Dear Aaron
> I think there's a reason CF names don't naturally distinguish between measured or observed values?CF names tend to describe the meaning of the value, and explicitly avoids saying how it was derived. The derivation is reserved to other attributes, like the 'source' (which should distinguish between a model and an observation, though not in a computable way), or 'history'.
I agree with this remark of John's. In fact, the main purpose of the CF
standard names is to indicate which quantities should be regarded as
comparable. Usually, we want to compare quantities derived from different
sources (such as obs and models), so we give the corresponding quantities the
same standard names, in order to indicate they can be meaningfully compared:
that they are apples from different trees, rather than apples and oranges.
Best wishes
Jonathan
>
> On Dec 12, 2014, at 11:01, Aaron Sweeney <aaron.sweeney at noaa.gov> wrote:
>
> > Hi,
> >
> > I've looked through the latest CF Conventions and CF Standard Names documents, but have been unable to find an answer (or example) to the following question:
> >
> > How do I indicate that a variable representing a physical quantity is an in situ observation, a value that came from a model, or a difference or residual between an observation and a modelled value (observed minus modelled)?
> >
> > My initial thought was to use the same standard name for each variable, but provide a standard name modifier. But after reading the appendix on modifiers, they seem to be used for something else. The standard names themselves only describe the physical quantity, but not whether or not they are an observed value or modelled value.
> >
> > Please point me toward the appropriate documentation, if it exists. Thanks for your kind attention.
> >
> > Cordially,
> > Aaron
> >
> > --
> > Aaron D. Sweeney
> > Water Level Data Manager
> >
> > Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES)
> > University of Colorado at Boulder
> > and
> > NOAA National Geophysical Data Center
> > Marine Geology and Geophysics Division
> > 325 Broadway, E/GC3
> > Boulder, CO 80305-3328
> >
> > Phone: 303-497-4797, Fax: 303-497-6513
> >
> > DISCLAIMER: The contents of this message are mine personally and do not necessarily reflect any position of NOAA.
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > CF-metadata mailing list
> > CF-metadata at cgd.ucar.edu
> > http://mailman.cgd.ucar.edu/mailman/listinfo/cf-metadata
>
> _______________________________________________
> CF-metadata mailing list
> CF-metadata at cgd.ucar.edu
> http://mailman.cgd.ucar.edu/mailman/listinfo/cf-metadata
----- End forwarded message -----
Received on Mon Dec 15 2014 - 07:03:48 GMT
