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[CF-metadata] How to encode "not occurring" as distinct from "missing data"

From: Bärring Lars <Lars.Barring>
Date: Fri, 19 Jul 2019 10:20:35 +0000

Dear all,

We are considering how best to store data produced by some computation where there has to be a distinction between missing input data (i.e. no input data available) and "not occurring" (i.e. input data exists but the computation did not result in a valid numeric value).

In practice, the situation is reasonably similar to what was discussed back in 2017 (in the thread "Recording "day of year on which something happens") where Jim Biard offered a solution (http://mailman.cgd.ucar.edu/pipermail/cf-metadata/2017/019238.html).

We have considered his solution to use flag values outside the valid_range of the data variable to indicate "no_occurrence". We have also considered to use a separate quality variable with flag values to use as as a mask (combined with _MissVal in the data variable).

In this work the following questions surfaced,

-- Is there any experience regarding how 'standard software' would handle either of these alternatives, is one more generally accepted?

-- Is there any experience to guide us regarding which is better, or generally more "in line with the CF Conventions"?

-- Is there another better approach that we have not thought of?


Many thanks,
Lars

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