What does the "sc =" part of the code mean in the answer for - Use spei() function with user specified parameters from a rasterstack in R?

Question

As a new coder to the world of Stack Exchange/Stack Overflow I am unable to comment directly on a question - so this is a specific question in relation to Use spei() function with user specified parameters from a rasterstack in R?

In jk22 very useful answer (which I am also unable to upvote as I have no reputation yet):

library(SPEI)
library(raster)
library(zoo)

# Generate a sample raster stack time series with 720 layers
# This would be 60 years of monthly data
r <- raster(nrows=10,ncols=10,vals=rnorm(100))
rstack <- stack(r)
for(i in 1:719){
  rstack <- stack(rstack, raster(nrows=10,ncols=10,vals=rnorm(100)))
  cat(paste("..",round(((i+1)/720)*100,1),"%")) # check progress in %
}

r.mat <- as.matrix(rstack)

# Run spei()
funSPEImat <- function(x, sc, start, end, na.rm=TRUE,...) {
  dat <- ts(x, start = c(1971, 1), end = c(2030, 12), frequency = 12)
  as.numeric((spei(dat, sc, ref.start = start, ref.end = end, na.rm=na.rm, ...))$fitted) 
}

fitted.mat <- t(apply(r.mat, 1, funSPEImat, sc = 2, start = c(1971, 1), 
                                 end = c(2000, 12)))


# Convert back to raster brick
spei <- setValues(rstack, fitted.mat)
dates <- seq(as.Date("1971-01-01"), as.Date("2030-12-31"), by="month")
names(spei) <- as.yearmon(dates)

It is my understanding that the section below is the function that generates the Standardised Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI):

# Run spei()
funSPEImat <- function(x, sc, start, end, na.rm=TRUE,...) {
  dat <- ts(x, start = c(1971, 1), end = c(2030, 12), frequency = 12)
  as.numeric((spei(dat, sc, ref.start = start, ref.end = end, na.rm=na.rm, ...))$fitted) 
}

And this next part of the code is to generate the reference period (in this case January 1971 to December 2000):

fitted.mat <- t(apply(r.mat, 1, funSPEImat, sc = 2, start = c(1971, 1), 
                                 end = c(2000, 12)))

My specific question is: what does the sc = 2 part relate to in the reference period code above?

Further comments - as I am not sure I will be able to reply to anyones answer (as I have no reputation yet):

I can not find any reference to "sc =" in the documentation (Package ‘SPEI’). I guess this is for the scale - but there is already a "1" scale reference following "r.mat" in the above code which I think would make this a 1 monthly spei. "sc" does feature in the function that generates the SPEI but would this mean that there is a 2 monthly spei generated which uses a 1 monthly reference period?

Answer 1

The help for this function starts its description like this:

spei(data, scale, kernel = list(type ='rectangular', shift = 0),....

In R, arguments get matched by position and by name if called with a name=value argument.

The name of the thing holding the value (sc in this case) is irrelevant. The following are equivalent:

sc = 99
z = 99
# match by position
spei(mydata, sc, .....)
# match by name, but in the same positions:
spei(data=mydata, scale=sc, .....)
# match by name, different positions:
spei(scale=z, data=mydata, .....)
# doesn't matter what the name of the thing with the value is:
spei(mydata, z, ......)
spei(mydata, scale=z,.....)
spei(mydata, ....., scale=z)
spei(scale=z, data=mydata, ......)

Answer 2

Thanks to the comments and answer received It made me realise that my Further Comments assumptions within my question are wrong. The "which I think would make this a 1 monthly spei" part is incorrect. The 1 after r.mat below actually relates to the apply function;

fitted.mat <- t(apply(r.mat, 1, funSPEImat, sc = 2, start = c(1971, 1), 
                                     end = c(2000, 12)))

Where;

apply(X, MARGIN, FUN, …)

MARGIN relates to "a vector giving the subscripts which the function will be applied over. E.g., for a matrix 1 indicates rows, 2 indicates columns, c(1, 2) indicates rows and columns" (see apply function).

So, in the example within the question the 1 in the "fitted.mat" is linked to the apply function not the spei function i.e. applies the function to a matrix.