ClimaAtmos depends on the details of the aerosol file

[Sbozzolo]

(This is not a big issue and will not be an issue for a very long time, but it is have here for reference.)

ClimaAtmos determines names and symbols for aerosols dynamically, by reading from a file. So, code like this:

ClimaAtmos.jl/src/parameterized_tendencies/radiation/radiation.jl

Lines 45 to 48 in ab06398

	if aerosol_radiation && !(any(
	x -> x in aerosol_names,
	["DST01", "SSLT01", "SO4", "CB1", "CB2", "OC1", "OC2"],
	))

or

ClimaAtmos.jl/src/diagnostics/tracer_diagnostics.jl

Lines 35 to 42 in ab06398

	add_diagnostic_variable!(
	short_name = "mmrss",
	long_name = "Sea-Salt Aerosol Mass Mixing Ratio",
	standard_name = "mass_fraction_of_sea_salt_dry_aerosol_particles_in_air",
	units = "kg kg^-1",
	comments = "Prescribed dry mass fraction of sea salt aerosol particles in air. Only the smallest size is included.",
	compute! = (out, u, p, t) -> compute_aerosol!(out, u, p, t, :SSLT01),
	)

works only if the aerosol file is conforming to a specification. At the moment, this specificiation is largely implicit, and only loosely defined by the readme in ClimaArtifacts.

If someone updates the aerosol file, this would possibly result in breakage.

Possible solutions are:

• to fix a specification for the file (e.g., the only allowed names for aerosols are X, Y, Z)
• provide an abstract interface for aerosol specification