[CF-metadata] new named fields for ocean

[Stephen Griffies]

Karl,


I include here responses for two of your three questions.  The sea ice 
flux question awaits input from ice folks here, to see how the new 
request compares to CMIP3.


Best,
 Stephen




Karl Taylor wrote:
> Dear Alison and Stephen,
>
> A few comments on the ocean standard names:
>
>>
>> 2.10 cell_mass_per_area; kg m-2.  Does this mean the mass per unit area
>> of the sea water contained within each grid cell?  If so, I suggest the
>> name should be mass_of_sea_water_per_unit_area which would be similar to
>> the existing name atmosphere_mass_of_air_per_unit_area.
>
> We distinguish currently between atmosphere_mass_per_unit_area and 
> atmosphere_mass_of_air_per_unit_area (which only accounts for the 
> gaseous constituents, not, for example, precipitation).  For the 
> oceans I think Stephen wants to save the total mass, i.e., 
> seawater_mass_per_unit_area.
>>

For non-Boussinesq models, I wish to have the mass of seawater in a grid 
cell, per horizontal area of the cell.  This mass includes all dissolved 
tracers, as well as liquid water, hence the name "seawater mass".   I do 
not have a strong feeling for whether "mass_of_sea_water_per_unit_area" 
is preferable to "seawater_mass_per_unit_area", as they both seem to 
refer to the same thing.  In my updated report, it reads 
"mass_of_sea_water_per_unit_area".  Please advise if you wish this name 
to change.


>> 9.12
>> ocean_kinetic_energy_dissipation_per_unit_area_due_to_vertical_friction;
>> W m-2. OK.
>
> I don't find this particularly enlightening.  What distinguishes 
> "vertical friction" for other friction?
>

Ocean models generally use lateral friction with a huge viscosity set 
according to the needs of numerical stability constraints.  In contrast, 
vertical friction uses a much smaller viscosity that is more aligned 
with physical closures (though far from being derived from first 
principles).  In studying the kinetic energy budget in ocean 
simulations, it is very useful to know how much energy is dissipated 
from horizontal friction, and how much is separately dissipated from 
vertical friction.  It is for this reason that we request saving energy 
dissipation from vertical friction separate from horizontal friction.  
We ask for both terms.  There are endnotes that detail the precise 
nature of what is requested. 


Best,
 Stephen



> best regards,
> Karl


-- 
Stephen M. Griffies                    phone: +1-609-452-6672
Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory  FAX:   +1-609-987-5063
Princeton Forrestal Campus Rte. 1      email: stephen.griffies at noaa.gov
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