[CF-metadata] species as species in chemical and aerosol names

From: Jonathan Gregory <j.m.gregory>
Date: Mon, 9 Oct 2006 08:49:38 +0100

Dear Roy

> We need to be very careful about changing meaning here. To me, 'mass_flux_of_nitrogen_as_all_nitrogen_oxides' implies that nitrogen in other forms such as ammonia/ammonium has been included in the flux. However, 'mass_flux_of_all_nitrogen_oxides_as_nitrogen' is the flux of oxidised nitrogen species stoichmetrically recalculated as nitrogen.
>
> Using this construct we need to have the actual 'thing' followed by the 'thing' it is expressed as. 'carbon_as_carbon_dioxide' and 'carbon_dioxide_as_carbon' are two completely different things.

I think your understanding of X_as_Y is the same as Christiane's and opposite
to what I assumed it to mean. That is, I thought mass_flux_of_carbon_as_carbon_
dioxide would mean the mass flux of the carbon contained in the CO2, but that
is what you understand by mass_flux_of_carbon_dioxide_as_carbon. Is that right?

You are suggesting there is another interpretation too, but I have not grasped
what it means. What do you mean by mass_flux_of_carbon_as_carbon_dioxide?
Perhaps it is a flux of C in all species, turned into CO2 mass equivalent?
Is that a generally useful concept?

Since this is not intuitively clear to non-experts (if I am representative) it
suggests we need more explicit language such as expressed_as instead of as,
for instance. Perhaps you, or others familiar with this terminology, have
suggestions?

Cheers

Jonathan
Received on Mon Oct 09 2006 - 01:49:38 BST