22
STEPHEN GRIFFIES
1 Questions of model fundamentals, such as questions raised in this
section.
2 Questions of boundary fluxes/forcing, from either the surface airsea, river-sea, and ice-sea interactions, or forcing from the solid
earth boundary. The lectures in this volume from Bill Large touch
upon many of the surface flux issues.
3 Questions of analysis, such as how to rationalize the simulation to
enhance ones ability to understand, communicate, and conceptualize.
If we ask questions about physical, mathematical, or numerical aspects
of an ocean model, then we ask questions about ocean model fundamentals. The subject deals with elements of computational fluid mechanics,
geophysical fluid mechanics, oceanography (descriptive and dynamic),
and statistical physics. Given the wide scope of the subject, even a
monograph such as Griffies, 2004 can only provide partial coverage. We
consider even less in these lectures. The hope is that the material will
introduce the reader to methods and ideas serving as a foundation for
further study.
For the remainder of this section, we summarize a few of the many
fundamental questions that designers and users often ask about ocean
models. Some of the questions are briefly answered, yet some remain
unaswered because they remain part of present day research. It is notable that model users, especially students learning how to use a model,
often assume that someone else (e.g., their adviser, the author of a research article, or the author of a book) has devoted a nontrivial level of
thought to answering many of the following questions. This is, unfortunately, often an incorrect assumption. The field of ocean modelling
is not mature, and there are nearly as many outstanding questions as
there are model developers and users. Such hopefully will provide motivation to the student to learn some fundamentals in order to help the
field evolve.
Perhaps the most basic question to ask about an ocean model concerns
the continuum equations that the model aims to discretize.
Should the model be based on the non-hydrostatic equations, as
relevant for simulations at spatial scales less than 1km, or is the hydrostatic approximation sufficient? Global climate models have all
used the hydrostatic approximation, although the model of Marshall et al., 1997 provides an option for using either. Perhaps in
10-20 years, computational power will be sufficient to allow fully
non-hydrostatic global climate simulations. Will the simulations
STEPHEN GRIFFIES
1 Questions of model fundamentals, such as questions raised in this
section.
2 Questions of boundary fluxes/forcing, from either the surface airsea, river-sea, and ice-sea interactions, or forcing from the solid
earth boundary. The lectures in this volume from Bill Large touch
upon many of the surface flux issues.
3 Questions of analysis, such as how to rationalize the simulation to
enhance ones ability to understand, communicate, and conceptualize.
If we ask questions about physical, mathematical, or numerical aspects
of an ocean model, then we ask questions about ocean model fundamentals. The subject deals with elements of computational fluid mechanics,
geophysical fluid mechanics, oceanography (descriptive and dynamic),
and statistical physics. Given the wide scope of the subject, even a
monograph such as Griffies, 2004 can only provide partial coverage. We
consider even less in these lectures. The hope is that the material will
introduce the reader to methods and ideas serving as a foundation for
further study.
For the remainder of this section, we summarize a few of the many
fundamental questions that designers and users often ask about ocean
models. Some of the questions are briefly answered, yet some remain
unaswered because they remain part of present day research. It is notable that model users, especially students learning how to use a model,
often assume that someone else (e.g., their adviser, the author of a research article, or the author of a book) has devoted a nontrivial level of
thought to answering many of the following questions. This is, unfortunately, often an incorrect assumption. The field of ocean modelling
is not mature, and there are nearly as many outstanding questions as
there are model developers and users. Such hopefully will provide motivation to the student to learn some fundamentals in order to help the
field evolve.
Perhaps the most basic question to ask about an ocean model concerns
the continuum equations that the model aims to discretize.
Should the model be based on the non-hydrostatic equations, as
relevant for simulations at spatial scales less than 1km, or is the hydrostatic approximation sufficient? Global climate models have all
used the hydrostatic approximation, although the model of Marshall et al., 1997 provides an option for using either. Perhaps in
10-20 years, computational power will be sufficient to allow fully
non-hydrostatic global climate simulations. Will the simulations