[CF-metadata] New standard name requests for TSI and SSI

From: Jonathan Gregory <j.m.gregory>
Date: Fri, 15 May 2015 15:20:51 +0100

Dear Judith and Jim

Thanks for sticking with this process, Judith, though it may be hard work.

Thanks for your ideas, Jim. I largely agree with your arguments and so largely
reach the same conclusions. There are two points on which we differ.

* I prefer radiative_flux[_density] to irradiance because they mean the same,
essentially, as far as I can see, so it's better to use a phrase we already
have, for consistency. If we use a different one it might cause people to
suppose it's a different quantity. We do have standard_names for spherical_
irradiance, but that's not the same thing, and radiance is different too -
it has different physical dimensions.

* I didn't suggest _at_1au (or something like it) because it looks like a
coordinate, and we don't put coordinates in standard names. But, now I say
that, I wonder whether we should actually treat it as a coordinate. Could we
not simply say, in the definition, that this quantity applies at a distance of
one astronomical unit from the sun by default, but if a different distance is
intended, a coordinate variable of distance_from_sun (for instance - we need a
new standard name for it) should be supplied. That's a CF-like treatment.

Best wishes

Jonathan
Received on Fri May 15 2015 - 08:20:51 BST