[CF-metadata] medium 'atmosphere'

From: Jonathan Gregory <j.m.gregory>
Date: Tue, 25 Nov 2008 08:41:26 +0000

Dear Christiane

> >>-> _atmosphere or _in_atmosphere?
> You suggest to change the postifx in_atmosphere into the prefix
> atmosphere. I like the idea, in case it does not conflict with the
> medium/component concept, see below.

OK. The guidelines currently give _in_atmosphere as a medium but in fact it
is only the mole standard names that have followed this. All the other
atmosphere standard_names have it as a prefix. You and I are now proposing to
change moles_of_X_in_atmosphere to atmosphere_moles_of_X. I presume the same
should be done for the small number of _in_troposphere standard names. The
reason would be solely for consistency, to avoid confusion.

> I do not understand why you say that "atmosphere" is a "component".
Sorry, my mistake. I had not checked the terminology! One can't be too careful.

> >I suggest that the right way to distinguish these in CF
> >would be with cell_methods, as they are different parts of the gridbox. We
> >already have cloud and clear_sky as area_types, so you can specify
> >e.g. "area: mean where cloud" in cell_methods for an in_air quantity to
> >restrict it to the cloudy air.
>
> I do not think that this is a good idea as some species change the state
> when dissolved in water, e.g. so2->h2so3->->... i think it is essential
> to have the medium as part of the standard name for quantities that are
> very different. This would fit in the concept that the names in the CF
> conventions should be easily human-understandable.

OK. But if you are talking about being dissolved in water, I suppose you
mean in_cloud_water rather than in the cloudy part of the grid-box. Is that
right? I think that media of in_cloud_water (that would mean liquid or solid),
in_cloud_liquid_water and in_cloud_ice would be fine where required.

Best wishes

Jonathan
Received on Tue Nov 25 2008 - 01:41:26 GMT