Physical Sciences Division
Published August 28, 2019 | Version v1
Journal article Open

The GFDL Global Ocean and Sea Ice Model OM4.0: Model Description and Simulation Features

Creators

  • 1. Princeton University
  • 2. NOAA/GFDL
  • 3. McGill University
  • 4. University of Chicago
  • 5. SAIC/GFDL
  • 6. University of Victoria

Description

We document the configuration and emergent simulation features from the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) OM4.0 ocean/sea ice model. OM4 serves as the ocean/sea ice component for the GFDL climate and Earth system models. It is also used for climate science research and is contributing to the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project version 6 Ocean Model Intercomparison Project. The ocean component of OM4 uses version 6 of the Modular Ocean Model and the sea ice component uses version 2 of the Sea Ice Simulator, which have identical horizontal grid layouts (Arakawa C-grid). We follow the Coordinated Ocean-sea ice Reference Experiments protocol to assess simulation quality across a broad suite of climate-relevant features. We present results from two versions differing by horizontal grid spacing and physical parameterizations: OM4p5 has nominal 0.5° spacing and includes mesoscale eddy parameterizations and OM4p25 has nominal 0.25° spacing with no mesoscale eddy parameterization. Modular Ocean Model version 6 makes use of a vertical Lagrangian-remap algorithm that enables general vertical coordinates. We show that use of a hybrid depth-isopycnal coordinate reduces the middepth ocean warming drift commonly found in pure z* vertical coordinate ocean models. To test the need for the mesoscale eddy parameterization used in OM4p5, we examine the results from a simulation that removes the eddy parameterization. The water mass structure and model drift are physically degraded relative to OM4p5, thus supporting the key role for a mesoscale closure at this resolution.

Files

J Adv Model Earth Syst - 2019 - Adcroft - The GFDL Global Ocean and Sea Ice Model OM4 0 Model Description and Simulation.pdf

Files (92.5 MB)

Additional details

Identifiers

DOI
10.1029/2019MS001726
Other
oai:uchicago.tind.io:14157

Funding

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
NA14OAR4320106
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada
RGPIN-2018-04985
National Science Foundation
1536350

UChicago Information

Division(s)
Physical Sciences Division
Department(s)
Geophysical Sciences