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A mountain-induced moist baroclinic wave test case for the dynamical cores of atmospheric general circulation models

Journal Article · · Geoscientific Model Development (Online)
 [1];  [2]
  1. Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States); University of Michigan
  2. Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)
+ Show Author Affiliations
Idealized test cases for the dynamical cores of atmospheric general circulation models are informative tools to assess the accuracy of the numerical designs and investigate the general characteristics of atmospheric motions. A new test case is introduced that is built upon a baroclinically unstable base state with an added orographic barrier. The topography is analytically prescribed and acts as a trigger of both baroclinic Rossby waves and inertia–gravity waves on a rotating, regular-sized planet. Both dry and idealized moist configurations are suggested. The latter utilizes the Kessler warm-rain precipitation scheme. The test case enhances the complexity of the existing test suite hierarchy and focuses on the impacts of two midlatitudinal mountain ridges on the circulation. Selected simulation examples from four dynamical cores are shown. These are the Spectral Element and Finite Volume dynamical cores, which are part of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Community Earth System Model (CESM), versions 2.1.3 and 2.2, and the Cubed-Sphere Finite Volume dynamical cores, which is new to CESM version 2.2. In addition, the Model for Prediction Across Scales (MPAS) is tested. The overall flow patterns agree well in the four dynamical cores, but the details can vary greatly. The examples highlight the broad palette of use cases for the test case and reveal physics–dynamics coupling issues.
Research Organization:
Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER). Earth & Environmental Systems Science (EESS)
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0023220
OSTI ID:
2337893
Journal Information:
Geoscientific Model Development (Online), Journal Name: Geoscientific Model Development (Online) Journal Issue: 22 Vol. 16; ISSN 1991-9603
Publisher:
Copernicus Publications, EGUCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Figures / Tables (19)

Figure 1(p. 4)figure Figure 1
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Table 1(p. 5)table Table 1
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Table B1(p. 21)table Table B1
Table C1(p. 22)table Table C1
Table C2(p. 22)table Table C2
Table C3(p. 23)table Table C3
Table C4(p. 23)table Table C4

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