[CF-metadata] new standard name request for pH

From: John Graybeal <graybeal>
Date: Mon, 9 Mar 2009 13:12:35 -0700

In the ocean we are measuring pH, and I have not found a term for pH
in the standard names. We therefore propose for our particular
measurement

    sea_water_pH_total_scale

Two notes: First, about the scale. The total_scale refers to one of
the 3 scales with which pH is measured in sea water: total scale, sea
water scale, and free scale (these all represent chemical activity,
with units in moles/kg). Although many of these have the same units
(moles/kg), the actual value will be different (in non-trivial ways)
in the different scales. As the value in total_scale will not be
immediately convertible to a value in free scale they are measurements
with different meanings and can be easily confused. It was not
obvious to me how this should be indicated other than by the standard
name.

Second, pH has the H capitalized, reflecting common usage. I couldn't
see any rule against this but I wanted to point it out, just in case.

John

--------------
John Graybeal -- 831-775-1956 -- Monterey Bay Aquarium Research
Institute
Received on Mon Mar 09 2009 - 14:12:35 GMT