def breakdown_var_path(var_path):
    """ Breakdown a path of the form
    'MRI/MRI-CGCM3/piControl/mon/atmos/cfMon/r1i1p1/latest/pctisccp' to
    a dictionary of its constituents. """

    bit_names = ["group", "model", "experiment", "freq",
                 "realm", "cmor_table", "ensemble", "_", "variable"]
    path_bits = var_path.split("/")
    bit_dict = { b:m for b, m in zip(bit_names, path_bits) }
    del bit_dict["_"]

    return bit_dict