The Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Model (OLAM). Part II: Formulation and Tests of the Nonhydrostatic Dynamic Core

The dynamic core of the Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Model (OLAM), which is a new global model that is partly based on the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System ( RAMS), is described and tested. OLAM adopts many features of its predecessor, but its dynamic core is new and incorporates a global geodesic grid with triangular mesh cells and a finite-volume discretization of the nonhydrostatic compressible Navier-Stokes equations. The spatial discretization of horizontal momentum is based on a C-staggered grid and uses a method that has not been previously applied in atmospheric modeling. The temporal discretization uses a unique form of time splitting that enforces consistency of advecting mass flux among all conservation equations. OLAM grid levels are horizontal, and topography is represented by the shaved-cell method. Aspects of the shaved-cell method that pertain to the OLAM discretization on the triangular mesh are described, and a method of conserving momentum in shaved cells on a C-staggered grid is presented. The dynamic core was tested in simulations with multiple vertical model levels and significant vertical motion. The tests include an idealized global circulation simulation, a cold density current, and mountain-wave flow over an orographic barrier, all of which are well-known standard benchmark experiments. OLAM gave acceptable results in all tests, demonstrating that its dynamic core produces accurate and robust solutions.