[CF-metadata] Question about cf conventions-dimensionless coordinates

From: Jonathan Gregory <j.m.gregory>
Date: Sat, 17 Jan 2009 16:10:29 +0000

Dear Brian

You are quite right. This is an omission; we do need a formula for the
working out the altitude coord from the land-ice sigma coord. Is it correct
that sigma is 0 at the bed and 1 and the surface? If so I reckon the formula is
  surface_altitude(n,k,j,i) = bedrock_altitude(n,j,i)
  + land_ice_thickness(n,j,i)*land_ice_sigma_coordinate(k)
where i,j are horizontal gridpoint indices, k level, n time. I'd propose
formula terms of bedrock_altitude, land_ice_thickness and
land_ice_sigma_coordinate. These are all standard names. In most of the
formulae we have used abbreviations to identify the terms, but why not
spell them out?

Best wishes

Jonathan
Received on Sat Jan 17 2009 - 09:10:29 GMT