Hello all,

I have a question about how to record the land-cover type data from a model.  
We have a regional model that has, for each grid cell, an array of canopy types 
and a soil fraction for each cover type.  For example, in this model a cell 
might be 60% deciduous, 20% urban, and 15% coniferous.  (The remaining 5% would 
be considered bare soil.)

We're using CF 1.0, standard name table v 8, and as I read the entry for the 
land_cover standard name, it assumes that every grid cell is uniform and can be 
described with a single string, or by an integer indexing into an array of 
strings.  Moreover, in v 11 of the standard name table, it appears this usage 
has gone away completely, and we now have area_type instead.  Area_type data 
has to be a value from the area_type table, and the only thing resembling an 
area_type table that I can find is the discussion of trac ticket 17,  which 
lists allowable types as some variation on "land", "sea", and "all". (I never 
did manage to figure out what the final set of names was.)

So, is there a CF-compliant way to record this land-cover information?  Or is 
it now outside the scope of CF?

Thanks much,

--Seth

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Seth McGinnis
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
NARCCAP Data Manager
Associate Scientist
ISSE / NCAR
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