5.7. Scalar Coordinate Variables When a variable has an
associated coordinate which is single-valued, that coordinate
may be represented as a scalar variable. Since there is no
associated dimension these scalar coordinate variables should be
attached to a data variable via the Under COARDS the method of
providing a single valued coordinate was to add a dimension of
size one to the variable, and supply the corresponding
coordinate variable. The new scalar coordinate variable is a
convenience feature which avoids adding size one dimensions to
variables. Scalar coordinate variables have the same information
content and can be used in the same contexts as a size one
coordinate variable. Note however that use of this feature with
a latitude, longitude, vertical, or time coordinate will inhibit
COARDS conforming applications from recognizing them. Once a
name is used for a scalar coordinate variable it can not be used
for a 1D coordinate variable. For this reason we strongly
recommend against using a name for a sca