[CF-metadata] new named fields for ocean

From: Karl Taylor <taylor13>
Date: Wed, 14 Jan 2009 17:57:10 -0800

Dear Alison and Stephen,

A few comments on the ocean standard names:

>
> 2.10 cell_mass_per_area; kg m-2. Does this mean the mass per unit area
> of the sea water contained within each grid cell? If so, I suggest the
> name should be mass_of_sea_water_per_unit_area which would be similar to
> the existing name atmosphere_mass_of_air_per_unit_area.

We distinguish currently between atmosphere_mass_per_unit_area and
atmosphere_mass_of_air_per_unit_area (which only accounts for the
gaseous constituents, not, for example, precipitation). For the oceans
I think Stephen wants to save the total mass, i.e.,
seawater_mass_per_unit_area.
>

>
> 7.5 heat_flux_into_sea_water_due_to_sea_ice_thermodynamics; W m-2. OK.

In CMIP3 we collected upward_sea_ice_basal_heat_flux, which is a CF
standard name, which we described in CMIP3 as "Compute the average rate
that heat flows up at the base of the sea ice (i.e., Watts) divided by
the average area of the grid cell covered by sea ice. This quantity
multiplied both by the average area covered by sea ice and by the length
of the month should yield the total energy flowing into the ice from
below. Report as 0.0 in regions free of sea ice."

Is that the same thing except for a factor that is the fraction of the
ocean covered by seaice?


> 9.12
> ocean_kinetic_energy_dissipation_per_unit_area_due_to_vertical_friction;
> W m-2. OK.

I don't find this particularly enlightening. What distinguishes
"vertical friction" for other friction?

best regards,
Karl
Received on Wed Jan 14 2009 - 18:57:10 GMT