PROPAGATION OF SYSTEMATIC ERRORS IN A ONE LAYER PRIMITIVE-EQUATION MODEL FOR SYNOPTIC SCALE MOTION

Abstract

A one-layer, mid-latitude, beta-plane channel model of an incompressible homogeneous fluid is constructed to study the propagation of systematic errors on a nearly stationary synoptic scale wave. A time- and space-centered difference scheme is used to evaluate the governing primitive equations. Data fields resulting from height field perturbations injected at various locations in the synoptic wave are compared to the unperturbed synoptic wave at 3-hr intervals for 5 model days. Results show that the low-frequency or quasi-geostrophic component of the error tends to move toward the core of maximum velocity in the basic state and that, after 5 days, these maximum height errors are in the core regardless of the location of the initial perturbation.