Semi-Lagrangian methods for a finite element coastal ocean model

Abstract Coastal ocean hydrodynamic models are subject to a number of stability constraints. The most important of these are the Courant–Friedrichs–Levy (CFL) constraint on gravity waves, a Courant ( Cr ) number constraint on advection, and a time step constraint on the vertical component of viscous stresses. The model described here removes these constraints using a semi-implicit approximation in time and a semi-Lagrangian approximation for advection. The accuracy and efficiency of semi-Lagrangian methods depends crucially on the methods used to calculate trajectories and interpolate at the foot of the trajectory. The focus of this paper is on evaluation of several new and old semi-Langrangian methods. In particular, we compare 3 methods to calculate trajectories (Runge–Kutta (RK2), analytical integration (AN), power-series expansion (PS)) and 3 methods to interpolate (local linear (LL), global linear (GL), global quadratic (GQ)) on unstructured grids. The AN and PS methods are both efficient and accurate, and the latter can be expanded in a straightforward manner to treat time-dependent velocity. The GQ interpolation method provides a major step in introducing efficient and accurate semi-Lagrangian methods to unstructured grids.