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Section


This reference describes the Newtonian relaxation techniques in atmospheric models:

Jeuken, A., et al. (1996)  On the potential of assimilating meteorological analyses in a global climate model for the purposes of model validation,  J. Geophys. Res., 101, 16,939–16,950

. 

doi:10.1029/96JD01218.

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In this article we explain how to prepare and configure OpenIFS 43r3 for a nudged simulation. Therein the model needs to read meteorological parameters at the grid scale from pre-computed external forcing files. These forcing files have to be created prior to the nudged OpenIFS model experiment and this process is also described here.

Info

Please note that nudging in OpenIFS is an experimental research tool and therefore may change between model versions.

For further assistance with configurations of OpenIFS, please contact: openifs-support@ecmwf.int.

Newtonian Relaxation

OpenIFS uses initial and boundary conditions to calculate its own model dynamics, i.e. meteorological variables that are resolved on the grid scale. It is however possible to constrain the model dynamics with external data. Newtonian relaxation, sometimes referred to as "nudging", is a simple form of data assimilation which allows to constrain or force the model's meteorological fields with reanalysis data. This is sometimes referred to as running the model in "offline" mode. In nudged configuration the model's dynamics is continually specified by the meteorological reanalysis independent of the run length of the experiment. 

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\frac{\delta X}{\delta t} =


This method can be useful, for instance, in sensitivity studies which aim to isolate the model physics or chemistry while preventing feedbacks to the model dynamics. Another example for its use is to align a climate model simulation closer to historic meteorology for comparison with measurements. 

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titleFurther information


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    &NAMRLX
      LRLXG=true,    ! Master switch to enable nudging
      LRLXVO=true,   ! vorticity
      LRLXDI=true,   ! divergence
      LRLXTE=true,   ! temperature
      LRLXQ=true,    ! specific humidity
      LRLXQL=true,
      LRLXQI=true,
      LRLXQC=true,
      LRLXLP=true,
      LRLXO3=true,   ! ozone
      XRLXVO=0.5,    ! relaxation coefficient
      XRLXDI=0.5,
      XRLXTE=0.5,
      XRLXQ=0.5,
      XRLXO3=0.5,
      XRLXLP=0.5,
      ALATRLX1=90,   ! latitude domain for nudging
      ALATRLX2=-90,
      ALONRLX1=0,    ! longitude domain for nudging
      ALONRLX2=360,
      AXRLX=-0.5,
      AYRLX=-0.5,
      AZRLX=1.0,
      NRLXLMIN=1,    ! top model level for nudging
      NRLXLMAX=60,   ! bottom model level for nudging
      CLPSHRLX='../rlxml/sh/',  ! relative path to spectral forcing files
      CLPGGRLX='../rlxml/gg/',  ! relative path to gridpoint forcing files
    /

References

  • Jeuken, A., et al. (1996)  On the potential of assimilating meteorological analyses in a global climate model for the purposes of model validation,  J. Geophys. Res., 101, 16,939–16,950.  doi:10.1029/96JD01218.