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Internal gravity waves: A new frontier in global ocean modeling
Brian K. Arbic, Malte Mueller, James G. Richman, Jay F. Shriver, Eric L. Kunze, Robert B. Scott, Alan J. Wallcraft, Luis Zamudio, Steven L. Bassette, and Conrad A. Luecke
University of Michigan
(Abstract received 03/29/2015 for session X)
ABSTRACT
High-resolution globe ocean models forced by atmospheric fields and tides are beginning to display realistic internal gravity-wave spectra, especially as model resolution increases. Here we examine internal waves in global simulations with 1/12 and 1/25 degree horizontal resolution, respectively. Frequency spectra of internal-wave horizontal kinetic energy in the North Pacific lie closer to observations in the 1/25 degree simulation than in the 1/12 degree simulation. The horizontal-wavenumber and frequency (K-omega) kinetic energy spectra contain peaks in the semidiurnal tidal band and near-inertial band, along with a continuum aligned along the linear dispersion relations of low-vertical-mode internal waves. Spectral kinetic energy transfers quantify the rates at which nonlinearity transfer energy between motions having different frequencies and wavenumbers. The transfers increase in vigor with increasing horizontal resolution. Preliminary comparisons of internal wave potential energy spectra between the 1/12 degree model and observations are also presented.
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2015 LOM Workshop, Copenhagen, Denmark June 2nd - 4th, 2015