Jonathan: Answering your questions…
(1) clear_sky instead of clear is fine. (2) super_cooled_liquid_water is a subset of liquid_water. Thus, the definition you have suggested for: standard_name: cloud_phase_category with definition: The variable is a string, taking one of the following values to indicate cloud phase category: clear_sky, liquid_water, super_cooled_liquid_water, mixed_phase, ice, unknown. For a data variable it is encoded as an integer using flag_values and flag_meanings. is fine. very respectfully, randy On Apr 19, 2013, at 8:22 AM, Jonathan Gregory wrote: > Dear Randy > >> We are planning on using flags with numeric values as you suggest Your >> input is helpful in that is is deemed unnecessary to specifically identify >> values in the definition as is the case with the binary_masks, This >> provides additional flexibility to data producers. > > Yes, exactly. > >> standard_name: cloud_phase_category >> >> definition: >> >> A numeric value indicating one of the following categories: clear; liquid >> water; super-cooled liquid water; mixed phase; ice, and; unknown. > > But it would be a string-valued quantity in principle, although netCDF does > not > allow string-valued data variables. I think the definition should say > > The variable is a string, taking one of the following values to indicate > cloud phase category: clear_sky, liquid_water, super_cooled_liquid_water, > mixed_phase, ice, unknown. For a data variable it is encoded as an integer > using flag_values and flag_meanings. > > Comments on the values: > > * clear_sky is a phrase already used in standard names. Could you use it > here for consistency? > > * Is super_cooled_liquid_water a subset of liquid_water? If not, could you > give an extra adjective to liquid_water to clarify this? > > Cheers > > Jonathan > _______________________________________________ > CF-metadata mailing list > CF-metadata@cgd.ucar.edu > http://mailman.cgd.ucar.edu/mailman/listinfo/cf-metadata ____________________________________ Randy C. Horne (rho...@excaliburlabs.com) Principal Engineer, Excalibur Laboratories Inc. voice & fax: (321) 952.5100 url: http://www.excaliburlabs.com _______________________________________________ CF-metadata mailing list CF-metadata@cgd.ucar.edu http://mailman.cgd.ucar.edu/mailman/listinfo/cf-metadata
