[CF-metadata] Standard name table update 8 April 2008

From: Pamment, JA <J.A.Pamment>
Date: Tue, 1 Apr 2008 13:42:04 +0100

Dear All,

The standard name table will be updated on 8th April. Please see below
for the list of planned changes. If there are any last minute
objections to the changes, or indeed if anyone spots any errors in the
list, please contact me as soon as possible.

There are still a number of standard names threads under discussion, but
this update has already been delayed from March and it's necessary to
draw the line somewhere so that the agreed names can be added to the
table. Another update is scheduled for May and that will go ahead if
more names are agreed in the meantime.

1. New names to be included in the standard name table.

a. Cloud radiative property names (proposed by Karl Taylor):

These names are uncontroversial and have attracted only one comment on
the mailing list (which suggested that "toa" should be added to the
names). The names are accepted and will be included in the update.

toa_shortwave_cloud_radiative_effect; Wm-2
toa_longwave_cloud_radiative_effect; Wm-2
toa_cloud_radiative_effect; Wm-2

The explanations of these names will point out that "cloud radiative
effect" is also commonly called "cloud radiative forcing".

b. Names proposed by Jonathan Gregory (discussed in the "various new
standard names" thread):

Apart from one proposal, which was subsequently withdrawn, the following
names attracted no discussion on the mailing list. Many of them
describe similar quantities to existing names and use the same syntax.
The names are accepted and will be included in the update.

surface_upward_water_vapor_flux_in_air; kg m-2 s-1
atmosphere_convective_cloud_condensed_water_content; kg m-2
atmosphere_convective_cloud_liquid_water_content; kg m-2
surface_snow_and_ice_melt_heat_flux; W m-2
surface_snow_and_ice_sublimation_flux; kg m-2 s-1
canopy_throughfall_flux; kg m-2 s-1; "Throughfall" is the part of the
precipitation flux that reaches the ground directly through the
vegetative canopy, through intershrub spaces in the canopy, and as drip
from the leaves, twigs, and stems (but not including snowmelt) (based on
the AMetS glossary definition).
bolus_eastward_sea_water_velocity; m s-1
bolus_northward_sea_water_velocity; m s-1
bolus_upward_sea_water_velocity; m s-1
specific_kinetic_energy_of_sea_water; m2 s-2

The following are all tendencies of quantities which already have
standard names:
tendency_of_sea_ice_area_fraction_due_to_dynamics; s-1; "Sea ice
dynamics" refers to the motion of sea ice.
tendency_of_sea_ice_area_fraction_due_to_thermodynamics; s-1; "Sea ice
thermodynamics" refers to the addition or subtraction of mass due to
surface and basal fluxes.
tendency_of_sea_ice_thickness_due_to_dynamics; m s-1
tendency_of_sea_water_temperature_due_to_advection; K s-1
tendency_of_sea_water_temperature_due_to_bolus_advection; K s-1
tendency_of_sea_water_temperature_due_to_horizontal_mixing; K s-1;
"Horizontal mixing" means any horizontal transport other than by
advection and bolus advection, usually represented as horizontal
diffusion in ocean models.
tendency_of_sea_water_temperature_due_to_vertical_mixing; K s-1;
"Vertical mixing" means any vertical transport other than by advection
and bolus advection, represented by a combination of vertical diffusion,
turbulent mixing and convection in ocean models.
tendency_of_sea_water_salinity_due_to_advection; 1e-3 s-1
tendency_of_sea_water_salinity_due_to_bolus_advection; 1e-3 s-1
tendency_of_sea_water_salinity_due_to_horizontal_mixing; 1e-3 s-1
tendency_of_sea_water_salinity_due_to_vertical_mixing; 1e-3 s-1
tendency_of_sea_water_salinity_due_to_sea_ice_thermodynamics; 1e-3 s-1

c. Names proposed for the CCMVal project. These are atmospheric
chemistry and atmospheric dynamics names.

i. Mole fraction names for new chemical species. The list below is of
the format standard_name; canonical_units; chemical formula of species.

