Planetary Climate Dynamics

Abstract:

We present evidence for a sequence of bifurcations in simulations of the differentially heated baroclinic rotating annulus, similar to bifurcations of the logistic map. The Met. Office / Oxford Rotating Annulus Laboratory Simulation (MORALS) code is used to construct a detailed numerical regime diagram for the annulus, and the distribution of regimes in parameter space is discussed. The bifurcations are observed in a sequence of runs at high temperature forcing, identified by Poincare sections of the dominant temperature mode amplitude time series. Higher order return maps and predictions using quadratic fits to the data are used to verify this result, and Lyapunov exponents are calculated to identify and quantify the chaotic parts of the sequence. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Abstract:

QUAGMIRE is a quasi-geostrophic numerical model for performing fast, high-resolution simulations of multi-layer rotating annulus laboratory experiments on a desktop personal computer. The model uses a hybrid finite-difference/spectral approach to numerically integrate the coupled nonlinear partial differential equations of motion in cylindrical geometry in each layer. Version 1.3 implements the special case of two fluid layers of equal resting depths. The flow is forced either by a differentially rotating lid, or by relaxation to specified streamfunction or potential vorticity fields, or both. Dissipation is achieved through Ekman layer pumping and suction at the horizontal boundaries, including the internal interface. The effects of weak interfacial tension are included, as well as the linear topographic beta-effect and the quadratic centripetal beta-effect. Stochastic forcing may optionally be activated, to represent approximately the effects of random unresolved features. A leapfrog time stepping scheme is used, with a Robert filter. Flows simulated by the model agree well with those observed in the corresponding laboratory experiments.