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A thermodynamic ocean modelling system with application to the Pacific and Indian Ocean

 

Tommy Jensen

International Pacific Research Center

School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology

University of Hawaii

 

A multi-layer Thermodynamic Ocean Modelling System (TOMS) has been developed for upper ocean circulation studies. TOMS is designed for oceanic and coastal flows where the aspect ratio is small and for integrations up to a few decades. It can be applied as an upper ocean only model (reduced gravity mode), or it can be configured with finite depth, including bottom topography in the lowest layer. The model includes prognostic velocity, temperature, salinity and tracers as well as mixed layer physics. In addition, a simple data assimilation scheme, and a number of open boundary conditions, which increase the range of possible applications of TOMS, have been included.

Ocean models with a vertical coordinate fixed in time or models with a moving coordinate both have their problems and advantages. TOMS uses an Arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian vertical coordinate, which predicts a new Lagrangian layer thickness each time step. Based on physical and numerical criteria, the layer thickness is adjusted (i. e. remapped) and the associated mass, heat and salt fluxes between layers are computed. This makes it a hybrid between an isopycnic model and a z-coordinate model.

A number of applications will be presented, ranging from single column models to 3-dimensional circulation models. As one example, results from a 1/4 deg. resolution simulation with a 4.5 layer Pacific Ocean upper ocean, including prognostic temperature and salinity, will be shown. High resolution (1/8 deg) results from a hydrodynamics only Indian Ocean model will also be discussed.

Both models are forced by monthly wind stress from the European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts reanalysis.

 

Assimilation of upper ocean data into numerical models

 

Moto Ikeda

Graduate School of Environmental Earth Science, Hokkaido University

 

 

 

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