[CF-metadata] ensemble dimension

From: Jonathan Gregory <j.m.gregory>
Date: Tue, 23 Mar 2010 19:11:19 +0000

Dear John

> it sounds like a modest proposal is to recommend either of
> these attributes to identify the ensemble coordinate variable:
>
> axis = "ensemble";
> standard_name = "realization";
>
> with the idea of keeping it simple.

For auxiliary coordinate variables of the ensemble axis,
> other standard names suggested are:
>
> experiment_id, source, forcing, experiment, model, institution

To keep it simple again, I'd vote for just source and institution, which
correspond to these existing global attributes of CF:
institution
    Specifies where the original data was produced.
source
    The method of production of the original data. If it was model-generated,
    source should name the model and its version, as specifically as could be
    useful.
But that doesn't have to be part of the trac proposal, as these are proposals
for new standard names. The trac proposal could just say that the ensemble
axis could have auxiliary coordinate variables supplying information about the
ensemble members. When they come from different models, aux coord variables
are probably a better way to describe than a coord variable of "realization",
I suppose.

> is there someone who is willing to take this on and marshall this through
> the process?

I hereby propose standard names of institution and source, for string-valued
auxiliary coordinate variables, with the above meanings!

Could someone please make the trac proposal for the ensemble axis above?

Best wishes

Jonathan
Received on Tue Mar 23 2010 - 13:11:19 GMT