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Impact of the fourth‐order compact difference scheme on computational properties of 3D grids in a nonhydrostatic model
Author(s) -
Liu Yudi,
Zhang Qinghong,
Lau K. H.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
international journal for numerical methods in fluids
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.938
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1097-0363
pISSN - 0271-2091
DOI - 10.1002/fld.1947
Subject(s) - baroclinity , grid , discretization , geostrophic wind , context (archaeology) , mathematics , mathematical analysis , geometry , physics , mechanics , geology , paleontology
Abstract To investigate the potential of the fourth‐order compact difference scheme within the specific context of numerical atmospheric models, a linear baroclinic adjustment system is discretized, using a variety of candidates for practically meaningful staggered 3D grids. A unified method is introduced to derive the dispersion relationship of the baroclinic geostrophic adjustment process. Eight popular 3D grids are obtained by combining contemporary horizontal staggered grids, such as the Arakawa C and Eliassen grids, with optimal vertical grids, such as the Lorenz and Charney‐Phillip (CP) grids, and their time‐staggered versions. The errors produced on the 3D grids in describing the baroclinic geostrophic adjustment process relative to the differential case are compared in terms of frequency and group velocity components with the elimination of implementation error. The results show that by utilizing the fourth‐order compact difference scheme with high precision, instead of the conventional second‐order centered difference scheme, the errors in describing baroclinic geostrophic adjustment process decrease but only when using the combinations of the horizontally staggered Arakawa C grid and the vertically staggered CP or the C/CP grid, the time‐horizontally staggered Eliassen (EL) grid and vertically staggered CP or the EL/CP grid, the C grid and the vertically time‐staggered versions of Lorenz (LTS) grid or C/LTS grid, EL grid and LTS grid or EL/LTS grid. The errors were found to increase for specific waves on the rest grids. It can be concluded that errors produced on the chosen 3D grids do not universally decrease when using the fourth‐order compact difference scheme; hence, care should be taken when implementing the fourth‐order compact difference scheme, otherwise, the expected benefits may be offset by increased errors. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.