Computational dispersion properties of horizontal staggered grids for atmospheric and ocean models

Abstract

Three best time-horizontally staggered grids have practically the same advantageous computational dispersion properties as the Arakawa C grid for both atmospheric and oceanic models - namely, the time-staggered D (or Eliassen) and time-staggered C (only with a semi-implicit scheme) grids - and to a certain extent the Lilly grid. Both, the Arakawa B and the time-staggered A grids for atmospheric and oceanic models, along with the Arakawa E and the time-staggered E grids only for atmospheric models (although having worse dispersion properties) also may be used as additional practical options. For all grids considered some additional filtering is needed to control and even eliminate waves with poor computational dispersion characteristics. -from Author