mole_fraction_of_nitrous_oxide_in_air; 1; N2O
mole_fraction_of_hydrogen_chloride_in_air; 1; HCl
mole_fraction_of_methyl_chloride _in_air; 1; CH3Cl
mole_fraction_of_methyl_bromide_in_air; 1; CH3Br
mole_fraction_of_carbon_tetrachloride_in_air; 1; CCl4
mole_fraction_of_atomic_chlorine_in_air; 1; Cl
mole_fraction_of_chlorine monoxide_in_air; 1; ClO
mole_fraction_of_dichlorine peroxide_in_air; 1; Cl2O2
mole_fraction_of_hypochlorous acid_in_air; 1; HOCl
mole_fraction_of_chlorine_nitrate_in_air; 1; ClONO2
mole_fraction_of_chlorine dioxide_in_air; 1; OClO
mole_fraction_of_hydroperoxyl_radical_in_air; 1; HO2
mole_fraction_of_hydrogen_peroxide_in_air; 1; H2O2
mole_fraction_of_atomic_nitrogen_in_air; 1; N
mole_fraction_of_dinitrogen_pentoxide_in_air; 1; N2O5
mole_fraction_of_peroxynitric_acid_in_air; 1; HNO4
mole_fraction_of_atomic_bromine_in_air; 1; Br
mole_fraction_of_bromine_monoxide_in_air; 1; BrO
mole_fraction_of_bromine_chloride_in_air; 1; BrCl
mole_fraction_of_hydrogen_bromide_in_air; 1; HBr
mole_fraction_of_hypobromous_acid_in_air; 1; HOBr
mole_fraction_of_bromine_nitrate_in_air; 1; BrONO2
mole_fraction_of_methyl_hydroperoxide_in_air; 1; CH3OOH
mole_fraction_of_hydrogen_cyanide_in_air; 1; HCN
mole_fraction_of_cfc11_in_air; 1; CFCl3
mole_fraction_of_cfc12_in_air; 1; CF2Cl2
mole_fraction_of_cfc113_in_air; 1; CCl2FCClF2
mole_fraction_of_cfc113a_in_air; 1; CCl3CF3
mole_fraction_of_cfc114_in_air; 1; CClF2CClF2
mole_fraction_of_cfc115_in_air; 1; CClF2CF3
mole_fraction_of_halon1301_in_air; 1; CBrF3
mole_fraction_of_halon1211_in_air; 1; CBrClF2
mole_fraction_of_halon2402_in_air; 1; C2Br2F4
mole_fraction_of_halon1201_in_air; 1; CBr2F2
mole_fraction_of_inorganic_chlorine_in_air; 1; (Cly)
mole_fraction_of_total_inorganic_bromine_in_air; 1; (Bry)
mole_fraction_of_total_reactive_nitrogen_in_air; 1; (NOy)
mole_fraction_of_water_vapor_in_air; 1; (H2O)
mole_fraction_of_molecular_hydrogen_in_air; 1; (H2)

ii. "moles_of_X_in_atmosphere" and
"tendency_of_moles_of_X_in_atmosphere" names, where X is the name of the
chemical species.

moles_of_nitrous_oxide_in_atmosphere; mol;
moles_of_cfc11_in_atmosphere; mol;
moles_of_cfc12_in_atmosphere; mol;
moles_of_cfc113_in_atmosphere; mol;
moles_of_cfc114_in_atmosphere; mol;
moles_of_cfc115_in_atmosphere; mol;
moles_of_carbon_tetrachloride_in_atmosphere; mol;
moles_of_halon1301_in_atmosphere; mol;
moles_of_halon1211_in_atmosphere; mol;
moles_of_halon2402_in_atmosphere; mol;
moles_of_halon1202_in_atmosphere; mol;
moles_of_methane_in_atmosphere; mol;
moles_of_carbon_monoxide_in_atmosphere; mol;
moles_of_molecular_hydrogen_in_atmosphere; mol;
moles_of_methyl_chloride_in_atmosphere; mol;
moles_of_methyl_bromide_in_atmosphere; mol;
moles_of_hcc140a_in_atmosphere; mol;
moles_of_hcfc22_in_atmosphere; mol;

