[CF-metadata] standard names and area type for ice sheet surface mass balance

From: Jonathan Gregory <j.m.gregory>
Date: Tue, 26 Jul 2011 16:58:03 +0100

Dear Alison

Re: land_ice_surface_specific_mass_balance_flux (kg m-2 s-1)

"When entering the third name into the vocabulary editor I noticed that it is
very similar to an existing name land_ice_surface_specific_mass_balance (m
s-1). The definition of the existing name says "Specific mass balance means
the net rate at which ice is added per unit area at the land ice surface"
which also sounds very similar to the definition of your proposed
name. However, the units of m s-1 make me think this name perhaps refers to
the thickness of ice being deposited/ablated per unit time so should it really
refer to "mass balance"? Your proposed name has units of kg m-2 s-1 which
seems correct for a mass flux. Please can you confirm that the two quantities
are distinct? Do you think we need to modify the existing name?"

Thanks for noticing this. It shows the value of the vocab editor! Yes, I
propose that the existing name in m s-1 should be changed to
  land_ice_surface_specific_mass_balance_rate
and the same for
  land_ice_lwe_surface_specific_mass_balance_rate
The use of "rate" is consistent with other names in m s-1 such as
  land_ice_lwe_basal_melt_rate
and will distinguish them from "flux" names.

Thanks for making the other changes.

Best wishes

Jonathan
Received on Tue Jul 26 2011 - 09:58:03 BST