[CF-metadata] Proposed Standard Names

[Nan Galbraith]

Chris Webster wrote:

>
> >> platform_heading needs clarification.  If the platform is a ship, 
> heading can
> >> either be interpreted as the direction towards which the bow is 
> pointing or the
> >> direction towards which the ship is travelling (very different if 
> going backwards!).
>
>
> In the aircraft world, platform_heading is the direction the vehicle is
> pointed, true_heading is the direction of travel.


On ships, true_heading is the gyro reading, corrected for magnetic
declination. Course is the direction of the ship's movement, generally
acquired from gps. 

I think that these terms are standard in the sea-going oceanographic 
community,
so the difference vs the aircraft defs may lead to problems at some point.

- Nan


-- 
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*Nan Galbraith            Upper Ocean Processes Group       *
*Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Woods Hole, MA 02540  *
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