Title: Exploring a Lower‐Resolution Physics Grid in CAM‐SE‐CSLAM

Abstract

This paper describes the implementation of a coarser-resolution physics grid into the Community Atmosphere Model (CAM), containing $$5\over{9}$$ fewer grid columns than the dynamics grid. The dry dynamics is represented by the spectral element dynamical core, and tracer transport is computed using the Conservative Semi-Lagrangian Finite Volume Method (CAM-SE-CSLAM). Algorithms are presented that map fields between the dynamics and physics grids while maintaining numerical properties ideal for atmospheric simulations such as mass conservation and mixing ratio shape and linear-correlation preservation. The results of experiments using the lower-resolution physics grid are compared to the conventional method in which the physics and dynamical grids coincide. The lower-resolution physics grid provides a volume mean state to the physics computed from an equal sampling of the different types of nodal solutions arising in the spectral-element method and effectively mitigates grid imprinting in regions with steep topography. The impact of the coarser-resolution physics grid on the resolved scales of motion is analyzed in an aqua planet configuration, across a range of dynamical core grid resolutions. The results suggest that the effective resolution of the model is not degraded through the use of a coarser-resolution physics grid. Since the physics makes up about half the computational cost of the conventional CAM-SE-CSLAM configuration, the coarser physics grid may allow for significant cost savings with little to no downside

Authors:

Herrington, Adam R.  ^[1];

• Search DOE PAGES for author "Herrington, Adam R."
• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0002-8273-5507"
• Search orcid.org for ORCID "0000-0002-8273-5507"

Lauritzen, Peter H.  ^[2];

• Search DOE PAGES for author "Lauritzen, Peter H."
• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0001-7066-138X"
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Reed, Kevin A.  ^[1];

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• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0003-3741-7080"
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Goldhaber, Steve ^[2]; Eaton, Brian E.  ^[2]

• Search DOE PAGES for author "Eaton, Brian E."
• Search DOE PAGES for ORCID "0000-0002-4433-3339"
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+ Show Author Affiliations

1. School of Marine and Atmospheric SciencesStony Brook University Stony Brook NY USA
2. National Center for Atmospheric Research Boulder CO USA

Publication Date:

2019-07-10

Research Org.:

Univ. of Georgia, Athens, GA (United States)

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE Office of Science (SC)

OSTI Identifier:

1560186

Alternate Identifier(s):

OSTI ID: 1560188; OSTI ID: 1613245

Grant/Contract Number:  

SC0019459; 12-015334

Resource Type:

Published Article

Journal Name:

Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems

Additional Journal Information:

Journal Name: Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems Journal Volume: 11 Journal Issue: 7; Journal ID: ISSN 1942-2466

Publisher:

American Geophysical Union (AGU)

Country of Publication:

United States

Language:

English

Subject:

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY; 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences