Influence of numerical schemes on current-topography interactions in 1/4 degrees global ocean simulations

Type Article
Date 2007-12
Language English
Author(s) Penduff T1, Le Sommer J1, Barnier B1, Treguier Anne-Marie2, 4, Molines J1, Madec G3
Affiliation(s) 1 : INPG, UJF, CNRS, Lab Ecoulements Geophys & Ind, Grenoble, France.
2 : IFREMER, UBO, CNRS, Lab Phys Oceans, Brest, France.
3 : MNHN, IRD, UPMC, CNRS,Lab Oceanog & Climat Experimentat & Approche, Paris, France.
Source Ocean Science (1812-0784) (European Geosciences Union (EGU)), 2007-12 , Vol. 3 , N. 4 , P. 509-524
WOS© Times Cited 74
Abstract The combined use of partial steps and of an energy-enstrophy conserving momentum advection scheme was shown by Barnier et al. (2006) to yield substantial improvements in the surface solution of the DRAKKAR 4 global sea-ice/ocean model. The present study extends this investigation below the surface with a special focus on the Atlantic and reveals many improvements there as well: e.g. more realistic path, structure and transports of major currents (Gulf Stream, North Atlantic Current, Confluence region, Zapiola anticyclone), behavior of shedded rings, narrower subsurface boundary currents, stronger mean and eddy flows (MKE and EKE) at depth, beneficial enhancement of cyclonic (anticyclonic) flows around topographic depressions (mountains). Interestingly, adding a no-slip boundary condition to this improved model setup cancels most of these improvements, bringing back the biases diagnosed without the improved momentum advection scheme and partial steps (these biases are typical of other models at comparable or higher resolutions). This shows that current-topography interactions and full-depth eddy-admitting model solutions can be seriously deteriorated by near-bottom sidewall friction, either explicit or inherent to inadequate numerical schemes.
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Penduff T, Le Sommer J, Barnier B, Treguier Anne-Marie, Molines J, Madec G (2007). Influence of numerical schemes on current-topography interactions in 1/4 degrees global ocean simulations. Ocean Science, 3(4), 509-524. Open Access version : https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00000/3712/