Sébastien,

If I'm not mistaken, we would need to propose a new grid_mapping to be added to the Conventions that would define a Tripolar Coordinate Reference System, along with any attributes that don't currently exist that are needed to complete the definition. I did a search for a standard tripolar CRS in proj4 or epsg, and was unable to find one. Is it possible to make such a definition?

Regarding the standard names for your X and Y coordinate variables, I think you could use "projection_x/y_coordinate" once a grid_mapping has been defined. Of course you could always leave the attribute off, since a standard_name attribute is not a requirement.

If making a new grid_mapping is not feasible, you could request standard names along the lines of mesh_grid_i_index and mesh_grid_j_index. These standard names would (on reading their definitions) make it clear that the measurements are on a mesh grid for which there is no CRS. At least that's what comes to mind at the moment.

Grace and peace,

Jim

On 3/30/17 11:52 AM, Sebastien Villaume wrote:
Hello all,

I am looking for the best approach to describe in a CF compliant way the 
tripolar grids usually used in NEMO configurations.

Basically, the difference with a usual bipolar grid (north pole-south pole) is 
that the north pole is split into 2 poles moved over Canada and Russia (to have 
distortions/singularities not over the ocean). A good visual representation can 
be found here:

http://www.geomar.de/typo3temp/pics/globe_grid2_14_b8edb639ae.png

everything south of the green line (40degN) is identical to a regular grid, but 
everything north of it is computed using a technique described here:

Madec, G. and M. Imbard, 1996 : A global ocean mesh to overcome the north pole 
singularity. Clim. Dyn., 12, 381–388.


The usual NEMO output of the grid looks like this:

     float longitude(y, x) ;
         longitude:standard_name = "longitude" ;
         longitude:units = "degrees_east" ;
         longitude:long_name = "longitude" ;
     float latitude(y, x) ;
         latitude:standard_name = "latitude" ;
         latitude:units = "degrees_north" ;
         latitude:long_name = "latitude" ;


Basically both latitudes and longitudes need to be specified for each grid 
point, hence lat and lon are 2D arrays. This is not a problem itself but I 
would like to give more information through maybe grid_mapping or crs so it is 
clear that the grid is tripolar. This is useful information if one want to 
project/interpolate this back to a more regular representation.

Looking at the CF conventions, I can see that grids can be fairly nicely 
documented but nothing for tripolar grids.

Is there some documentation/guidelines on how to derive a proper 
grid_mapping/crs with valid attributes for tripolar grids?

I would also like to add to my netcdf file a way to better describe axes:

     double y(y) ;
         y:units = "1" ;
         y:long_name = "j-index of mesh grid" ;
         y:standard_name = ??? ;
     double x(x) ;
         x:units = "1" ;
         x:long_name = "i-index of mesh grid" ;
         x:standard_name = ??? ;

what would be the standard name of these?

Thanks,

____________________________________

Dr. Sébastien Villaume
Analyst
ECMWF Shinfield Park,
Reading RG2 9AX, UK
+44 7825 521592
[email protected]
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