[CF-metadata] MSG Cloud physical properties codification

From: Jonathan Gregory <j.m.gregory>
Date: Thu, 25 Nov 2010 17:10:53 +0000

Dear Maarten

Thank you for your care with this.

> >>- thermodynamic_particle_phase_at_cloud_top (status_flag): "The
> >>thermodynamic phase of particles at the top of the cloud" ;
> >>
> >What are the allowed values of this quantity?
> >
> These are: liquid, ice and mixed. (flag_meanings = "liquid ice mixed" ;)

This is an unusual kind of quantity, a string-valued one with particular
allowed values; region and area_type are similar. That can be stated in the
definition. I understand that you'll probably encode it as integers using
the flag_meanings attribute.

Can we say what kind of particles these are? Presumably "cloud particle"
would be a reasonable description. In that case, could it be
thermodynamic_phase_of_cloud_particles_at_cloud_top
?

> The first is indeed derived from visibile radiances while the second is
> derived from infrared radiances only.
OK. I would suggest appending defined_by_visible|infrared_radiance to make
this distinction in the standard name.

Best wishes

Jonathan
Received on Thu Nov 25 2010 - 10:10:53 GMT