Updates in the Global/Regional Integrated Model system (GRIMs)-Double Fourier Series (DFS) Dynamical Core

Abstract:

The Global/Regional Integrated Model system (GRIMs)-double Fourier series (DFS) spectral dynamical core has been developed to overcome the limitation of traditional spectral model using spherical harmonics in terms of computational cost at very high resolution. Recently, the GRIMs-DFS dynamical core was updated in two respects: (1) better scalability on high-performance computing platform; and (2) reduction of numerical time-stepping error.

To improve the parallel efficiency, the archived wave domain was designed not to be sliced in the meridional direction, but to be decomposed in the horizontal and vertical directions. Although the computational cost slightly increased due to the requirement of temporary work array, the revised DFS dynamical core yielded higher scalability in terms of the wall-clock-time than the original one. In addition, its efficiency gain became greater with the increase of horizontal resolution when the number of processors is increased.

The Robert-Asselin-Williams (RAW) time filter has been proposed as a simple improvement to the widely used Robert-Asselin filter, in order to reduce time-stepping errors in semi-implicit leapfrog integration. This new approach was implemented into the GRIMs-DFS dynamical core and its impact was quantitatively evaluated on medium-range forecast and seasonal ensemble prediction frameworks. Preliminary results showed that the RAW time-filter properly reduced spurious light rainfalls that might be produced from unphysical computational mode generated by leap-frog time stepping. Further details will be presented in the conference.