Much of the CF-1.0 convention seems to be atmospherically biased. I
know that's because it is the atmospheric scientists that pioneered all
these developments. In attempting to adopt this methodology for other
components of Earth System Models, I'm concluding it may be necessary to
extend the convention to adequately support the needs of these components.
For example, it appears to me that the "positive" attribute for CF-1.0
variables is really used to describe vertical directionality. This
attribute is often traditionally associated with atmospheric radiation
variables. In CMOR, the only valid attribute values are "up" and "down."
In terrestrial biogeochemistry various sign conventions exist, and I had
hoped to use the "positive" attribute to describe the desired convention
where vertical directionality is not important or known. The values I
had initially hoped to use for the "positive" attribute for some
biogeochemistry variables were "into biosphere" and "out of biosphere"
and "into pool" and "out of pool."
It would seem that "vertical-directionality" would be a more appropriate
attribute where the "positive" attribute has been traditionally
applied. I'm sure nobody wants to change this now, but I'm looking for
suggestions for attributes that might describe sign conventions where
directionality is either not vertical or is more conceptually abstract.
We could establish a "negative" attribute, but users might expect some
kind of correspondence with the "positive" attribute. A
"sign-convention" attribute might work, but it might have many possible
values. Any other suggestions?
Forrest
--
Forrest Hoffman mailto:forrest at climatemodeling.org
Oak Ridge National Laboratory mailto:forrest at computer.org
Climate & Carbon Research Institute http://www.climatemodeling.org/~forrest
Computer Science & Mathematics Div. (865) 576-7680 voice
Building 5600, Room C221, MS 6016 (865) 576-5491 fax
P.O. Box 2008 Deliveries: Bethel Valley Road
Oak Ridge TN 37831-6016 35? 55' 23" N 84? 19' 20" W
"The ability to speak doesn't Check out ORNL's
make you intelligent." Climate & Carbon Research Institute
-- Qui-Gon Jinn at http://www.ccs.ornl.gov/CCR/
Received on Tue Jun 26 2007 - 08:03:31 BST
