On modelling geophysical flows having low rossby numbers

Abstract

New, fourth‐order “c” grid Coriolis term treatments are compared with widely used second‐order treatments. Their improved accuracy is demonstrated by a grid convergence study for a relevant linear problem. Such an accuracy improvement is relatively easy and costs little for low Rossby number flows compared with high Rossby number flows, because one must consider only the Coriolis and pressure gradient terms in low Rossby number flows. The “c” grid is favourable for the latter, but the Coriolis terms benefit greatly by the higher order treatments analysed herein.