[CF-metadata] New standard names for NEMO ocean model output

From: Jonathan Gregory <j.m.gregory>
Date: Tue, 4 Apr 2017 21:13:08 +0100

Dear Alison

Thank you for your careful and sensible analysis, as always. I agree with all
your proposals except that I'm sorry to say I'm not happy about the steric
height yet. I don't seek to insist on what I suggested before, but I don't
think the proposal so far matches scientific terminology as far as I'm aware.

> 3. ocean_steric_thickness (m)
> 4. ocean_halosteric_thickness (m)
> 5. ocean_thermosteric_thickness (m)

I understand these to mean the *change* in the thickness of the water column
caused by change to sea water density, due to change in T and S. That's what
your definitions indicate. If it's a change in thickness, it's confusing to
call it a thickness, I would say. People often refer to quantities of "steric/
halosteric/thermosteric sea level change", which I think are the same as what
we're talking about here. The change in thickness of the water column (the
vertical distance from the sea floor to the sea surface) is of course the same
thing as local sea level change.

Best wishes

Jonathan
Received on Tue Apr 04 2017 - 14:13:08 BST