[CF-metadata] How to build CF-compliant seasonal climatology when data begins within a season

From: Karl Taylor <taylor13>
Date: Wed, 10 Feb 2016 15:37:01 -0800

Dear CF community,

In representing the seasonal climatology based on data available for the
period January 1, 2000 through December 31 2010, what would be the
correct climatology_bounds?

climatology_bounds = "1999-12-1", "2011-3-1",
                                     "2000-3-1", "2010-6-1",
                                     "2000-6-1", "2010-9-1",
                                     "2000-9-1", "2010-12-1" ????

I would note that this seems to capture the idea that we are reporting
seasonal means, but it also seems to indicate that this is based in part
on data from Dec. 1999 and Jan.-Feb. 2011, when it isn't. Is this the
best I can do? [Of course the convention can never tell us if data are
complete in forming a climatology. If 1 year were missing, this would
not affect the attributes.]

I suppose the in the cell_methods attribute ("time: mean over days
time: mean over years" I could add non-standardized information (as
permitted by CF), for example: "time: mean over days time: mean over
years (with data from the period 2000-1-1 to 2011-1-1)"

thanks for any suggestions,
Karl
Received on Wed Feb 10 2016 - 16:37:01 GMT