Page History

Horizontal resolution

In the horizontal, a dual representation of spectral components and grid points is used.  All fields are described in grid point space.  The grid is not completely uniform due to the convergence of the meridians towards the poles, and a Reduced Gaussian Octahedral Grid (Fig2.1.3) is now employed where the separation between grid points is kept almost constant by gradually decreasing the number of grid points towards the poles at all extratropical latitudes. In effect, within each quadrant, as one steps away from the equator to the next latitude row, two grid boxes (triangles) are removed.  This equates to a reduction of one grid point per quadrant per latitude row (Fig2.1.3).  This grid point configuration results in a saving in computational time.  For the convenience of computing horizontal derivatives and to facilitate the time-stepping scheme, a spectral representation, based on a series expansion of spherical harmonics, is used for a subset of the prognostic variables, namely, surface pressure, temperature and winds, moist variables and cloud variables are never transformed to spectral space.

...

The Seasonal IFS model uses a Gaussian grid (O320) which has 320 latitude lines between pole and equator with the number of grid points on each latitude line rising from 20 near the poles to 1296 near the equator giving a resolution of about 36km.

Vertical resolution

The vertical resolution varies with geometric height.  The vertical resolution is greatest (most fine) in the planetary boundary layer while more coarse near the model top.  The “σ-levels” follow the earth’s surface in the lower layers of the troposphere, where the Earth’s orography has large variations, but in the upper stratosphere and lower mesosphere they are surfaces of constant pressure.  There is a smooth transition from “σ-levels” to pressure levels between lower and upper levels.

...

Fig2.1.4B: The 91 level configuration used in Seasonal configuration of the IFS.   Sigma levels are terrain-following at lower levels and become constant pressure levels for the upper troposphere and above.

Additional Sources of Information

(Note: In older material there may be references to issues that have subsequently been addressed)

...