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

From: Jonathan Gregory <j.m.gregory>
Date: Mon, 1 Jun 2015 17:39:10 +0100

Dear all

Few opinions still have been given about whether we should change flux to
flux_density in standard names, and those few are a majority against doing so.
Since the proposers aren't happy with "flux" for "irradiance" in W m-2, I
think the best compromise is

solar_irradiance (W m-2)
solar_irradiance_per_unit_wavelength (W m-3)

where the definition should note that "irradiance" means the power per unit
area (called radiative flux in other standard names), the area being normal
to a vector from the Sun to the Earth, and the quantity applies outside
the atmosphere, by default at a distance of one astronomical unit from the
Sun, but a coordinate or scalar coordinate variable of distance_from_sun can
be specified to replace the default.

distance_from_sun (m)

is therefore also required as a new standard name.

Best wishes

Jonathan
Received on Mon Jun 01 2015 - 10:39:10 BST