tendency_of_moles_of_nitrous_oxide_in_atmosphere; mol s-1;
tendency_of_moles_of_cfc11_in_atmosphere; mol s-1;
tendency_of_moles_of_cfc12_in_atmosphere; mol s-1;
tendency_of_moles_of_cfc113_in_atmosphere; mol s-1;
tendency_of_moles_of_cfc114_in_atmosphere; mol s-1;
tendency_of_moles_of_cfc115_in_atmosphere; mol s-1;
tendency_of_moles_of_carbon_tetrachloride_in_atmosphere; mol s-1;
tendency_of_moles_of_halon1301_in_atmosphere; mol s-1;
tendency_of_moles_of_halon1211_in_atmosphere; mol s-1;
tendency_of_moles_of_halon2402_in_atmosphere; mol s-1;
tendency_of_moles_of_halon1202_in_atmosphere; mol s-1;
tendency_of_moles_of_methane_in_atmosphere; mol s-1;
tendency_of_moles_of_methane_in_troposphere; mol s-1;
tendency_of_moles_of_methane_in_middle_atmosphere; mol s-1;
tendency_of_moles_of_carbon_monoxide_in_atmosphere; mol s-1;
tendency_of_moles_of_carbon_monoxide_in_troposphere; mol s-1;
tendency_of_moles_of_carbon_monoxide_in_middle_atmosphere; mol s-1;
tendency_of_moles_of_molecular_hydrogen_in_atmosphere; mol s-1;
tendency_of_moles_of_molecular_hydrogen_in_troposphere; mol s-1;
tendency_of_moles_of_molecular_hydrogen_in_middle_atmosphere; mol s-1;
tendency_of_moles_of_methyl_chloride_in_atmosphere; mol s-1;
tendency_of_moles_of_methyl_chloride_in_troposphere; mol s-1;
tendency_of_moles_of_methyl_chloride_in_middle_atmosphere; mol s-1;
tendency_of_moles_of_methyl_bromide_in_atmosphere; mol s-1;
tendency_of_moles_of_methyl_bromide_in_troposphere; mol s-1;
tendency_of_moles_of_methyl_bromide_in_middle_atmosphere; mol s-1;
tendency_of_moles_of_hcc140a_in_atmosphere; mol s-1;
tendency_of_moles_of_hcc140a_in_troposphere; mol s-1;
tendency_of_moles_of_hcc140a_in_middle_atmosphere; mol s-1;
tendency_of_moles_of_hcfc22_in_atmosphere; mol s-1;
tendency_of_moles_of_hcfc22_in_troposphere; mol s-1;

iii. Atmospheric dynamics names.

northward_heat_flux_due_to_eddy_advection; W m-2;
northward_eliassen_palm_flux; m3 s-2;
upward_eliassen_palm_flux; m3 s-2;
tendency_of_eastward_wind_due_to_eliassen_palm_flux_divergence; m s-2;
northward_transformed_eulerian_mean_velocity; m s-1;
eastward_transformed_eulerian_mean_velocity ; m s-1;
tendency_of_eastward_wind_due_to_orographic_gravity_wave_drag; m s-2;
tendency_of_eastward_wind_due_to_nonorographic_gravity_wave_drag; m s-2;
upward_flux_of_eastward_momentum_due_to_orographic_gravity_waves; Pa;
upward_flux_of_eastward_momentum_due_to_nonorographic_eastward_gravity_w
aves; Pa;
upward_flux_of_eastward_momentum_due_to_nonorographic_westward_gravity_w
aves; Pa;
tendency_of_eastward_wind_due_to_numerical_artefacts; m s-2
dynamic_tropopause_potential_temperature; K;
age_of_stratospheric_air; s;

d. Sea-surface wave spectrum names (proposed by Beate Geyer and Heinz
Guenther).

