Experts to explore global modelling at resolutions under 10 km

[knocker]

Quote

Global weather models divide the atmosphere into millions of grid boxes. They cannot directly capture atmospheric processes that occur at scales smaller than each grid box.

More than 50 scientists will meet at ECMWF from 13 to 16 November to discuss the modelling of atmospheric processes across the globe at ‘grey zone’ resolutions of a few kilometres or less.

Today's global weather models are run with a grid spacing of about 10 to 20 kilometres. This coarse resolution means that some relatively small-scale processes cannot be directly resolved in the models by applying the laws of physics. Instead they have to be simulated separately in so-called parametrization schemes.

Convection, turbulence and drag processes are examples of such subgrid-scale processes that need to be parametrized.

When the grid spacing goes down to the order of a few kilometres, some of these processes become at least in part directly resolved. At these so-called ‘grey zone’ resolutions, a process is not well resolved yet but it is not well represented by existing parametrization schemes either.

At such resolutions, the modelling of the different physical processes and of their interaction needs revisiting. Dedicated scientific exchanges are an excellent way to make progress.

https://www.ecmwf.int/en/about/media-centre/news/2017/experts-explore-global-modelling-resolutions-under-10-km

[Mokidugway]

I remember reading somewhere about computer  modelling in fluid dynamics at a molecular level ,that would be a game changer if applied to atmospherics .