Computed rotational energy spectra of two energy and enstrophy conserving schemes on semi-staggered grids

SummaryRotational energy spectra are examined in experiments with two energy and enstrophy conserving schemes defined on the semi-staggered grid. One of the schemes conserved enstrophy as defined on an equivalent staggered grid, and the other conserved enstrophy as defined on the semi-staggered grid.As predicted by the theory (Janjić, 1984), the rotational energy corresponding to the scheme conserving enstrophy as defined on an equivalent staggered grid decreases faster with increasing intensity of the wave number vector than that of the scheme conserving enstrophy as defined on the semistaggered grid. Moreover, the spectrum obtained with the scheme conserving the equivalent staggered grid enstrophy resembles the observed atmospheric spectra in a large part of the admissible wave number range.