Advection errors in an orthogonal terrain‐following coordinate: idealized 2‐D experiments using steep terrains. (24th February 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zou, Xun; Li, Yiyuan; Li, Jinxi; Wang, Bin
• Is Part Of: Atmospheric science letters. Volume 17:Number 3(2016)
• Page Start: 243
• Page End: 250
• Publication Date: 2016-02-24
• Subjects: terrain‐following coordinate -- advection errors -- smoothed vertical layers -- orthogonal computational grids -- skewness -- steep terrain; Atmospheric physics -- Periodicals; 551
• DOI: 10.1002/asl.650
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1530-261X

Abstract

Abstract: This study illustrated the importance of smoothed vertical layers and orthogonal grids in an orthogonal terrain‐following coordinate (an OTF‐coordinate) in reducing advection errors over steep terrain. Three coordinates, namely, classic terrain‐following coordinate, hybrid terrain‐following coordinate (HTF‐coordinate) and OTF‐coordinate, were employed in Schär‐type advection experiments for various terrains. The results demonstrated that the OTF‐coordinate could diminish the grids with high skewness in the HTF‐coordinate over steep terrain; the orthogonal grids share the same importance in reducing advection errors with smoothed vertical layers. Therefore, the advection errors in the OTF‐coordinate are considerably reduced than those in the corresponding HTF‐coordinate over steep terrain.