sea_surface_wave_mean_period_from_variance_spectral_density_first_freque
ncy_moment; s
sea_surface_wave_mean_period_from_variance_spectral_density_second_frequ
ency_moment; s
sea_surface_wave_mean_period_from_variance_spectral_density_inverse_freq
uency_moment; s

sea_surface_wind_wave_mean_period_from_variance_spectral_density_first_f
requency_moment; s
sea_surface_wind_wave_mean_period_from_variance_spectral_density_second_
frequency_moment; s
sea_surface_wind_wave_mean_period_from_variance_spectral_density_inverse
_frequency_moment; s

sea_surface_swell_wave_mean_period_from_variance_spectral_density_first_
frequency_moment; s
sea_surface_swell_wave_mean_period_from_variance_spectral_density_second
_frequency_moment; s
sea_surface_swell_wave_mean_period_from_variance_spectral_density_invers
e_frequency_moment; s.

2. Aliases to be introduced for existing standard names.

a. Jonathan Gregory has pointed out that the parts of the names for
geostrophic sea water velocity have been placed in the wrong order. The
names were originally introduced in the summer of 2006.

Jonathan wrote:
>
> I think we put the parts in the wrong order, by comparison with
baroclinic_east|northward_sea_water_velocity
> and with names for
> x|y_velocities:
> surface_eastward_geostrophic_sea_water_velocity ->
surface_geostrophic_eastward_sea_water_velocity
>
surface_eastward_geostrophic_sea_water_velocity_assuming_sea_level_for_g
eoid ->
surface_geostrophic_eastward_sea_water_velocity_assuming_sea_level_for_g
eoid
> surface_northward_geostrophic_sea_water_velocity ->
surface_geostrophic_northward_sea_water_velocity
>
surface_northward_geostrophic_sea_water_velocity_assuming_sea_level_for_
geoid ->
surface_geostrophic_northward_sea_water_velocity_assuming_sea_level_for_
geoid

b. Jonathan has also pointed out the need for another correction:
> Rename mass_fraction_of_convective_condensed_water_in_air ->
> mass_fraction_of_convective_cloud_condensed_water_in_air, like
> mass_fraction_of_convective_cloud_liquid_water_in_air; I guess that
"cloud" was omitted by accident

C. Nan Galbraith has pointed out that the name
sea_surface_wave_frequency is unnecessarily specific, because frequency
could equally well apply to any waves, not just those at the sea
surface. The name wave_frequency has been agreed upon and will be
introduced as an alias for sea_surface_wave_frequency.

3. Modifications to definitions of existing standard names

a. Correction required to all "mass_fraction" name definitions.

On 15th Jan 2008 Heinke Hoeck wrote:
>
> Mass fraction is used in the construction mass_fraction_of_X_in_Y,
where X is a material constituent of Y. It > means the ratio of the mass
of Y to the mass of X (including Y).
>
> Please check carefully the occurrence X and Y in the last sentence.
> Shouldn't it read:
> 'It means the ratio of the
> mass of X to the mass of Y (including X).'

Jonathan and Christiane have also agreed the need for this correction.
Thus the definitions of all 40 mass_fraction names will be modified.

b. Additional explanatory text for definitions of
tendency_of_eastward_wind_due_to_gravity_wave_drag and
tendency_of_northward_wind_due_to_gravity_wave_drag.

As a result of the CCMVal proposals new names will be introduced for
orographic and non-orographic contributions to the total gravity wave
drag. The explanation of the existing names will be expanded to explain
their relationship to the components.

c. Addition to the definition of mole_fraction_of_ethyne_in_air to
explain that ethyne is also known as acetylene.

Best wishes,
Alison

------
Alison Pamment Tel: +44 1235 778065
NCAS/British Atmospheric Data Centre Fax: +44 1235 446314
Rutherford Appleton Laboratory Email: J.A.Pamment at rl.ac.uk
Chilton, Didcot, OX11 0QX, U.K.
Received on Tue Apr 01 2008 - 06:42:04 BST