Dear Jonathan W > If my interpretation of all of the surface temperature names is > correct, then there may need to be a modification to the current > definition of "sea_surface_temperature." In particular, this > definition states "It is the temperature of sea water near the > surface (including the part under sea-ice, if any), and not the skin > temperature, whose standard name is surface_temperature." However, > it seems to me that the "surface_temperature" is the > atmosphere/medium interface temperature, and not the temperature of > the medium below the interface (e.g. the skin temperature). So, I'm > wondering if the above sentence in quotes incorrectly refers to the > "surface_temperature" when perhaps it should refer to the > "sea_surface_skin_temperature"?
Yes, I think you are right. This definition of sea_surface_temperature may predate the introduction of sea_surface_skin_temperature. The SST is neither the true interface temperature (for which the name is surface_temperature) nor the "skin" temperature, but a bulk temperature applying to a rather ill-defined upper layer of the ocean. There isn't a land analogue for SST. If land skin temperature is different from surface_temperature of the interface, a new name is needed for it, I agree. Cheers Jonathan _______________________________________________ CF-metadata mailing list CF-metadata@cgd.ucar.edu http://mailman.cgd.ucar.edu/mailman/listinfo/cf-metadata
