CSN Motivation: Difference between revisions
Created page with " = CSDMS Standard Names: Motivation = Most models require input variables and produce output variables. In a component-based modeling framework like CSDMS (Community Surfac..." |
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The CSDMS Standard Names provide a practical solution to this semantic mediation | The CSDMS Standard Names provide a practical solution to this semantic mediation | ||
problem. While the | problem. While the | ||
[[ | [[ cf-pcmdi.llnl.gov/documents/cf-standard-names/ | | ||
CF Convention Standard Names ]] | CF Convention Standard Names ]] | ||
that were introduced in the domain of ocean and atmosphere modeling have somewhat similar goals, the CSDMS Standard Names provide a more comprehensive set of naming rules and patterns that are not specific to any particular modeling domain. CSDMS Standard Names always consist | that were introduced in the domain of ocean and atmosphere modeling have somewhat similar goals, the CSDMS Standard Names provide a more comprehensive set of naming rules and patterns that are not specific to any particular modeling domain. CSDMS Standard Names always consist | ||
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The CSDMS Standard Names can be viewed as a "lingua franca" that provides a bridge for | The CSDMS Standard Names can be viewed as a "lingua franca" that provides a bridge for | ||
mapping variable names between models. They play an important role in the | mapping variable names between models. They play an important role in the | ||
[[ | [[ csdms.colorado.edu/wiki/BMI_Definition | Basic Model Interface (BMI) ]] | ||
developed by CSDMS. Model developers are asked to provide a model metadata file that essentially maps their model's internal variable names to CSDMS Standard Names. If widely adopted, this naming system could also provide a discovery mechanism for finding models on the web. | developed by CSDMS. Model developers are asked to provide a model metadata file that essentially maps their model's internal variable names to CSDMS Standard Names. If widely adopted, this naming system could also provide a discovery mechanism for finding models on the web. | ||
Revision as of 14:08, 24 July 2012
CSDMS Standard Names: Motivation
Most models require input variables and produce output variables. In a component-based modeling framework like CSDMS (Community Surface Dynamics Modeling System), a set of components becomes a complete model when every component is able to obtain the input variables it needs from another component in the set. Ideally, we want a modeling framework to automatically
- Determine whether a set of components provides a complete model and
- Connect each component that requires a certain input variable to another component in the set that can provide that variable as output.
However, this kind of automation requires a matching mechanism for determining whether --- and the degree to which --- two variable names refer to the same quantity and whether they use the same units and are defined or measured in the same way.
The CSDMS Standard Names provide a practical solution to this semantic mediation problem. While the CF Convention Standard Names that were introduced in the domain of ocean and atmosphere modeling have somewhat similar goals, the CSDMS Standard Names provide a more comprehensive set of naming rules and patterns that are not specific to any particular modeling domain. CSDMS Standard Names always consist of an object part and a quantity/attribute part and they may also have an operation prefix. Unlike the CF Standard Names, assumptions and explanations are not included in the name itself but are instead selected from a standardized list and specified with assumption tags in a model metadata file (XML) that clarifies how a given model uses the name. Benefits of this new approach will be illustrated with CSDMS model-coupling examples.
The CSDMS Standard Names can be viewed as a "lingua franca" that provides a bridge for mapping variable names between models. They play an important role in the Basic Model Interface (BMI) developed by CSDMS. Model developers are asked to provide a model metadata file that essentially maps their model's internal variable names to CSDMS Standard Names. If widely adopted, this naming system could also provide a discovery mechanism for finding models on the web.
