Dear Martin, All,
No objections have been received to the proposed definition change and it is now accepted for publication in the standard name table.
The name will in future appear as:
sea_surface_temperature (canonical units: K)
'Sea surface temperature is usually abbreviated as "SST". It is the temperature of sea water near the surface (including the part under sea-ice, if any), not the skin or interface temperature, whose standard names are sea_surface_skin_temperature and surface_temperature, respectively. For the temperature of sea water at a particular depth or layer, a data variable of sea_water_temperature with a vertical coordinate axis should be used.'
In response to Martin's proposal I received an email from Craig Donlon (original proposer of many of the current sea_surface_X_temperature names). Craig and his team support the Martin's proposal and additionally point out an error that occurs in the definition of the following names:
sea_surface_skin_temperature
sea_surface_subskin_temperature
in which the first sentence reads "The surface called "surface" means the lower boundary of the atmosphere" even though the temperatures are not in fact measured at the sea-air boundary. The suggestion is to delete the initial sentence from the definitions. I note also that a similar situation currently exists with the standard name sea_surface_foundation_temperature even though that temperature generally refers to a depth of 1 - 5 m below the sea surface.
I agree with Craig that the sentence should be deleted. I think it was probably included by accident because most "surface" standard names do indeed refer to the interface between the bottom of the atmosphere and whatever lies beneath. I plan to remove the sentence from the definitions of these three names at the next standard name table update unless any objections are received in the meantime.
Best wishes,
Alison
------
Alison Pamment Tel: +44 1235 778065
Centre for Environmental Data Analysis Email: alison.pamment at stfc.ac.uk<mailto:J.A.Pamment at rl.ac.uk>
STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory
R25, 2.22
Harwell Campus, Didcot, OX11 0QX, U.K.
From: Pamment, Alison (STFC,RAL,RALSP)
Sent: 03 February 2016 15:32
To: Juckes, Martin (STFC,RAL,RALSP); cf-metadata at cgd.ucar.edu
Subject: RE: Confusing skin temperature and interface temperature
Dear Martin,
Thank you for pointing this out. I agree that since the introduction of the very precisely defined sea_surface_skin_temperature name, the definition of the more generic name is confusing. I agree with your suggested amendment and unless anyone objects within the next seven days the change will be accepted and added at the next update of the standard name table.
Best wishes,
Alison
From: Juckes, Martin (STFC,RAL,RALSP)
Sent: 02 February 2016 16:07
To: cf-metadata at cgd.ucar.edu<mailto:cf-metadata at cgd.ucar.edu>; Pamment, Alison (STFC,RAL,RALSP)
Subject: Confusing skin temperature and interface temperature
Hello All,
The CF Standard Name sea_surface_temperature includes the statement that it is ".... not the skin temperature, whose standard name is surface_temperature". The last phrase here is incorrect: the standard name of the skin temperature is sea_surface_skin_temperature, not surface_temperature. Can the definition be modified to read ".. not the skin or interface temperature, whose standard names are sea_surface_skin_temperature and surface_temperature respectively"?
regards,
Martin
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