Topographic Vorticity-Mode Mesoscale-β (TVM) Model. Part I: Formulation

G. Schayes Institut d'Astronomie et de Geophysique, Universite Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium

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P. Thunis Environment Institute, Joint Research Center, Ispra, Italy

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R. Bornstein Department of Meteorology, San Jose State University, San Jose, California

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Abstract

The three-dimensional, flat-terrain, finite-difference URBMET vorticity, mode mesoscale-β model has been modified to include topographic effects. The resulting topographic vorticity-mode mesoscale-β (TVM) model is hydrostatic, Boussinesq, and incompressible. The prognostic turbulent kinetic energy equation has been improved, and use of an implicit vertical diffusion scheme has increased the minimum allowable time step of integration. Part I of this paper presents the details of the TVM formulation, boundary conditions, and numerics. Part II presents comparisons between simulated and observed values for a test period from the Fos observational campaign, during which data were obtained in a complex-terrain coastal area in the south of France.

Abstract

The three-dimensional, flat-terrain, finite-difference URBMET vorticity, mode mesoscale-β model has been modified to include topographic effects. The resulting topographic vorticity-mode mesoscale-β (TVM) model is hydrostatic, Boussinesq, and incompressible. The prognostic turbulent kinetic energy equation has been improved, and use of an implicit vertical diffusion scheme has increased the minimum allowable time step of integration. Part I of this paper presents the details of the TVM formulation, boundary conditions, and numerics. Part II presents comparisons between simulated and observed values for a test period from the Fos observational campaign, during which data were obtained in a complex-terrain coastal area in the south of France.

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