[CF-metadata] Proposed Standard Names

From: Nan Galbraith <ngalbraith>
Date: Wed, 27 Jul 2005 10:15:02 -0400

Chris Webster wrote:

>
> >> platform_heading needs clarification. If the platform is a ship,
> heading can
> >> either be interpreted as the direction towards which the bow is
> pointing or the
> >> direction towards which the ship is travelling (very different if
> going backwards!).
>
>
> In the aircraft world, platform_heading is the direction the vehicle is
> pointed, true_heading is the direction of travel.


On ships, true_heading is the gyro reading, corrected for magnetic
declination. Course is the direction of the ship's movement, generally
acquired from gps.

I think that these terms are standard in the sea-going oceanographic
community,
so the difference vs the aircraft defs may lead to problems at some point.

- Nan

-- 
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*Nan Galbraith            Upper Ocean Processes Group       *
*Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Woods Hole, MA 02540  *
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Received on Wed Jul 27 2005 - 08:15:02 BST