All of this makes sense to me.
It prompts me to ask: Is 'cloud' actually a process? Or should the standard due_to definition clause be updated to include process or substance?
John
On Dec 19, 2013, at 09:49, Gary Meehan <gmeehan at aer.com> wrote:
> Dear CF board,
>
> I would like to close the loop on a question posed this past April pertaining to the definition associated with the standard name,
> atmosphere_optical_thickness_due_to_cloud. At the time, it was observed by the original poster that the definition of this standard
> name does not make a connection to the presence of cloud contributing to the atmosphere optical thickness quantity. As a result, it was
> proposed that the definition of this standard name be amended by introducing the sentence "Cloud means the component
> of extinction owing to the presence of liquid or ice water particles." The definition of this standard name, in its entirety, would thus read as follows:
>
> The optical thickness is the integral along the path of radiation of a volume scattering/absorption/attenuation coefficient.
> The radiative flux is reduced by a factor exp(-optical_thickness) on traversing the path. A coordinate variable of radiation_wavelength
> or radiation_frequency can be specified to indicate that the optical thickness applies at specific wavelengths or
> frequencies. The atmosphere optical thickness applies to radiation passing through the entire atmosphere. "Cloud" means
> the component of extinction owing to the presence of liquid or ice water particles. The specification of a physical
> process by the phrase due_to_process means that the quantity named is a single term in a sum of terms which together
> compose the general quantity named by omitting the phrase.
>
> The goal of re-posting this question to the Board is to inquire if it feels that an update to the definition is warranted, and if
> the proposed wording is thus acceptable. Updating the definition in this manner would make it consistent with the definitions
> of the other atmosphere_optical_thickness_due_to_<process> standard names.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Gary
> --
> Gary Meehan
> Senior Staff Scientist
> Atmospheric and Environmental Research
> 131 Hartwell Avenue, Lexington, MA 02421-3126
> Tel (781) 761-2228 ? Fax (781) 761-2299
> e-mail: gmeehan at aer.com
> _______________________________________________
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------------------------------------
John Graybeal
Sr. Data Manager, Metadata & Semantics
M +1 408 675-5445
skype: graybealski
Marinexplore
920 Stewart Drive
Sunnyvale 94085
California, USA
www.marinexplore.com
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