Let me suggest you post this question to the netcdf mailing list and/or the CF conventions mailing list. You are likely to get a more detailed explanation and solution. > > Regarding coordinate variables: > > I am working with time-series data representing hydrological conditions at > fixed locations in a stream network. The values are generated by a model at > regular time intervals, and I believe that the data will fit well into the > timeSeries feature type described in the âDiscrete Sampling Geometriesâ > chapter of the CF conventions. For example, we would put all the discharge > values into a single 2D array: > > double flow(time, location) > > The dimension âlocationâ here is the âinstance dimensionâ described > in the convention. I would like to use an integer variable named > âlocationâ as a coordinate variable to go along with the location > dimension. I think this would provide a handy way for post-processing > programs to locate a time series in our model result files. The Best > Practices guidance on the Unidata website, though, says that coordinate > variables âmust be strictly monotonicâ and the order of the IDs in my > location variable is arbitrary. All of the location values are unique, but > the location numbers are essentially numerical labels â location 1524 is > distinct from location 2817, but neither is greater than the other in a way > that means anything to the model. Location IDs do not consistently increase > or decrease traveling downstream, for example. > > So, is the guidance that coordinate variable should strictly increase or > decrease relevant to my case? Iâve built some sample files and examined > them using Panoply, and in Python using xarray. I havenât seen any problems > with using non-monotonic integer âserial numbersâ as coordinate > variables, but that âmustâ in the guidance troubles me. If my locations > are identified by arbitrary numbers, do I run the risk of scrambling the > links between my time series and their identifiers? > > Thanks > Tom Evans > > > > [cid:address@hidden<http://www.niwa.co.nz> > > > Dr Tom Evans > Software Developer > T +64-7-859-1832 > > National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research Ltd (NIWA) > Gate 10 Silverdale Road, Hillcrest, Hamilton > Connect with NIWA: niwa.co.nz<https://www.niwa.co.nz> > Facebook<https://www.facebook.com/nzniwa> > Twitter<https://twitter.com/niwa_nz> > LinkedIn<https://www.linkedin.com/company/niwa> > Instagram<https://www.instagram.com/niwa_science> > > To ensure compliance with legal requirements and to maintain cyber security > standards, NIWA's IT systems are subject to ongoing monitoring, activity > logging and auditing. This monitoring and auditing service may be provided by > third parties. Such third parties can access information transmitted to, > processed by and stored on NIWA's IT systems. > > > > > > =Dennis Heimbigner Unidata Ticket Details =================== Ticket ID: XLE-976716 Department: Support netCDF Priority: Normal Status: Open =================== NOTE: All email exchanges with Unidata User Support are recorded in the Unidata inquiry tracking system and then made publicly available through the web. If you do not want to have your interactions made available in this way, you must let us know in each email you send to us.
NOTE: All email exchanges with Unidata User Support are recorded in the Unidata inquiry tracking system and then made publicly available through the web. If you do not want to have your interactions made available in this way, you must let us know in each email you send to us.