Angular momentum conservation in a simplified Venus General Circulation Model

Abstract

Angular momentum (AM) conservation and transport are critical components of all General Circulation Model (GCM) simulations, and particularly for simulations of the Venus atmosphere. We show that a Venus GCM based upon the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) Flexible Modeling System (FMS) GCM conserves angular momentum to better than 2% per 1000 Venus years (≈225,000 Earth days) of integration under the extreme conditions of a simplified Venus simulation with low surface torques.With no topography in the GCM, physical torques due to surface/atmosphere frictional interactions dominate the acceleration of an initially stationary atmosphere and provide more than four times the angular momentum of solid body co-rotation over an integration period of 100 Venus years. During the subsequent steady state period of 200 Venus years negligible mean physical torques cause variation in the total angular momentum of less than 5% and produce a stable multi-century simulation. Diffusion and damping processes within the GCM account for AM losses of less than 0.2% per 1000 Venus years.This study provides a stable comparison point for other GCMs by employing a simplified forcing scheme. The diagnostics and analysis require little or no modification to the core GCM and are sufficiently robust to allow easy model inter-comparison.