CONSISTENT WAVE-MEAN FLOW MODELLING IN COUPLED MODELS
PI and organization: O. Breivik (MET No)
Co-Is: J. Staneva (HZG), J-R.Bidlot (ECMWF), G. Nurser (NOCS)
Abstract: WaveFlow addresses the impact that unresolved wave-mean flow effects have on the circulation in the upper ocean. Specifically, the project aims to introduce recent improvements to the physical parameterizations of wave physics in a state-of-the-art wave model used for operational wave forecasting. The wave fields and fluxes will be implemented in an openly available wave model code and tested with fields and fluxes from a decades-long wave hindcast of the soon to be completed ERA5 reanalysis. The tests will be carried out on all scales pertinent to CMEMS, ranging from vertical column one-dimensional setups to regional, high-resolution models and all the way to global ocean-only and fully coupled atmosphere-wave-ocean forecast systems. The project aims to explore the beneficial impact on the predictability of forecast systems and the potential improvement to the circulation of the upper ocean. This will be done in close collaboration with CMEMS MFCs. The project brings together a consortium with complementary competence on wave and ocean modelling and will lay the foundations for how wave and ocean models should interact.
