LOCATION INDICATORS (gggggg)

Location indicators are used to identify the geographic area where the event is occurring in the image. Exceptions to this are found with imagery of tropical systems, volcanoes and unique imagery that is not classifiable under any event directory.

In those cases, the following is generally true:

Tropical Systems - rather than the location, the name (or number) of the tropical system is used here. If the name is longer than six characters, it is abbreviated.

Volcanoes - If only one volcano is in a specified area, the geographic location is used here. Otherwise, the name of the volcano (usually in abbreviated form) is used.

Unique - An attempt to describe the event in the image is placed in this section of the filename. If the image is of multiple events, this section is filled with the event designators of each event.

Africa
Indicator Region
africa
No longer in use. Previously used to designate images of significant events on the African continent. Continent was eventually divided into regions for these purposes.
afrN
Northern Africa - generally including the following countries:

  • Algeria
  • Chad
  • Egypt
  • Ethiopia
  • Libya
  • Niger
  • Tunisia
  • Sudan
Used when an event is large-scale and covers a few or all of these countries.
afrW
Western Africa - generally including the countries west of Algeria, Niger, Chad and Cameroon.
sudan
Sudan

Antarctica
Indicator Region
antarc
Antarctica

Asia
Indicator Region
afghan
Afghanistan
asiaE
Eastern Asia - includes Mongolia, China, countries in southeast Asia, and Korea. Generally used for large-scale events whose extent covers a few or all of these areas.
china
China
russia
Russia including Sakhalin Island

Central America
Indicator Region
cam
Used for imagery of events taking place in any of the following countries:
  • Belize
  • Costa Rica
  • El Salvador
  • Guatemala
  • Honduras
  • Nicaragua
  • Panama

Will likely be replaced by a subdivision for each country as events warrant.

Europe
Indicator Region
eurW
Used for large-scale events such as storm systems which affect the western half of Europe.
grc
Greece

Indonesia
Indicator Region
ind
All countries and provinces in Indonesia and Malaysia including:
  • Borneo
  • Brunei
  • Celebes
  • Java
  • Sarawak
  • Sabah

Middle East
Indicator Region
midest
No longer in use. Previously the indicator for images of events in the Middle East.
midE
Middle East

North America
Indicator Region
canada
No longer in use. Previously used to designate images of events occurring in any part of Canada. Country now subdivided by province for this purpose.
canALB
Alberta
canBCO
British Columbia
canMAN
Manitoba
canNWT
Northwest Territories
canONT
Ontario
canQUE
Quebec
canSAS
Saskatchewan
canYUK
Yukon
mexico
Mexico
us**
Individual states in the United States - where ** is the official two-letter state abbreviation.
usE
Eastern United States - used for large-scale events such as storm systems which affect numerous states in this region. Generally includes states east of the Mississippi River.
usGLF
Gulf Coast States - used for large-scale events which affect numerous states in this region. Generally includes the following states:
  • Alabama
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Louisiana
  • Mississippi
  • Texas (East)
usMAtl
Mid Atlantic United States - used for large-scale events which affect numerous states in this region. Generally includes the following states:
  • Delaware
  • Maryland
  • New Jersey
  • Virginia
  • West Virginia
usMW
Midwestern United States - used for large-scale events which affect numerous states in this region. Generally includes the following states:
  • Illinois
  • Indiana
  • Kentucky
  • Ohio
  • Michigan
  • Wisconsin
usNoE
Northeast United States - used for large-scale events which affect numerous states in this region. Generally includes the following states:
  • Connecticut
  • Maine
  • Massachusetts
  • New Hampshire
  • New York
  • Pennsylvania
  • Rhode Island
  • Vermont
usNW
Northwest United States - used for large-scale events which affect numerous states in this region. Generally includes the following states:
  • Idaho
  • Montana
  • Oregon
  • Washington
usPLA
Great Plains of the United States - used for large-scale events which affect numerous states in this region. Generally includes the following states:
  • Arkansas
  • Iowa
  • Kansas
  • Minnesota
  • Missouri
  • Nebraska
  • North Dakota
  • Oklahoma
  • South Dakota
  • Texas
usSE
Southeastern United States - used for large-scale events which affect numerous states in this region. Generally includes the following states:
  • Alabama
  • Florida
  • Georgia
  • Mississippi
  • North Carolina
  • South Carolina
  • Tennessee
usW
Western United States - used for large-scale events which affect numerous states in this region. Generally includes the following states:
  • Arizona
  • California
  • Colorado
  • Idaho
  • Montana
  • Nevada
  • New Mexico
  • Oregon
  • Utah
  • Washington
  • Wyoming

South America
Indicator Region
arg
Argentina
brz
Brazil
chile
Chile
col
Colombia
guy
Guyana
ven
Venezuela