[CF-metadata] Standard names for wave model data.

From: Stark, John <john.stark>
Date: Wed, 31 May 2006 15:11:36 +0100

Hi,

I would like to request some new standard names to cover output from a
wave model. The model makes no distinction between 'wind' and 'swell'
waves, which there are names for, but is spectral, having both frequency
and direction dimensions at each location. Typically the output is
integrated over direction (giving a wave spectrum but no direction
information), and presented together with the dominant direction at each
location.
   
We could use "wind_and_swell_wave" instead of just "wave" in the
following names.
   
Coordinate variable describing the wave-direction axis:
standard_name = "direction_of_wave_velocity" ;
units = "degree"

Coordinate variable describing the frequency axis:
standard_name = "wave_frequency" ;
units = "s-1"

This variable describes the wave spectral energy density in each
frequency and direction bin.
standard_name = "directional_wave_spectrum_energy" ;
units = "m2 s-1 radian-1" ;

Integrating the above over all angles gives the wave spectrum :
standard_name = "wave_spectrum_energy" ;
units = "m2 s-1" ;

This variable describes the direction that waves are arriving from :
standard_name = "wave_spectrum_direction" ;
units = "degree" ;

This variable would be used to describe the (zero upcrossing) wave
period at each location:
standard_name = "wave_period" ;
units = "s"

This variable would be used to describe the period at which peak wave
energy occurs at each location:
standard_name = "peak_period_of_wave_field" ;
units = "s"

John


John Stark SST and Sea Ice Scientist
Met Office FitzRoy Road Exeter EX1 3PB United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)1392 885059 Fax: +44 (0)1392 885681
Received on Wed May 31 2006 - 08:11:36 BST