unit of the icb calving file

[mathiot]

Context

Unit of the icb calving file is not described in the namelist and in the documentation. The unit is in km3 of iceberg / y, icebergs being at a density of rn_rho_bergs and not km3 weq / y as mentioned in some comments in icbclv and icbstp. This makes the input file somehow dependent of the NEMO namelist as the user most of the time want to prescribe a flux in Gt/y or any derived unit as kg/s and derived a calving file from this (using rn_rho_bergs).

Recommendation

Easiest:

• add a description of sn_icb in the doc and mention the unit in the namelist.
• correct comments mentioning units is in km3 weq / y

To be discussed by ST:

• Should the unit of the input file changed from km3 of iceberg / y to kg / s (icbclv) ?

[mathiot]

To avoid issue for the users during a version update, NEMO could test the netcdf calving file unit to be sure it is the correct one.