[CF-metadata] Putting the units in a CF standard name: area_fraction

From: Martin Juckes - UKRI STFC <martin.juckes>
Date: Wed, 30 Jan 2019 14:36:21 +0000

Hello,


I've just been writing a short note to explain that a standard name of "area_fraction" doesn't necessarily mean that the quantity referred to is a fraction ... it could be a percentage, for instance. I've done this quite regularly over the last few years, because we are using this term in the CMIP6 data request for variables, and specifying that they should be archived as percentages.


The most widely used meaning of fraction is the straight ratio of two terms. Using to express a portion in arbitrary units (specified by the units attribute) is not wrong, as this is an accepted meaning of "fraction", but it is confusing.


Could we avoid this confusion in the future by replacing the term with a more neutral term, such as "area_cover"?


regards,

Martin
Received on Wed Jan 30 2019 - 07:36:21 GMT