Implementation of a CCPP-compliant Physics-package into the EMC’s FV3 Whole Atmosphere Model

Abstract:

A global spectral hydrostatic generalized terrain-following vertical-coordinate model based on enthalpy as a prognostic variable has been developed at the Environmental Modeling Centre (EMC) by Juang (2011). This model constitutes the dynamic-core of the Whole Atmosphere Model (GSM-WAM) that is scheduled for operational implementation next year, in a collaborative effort between EMC and the Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC). The dynamic core of the WAM that extends up to 600 km in height has recently been updated with the non-hydrostatic Finite-Volume Cubed-Sphere (FV3) dynamic core, including multi-gases thermodynamics and a novel molecular diffusion scheme that assures numerical stability of the FV3-WAM in presence of relatively strong three-dimensional winds into the thermosphere. While the FV3-WAM employs the tropospheric-stratospheric physics, same as the operational FV3-GFS, we are working towards implementing a CCPP-compliant physics-scheme that is more appropriate for the mesosphere-thermosphere part of the FV3-WAM. Details of this work including some preliminary results will be presented at the conference.

Reference:

Juang, H.-M. H., 2011: A multiconserving discretization with enthalpy as thermodynamic prognostic variable in generalized hybrid vertical coordinates for the NCEP global forecast system. Mon Wea Rev, 139, 1583-1607.