[CF-metadata] Which variable name for a local measurement of liquid water content ?

From: Jonathan Gregory <j.m.gregory>
Date: Wed, 27 Oct 2010 08:24:58 +0100

Dear Bruno

For CF standard names
> Explicit is better than implicit, isn't it ?
Yes.

I think it it fine to have
> mass_concentration_of_cloud_liquid_water_in_air
and for rain
> mass_concentration_of_rain_in_air
which corresponds to the existing name
    mass_fraction_of_rain_in_air
as well as
> mass_concentration_of_liquid_water_in_air
would mean the total. When no qualifiers are given, it is generally assumed
that everything is included.
> (and what about drizzle ?)
If you need to distinguish drizzle from rain, that would be OK, provided a
clear definition can be given.

If it is possible from the sensor data to assess what is being measured in
these "geophysical" terms, that is best, because it makes the data comparable
to other datasets for the same geophysical quantities. If, on the other hand,
you want to describe the sensor data in a way more descriptive of its "raw"
output, different standard name would be needed.

Best wishes

Jonathan
Received on Wed Oct 27 2010 - 01:24:58 BST