Effect of Bottom Topography on the Ocean General Circulation

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The PI proposes to generalize the three-dimensional model developed in his previous work to include bottom topography. The proposed study consists of the development of a hierarchy of ocean circulation models based upon the planetary geostrophic equations, i.e., the equations of motion with relative acceleration terms replaced by a simple Rayleigh friction. The PI's goal is to develop a three-dimensional, finite element, moving-vertical-node, world-ocean planetary geostrophic model within the proposed three- year cycle. Such a model offers an attractive alternative to existing primitive-equation models and could be useful in climate studies because it can be solved efficiently enough to be run for the hundreds or thousands of model years required to reach equilibrium.