Energetics Diagnosis of the NCAR General Circulation Model

Abstract

A comprehensive energetics analysis has been performed on the NCAR general circulation model. The analysis involves January and July simulation experiments with the 6-layer, 5-degree, second-generation model with two different convective schemes. Spectral analysis of the energy transformations in the wave-number domain was performed separately on a global and hemispheric basis as well as for the tropics and mid-latitudes. Latitudinal distributions of energy variables were also examined. A qualitative agreement with observational estimates is generally recognized in the transformations of eddy energies. Quantitatively, however, the eddy energies, conversions and energy transfer between wavenumbers are weaker than observational estimates. It is noteworthy that substantial differences exist in the energetics of the two versions of the model with different convective schemes.