[CF-metadata] flux

From: Jonathan Gregory <j.m.gregory>
Date: Thu, 14 May 2015 17:37:07 +0100

Dear all

In connection with the radiative flux from the sun, the question has come up
of whether we should use the phrase flux_density for a flux per unit area in
all the standard names which currently have the word "flux". This would be
correct in physical terminology, but years ago we chose to use "flux" because
it's the normal terminology in many geosciences. There are more than 200
standard names of "flux" - radiative fluxes, mass fluxes and mole fluxes. In
some of them I don't think "flux density" is ever used e.g. I have never
heard of an "ocean flux density adjustment", and Google finds one hit for
"snowfall flux density". However we could rename them all and establish aliases
to the present names, if that would be an advantage for users of standard
names. Should this be done?

Cheers

Jonathan
Received on Thu May 14 2015 - 10:37:07 BST