[CF-metadata] how to express data variable element values that need to cover a range

From: Jonathan Gregory <j.m.gregory>
Date: Wed, 19 Sep 2012 16:17:57 +0100

Dear Randy

> We have a type of product we are generating where the data value is not precisely known?only a range between two values.
>
> Cells / boundary variables would work, but according to appendix A, they are to be used for coordinate variables only.
>
> Is there a CF compliant approach to handling this ?

If the range can be described by a standard error on the value, then you could
use the standard_error modifier of the standard_name (Appendix C). If it can't
be described that way, a possibility would be new modifiers to indicate the
lower and upper bounds. If the bounds could be characterised as particular
percentiles, another possibility would be to introduce coordinate variable of
cumulative probability; I have a memory of this being discussed in another
context. I don't think there is currently a way to do it.

Cheers

Jonathan
Received on Wed Sep 19 2012 - 09:17:57 BST