I don't think we have any cases exactly like the one being proposed, but I agree that in this case a 1 AU default with a specific way to override it is exactly the right way to go.
John On May 20, 2015, at 06:17, Jonathan Gregory <[email protected]> wrote: > Dear Odele > >> Just to clarify, are you asking only the members of the CF working group >> for their view on whether a change from flux to flux_density should be >> made in the standard names? > > The question is for everyone on the CF email list. > >> Also, could you provide an example where a standard name has a reference >> parameter that has a default than can be overridden by specifying a value? >> I?d just like to see it in ?action?, so I can best understand what is >> being described. > > Maybe I am wrong that we have done exactly this, because I can't find one by > searching the help text of standard names, although I haven't spent long on > it. > However, angstrom_exponent_of_ambient_aerosol_in_air is an example of a > quantity where scalar coordinates can optionally be provided to specify > the quantity more precisely (relative_humity and air_temperature) and > sound_pressure_level_in_air is a quantity whose definition contains a > numerical > reference value. > > I'm assuming that solar irradiance is a quantity which usually refers to 1 AU > in practice, is it? If in fact it's used just as often for other distances > from the sun, then it would be better not to have a default, and to require > the distance from the sun to be specified as a coordinate variable, like > number_of_days_with_air_temperature_above_threshold, for instance. If 1 AU is > the usual distance, but not the only possibility, then having a default with > the possibility of overriding it is neater, I think. > > Best wishes > > Jonathan > _______________________________________________ > CF-metadata mailing list > [email protected] > http://mailman.cgd.ucar.edu/mailman/listinfo/cf-metadata _______________________________________________ CF-metadata mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.cgd.ucar.edu/mailman/listinfo/cf-metadata
