I don't think we have any cases exactly like the one being proposed, but I agree that in this case a 1 AU default with a specific way to override it is exactly the right way to go.
John
On May 20, 2015, at 06:17, Jonathan Gregory <j.m.gregory at reading.ac.uk> wrote:
> Dear Odele
>
>> Just to clarify, are you asking only the members of the CF working group
>> for their view on whether a change from flux to flux_density should be
>> made in the standard names?
>
> The question is for everyone on the CF email list.
>
>> Also, could you provide an example where a standard name has a reference
>> parameter that has a default than can be overridden by specifying a value?
>> I?d just like to see it in ?action?, so I can best understand what is
>> being described.
>
> Maybe I am wrong that we have done exactly this, because I can't find one by
> searching the help text of standard names, although I haven't spent long on it.
> However, angstrom_exponent_of_ambient_aerosol_in_air is an example of a
> quantity where scalar coordinates can optionally be provided to specify
> the quantity more precisely (relative_humity and air_temperature) and
> sound_pressure_level_in_air is a quantity whose definition contains a numerical
> reference value.
>
> I'm assuming that solar irradiance is a quantity which usually refers to 1 AU
> in practice, is it? If in fact it's used just as often for other distances
> from the sun, then it would be better not to have a default, and to require
> the distance from the sun to be specified as a coordinate variable, like
> number_of_days_with_air_temperature_above_threshold, for instance. If 1 AU is
> the usual distance, but not the only possibility, then having a default with
> the possibility of overriding it is neater, I think.
>
> Best wishes
>
> Jonathan
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Received on Wed May 20 2015 - 08:39:37 BST
