve)
retrogradation (retrograde)   (see aggradation, progradation)
return (return, returning)   (e.g. return flow, return period)
reverberation (reverberate)
reversal (reverse)            (e.g. pole_reversal)
revolution (revolve)
ridging (ridge)    (used in ice dynamics)
righting (right)   (e.g. righting a ship)
riming (rime)    (in CF)
rip (rip, ripping)   (e.g. rip current)
rise (raise)   (sea_level_rise; see sunrise)
rolling (roll)    (see sliding, slipping)
rotation  (rotate)
roughnening (roughen)
runoff    (runoff, "running off")
runup     (runup, "running up", waves coming onshore, uprush?)
rupturing (rupture)

S

saltation (saltate)   ("hopping" of sediment grains; also used in biology)
sapping (sap)  (e.g. groundwater sapping)
saturation (saturate)
saving (save)
scaling (scale)
scattering (scatter)
scavenging (scavenge)
scouring (scour)
screening (screen)    (e.g. debye_huckel_screening_length)
sealing (seal)  (e.g. induction sealing, sealing wax)
searching (search)
sedimentation (sediment)  (in CF)
seeding (seed)    (e.g. cloud seeding)
seeking (seek)    (e.g. heat_seeking_missile)
seepage (seep, seeping)
selection (select)
sensing (sense)
separation (separate)
sequencing (sequence)   (e.g. DNA or genome sequencing)
sequestration  (sequester)
settling (settle)    (e.g. stokes_settling_velocity)
shattering (shatter)  (e.g. frost and salt)
shearing (shear)     (e.g. shearing_stresses (Batchelor, 1988), or just shear_stress)
shedding (shed)      (e.g. vortex shedding)
shielding (shield)   (e.g. for cables; see egress and ingress)
shifting (shift)
shrinking (shrink)
sighting (sight)   (e.g. whale_sighting_rate)
sinking (sink)  (e.g. sinking_rate, sinking_deltas ??)
silting  ("silt up")    (e.g. reservoir_silting_rate)
simulation (simulate)   (but simulation is also a noun)
sliding (slide)    (e.g. land_ice_basal_sliding_rate)
smoothing (smooth)   (see "roughening")
snowfall (snowfall, "snowfalling")
softening (soften)
solifluction (but solifluct is not a verb?  [soli=soil, fluct=flow] same as creep?)
solutioning  (cave formation process)
sorption (see absorption, adsorption)
sorting (sort)       (e.g. sediment sorting in a stream)
sounding (sound)     (e.g. sonar signals, also "ping_rate")
sparing (spare)      (e.g. of glycogen or protein or steroids) 
speciation (speciate)
spin (spin, spinning)
splitting (split)     (e.g. cell division)
spreading (spread)    (sea_floor_spreading_rate, mid_ocean_ridge_spreading_rate)
stabilization (stabilize)
staging (stage)         (e.g. staging_period)
stagnation (stagnate)   (e.g. stagnation_point in fluid dynamics)
stalling (stall)        (as in aerodynamics)
starting (start)        (e.g. starting_date;  see stopping)
stasis  (stasis)        ("suspended animation", only in fiction ??)
steering (steer)        (e.g. topographic steering)
stepping (step)         (e.g. time_stepping)
stimulation (stimulate)
stocking (stock)
stopping (stop)         (see starting)
storage (store)
straining (strain)      (e.g. applied loads)
striking (strike)       (e.g. striking_distance)
subduction (subduct)
sublimation (sublimate)
submission (submit)
subsidence (subside)
subtraction (subtract)
success (succeed, succeeding)  (see failure)
suction (suck, sucking)
suffusion (suffuse)              (e.g. in sinkhole formation)
sunrise (sunrise, "sun rising")
sunset (sunset, "sun setting")
sunshine (sunshine, sunshining)   (e.g. sunshine_duration)
supercooling (supercool)
superheating (superheat)
suppression (suppress)     (e.g. fire_suppression_rate)
surfacing (surface)
surge (surge, surging)     (e.g. storm_surge)
surveying (survey)
survival (survive)         (e.g. infant_survival_rate)
suspension (suspend)
swell (swell, swelling)    (e.g. swell_wave)
swimming (swim)
synchronization (synchronize)

T

tagging (tag)               (e.g. genetic tagging)
tempering (temper)          (e.g. steel_tempering)
tension (tense, tensing)    (e.g. surface_tension)
terraforming (terraform)
termination (terminate)
testing (test)
thaw (thaw, thawing)     (e.g. permafrost_thaw_rate, soil_thaw_depth)
throttling (throttle)    (e.g. Joule-Thomson throttling process in gas dynamics)
throughfall (throughfall, "throughfalling")
thrust (thrust, thrusting)     (drag, lift)
tilt (tilt, tilting)     (e.g. earth_axis_tilt_angle)
tipping (tip)
titration (titrate)
traction #############
transfer (transfer, transferring?)   (e.g. gene transfer)
transformation (transform)
transgression (transgress)   (e.g. marine transgression;  see regression)
transit (transit)   (e.g. a transit of venus in astronomy; transit_duration)
transition (transit)   (e.g. phase transition, atomic electron transition)
translation (translate)
transmission (transmit)
transmutation (transmute)  (e.g. of species)
transpiration (transpire)
transport  (transport, transportation)
trapping (trap)  (e.g. of atoms, sediment;  e.g. trapping efficiency)
traversal (traverse)  ??
treatment (treat)   (e.g. sewage_treatment)
treethrow (treethrow, treethrowing?)
triangulation (triangulate)
turning (turn)   (e.g. turning_radius)
turnover (turnover)  (e.g. cell replacement)

U

undertow (undertow, undertowing)
updraft (updraft, updrafting)    (see downdraft)
uplift (uplift, uplifting)    (bedrock_uplift_rate)
upscaling (upscale)
uptake (uptake, uptaking)
upwelling (upwell)
usage (use)   (e.g. urban water usage)

V

vaporization (vaporize)
ventilation (ventilate)
vibration (vibrate)
volatilization (volatilize)

W

warming (warm)   (e.g. global_warming)
warning (warn)   ??
watering (water)
weathering (weather)  (e.g. chemical, frost, mechanical and physical)
wedging (wedge)  (e.g. frost_wedging, ice_wedging)
wetting (wet)    (e.g. wetting_front)
wilting (wilt)   (e.g. wilting_point_water_content)
winnowing (winnow)
withdrawal (withdraw)   (e.g. ground_water_withdrawal_rate)
withering (wither)      (e.g. plant withering rate)

X

(None yet)

Y

yawing (yaw)

Z

(None yet)