Comment on egusphere-2022-510

Abstract

High-resolution models have become widely available to study ocean’s small-scale processes. Although these models simulates more turbulent ocean dynamics and reduces uncertainties of parameterizations, they are not practical for long-term simulations, especially for climate studies. Besides scientific research, there are also growing needs from key applications for multi-resolution, flexible modeling capabilities. In this study we introduce the Ocean Modeling with Adaptive REsolution (OMARE), which is based on refactoring NEMO with a parallel computing framework of JASMIN. OMARE supports adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) for the simulation of the multi-scale ocean processes with improved computability. We construct an idealized, double-gyre test case, which simulates a western-boundary current system with seasonally changing atmospheric forcings. This paper (part 1) focuses on the ocean physics simulated by OMARE at two refinement scenarios: (1) 0.5°–0.1° with static refinement and the transition from laminar to turbulent, eddy rich ocean, and (2) short-term 0.1°–0.02° AMR experiments which focus on submesoscale processes. Specifically, for the first scenario, we show that the ocean kinematics on the refined, 0.1° region is sensitive to the choice of refinement region within the low-res., 0.5° basin. Furthermore, for the refinement to 0.02°, we adopt refinement criteria for AMR based on surface velocity and vorticity. Results show that temporally changing features at the ocean’s mesoscale, as well as submesoscale process and its seasonality, are well captured through AMR. Related topics and future plans of OMARE, including overlaying in AMR, are further discussed for further oceanography studies and applications.