NEMO-WAVE WG Results
Considering the representation of the momentum equation, it has been decided to first implement processes occurring from meso-scale to large-scale. The representation of the wave-induced effect in this range involves the introduction of five additional terms in the primitive equations:
- Stokes-Coriolis force;
- Surface boundary conditions for the momentum (modification of the wind stress to account the amount of energy stored into the wave field);
- Transport of active and passive tracers (C) by the 3D Stokes drift:
- Source/Sink? term in the vertical turbulence model:
- Surface vertical velocity accounting for the Stokes drift.
Regarding the 4th term, there is a general consensus within the enlarged working group members that basic research is still needed. None of the presently available turbulent closure models (TKE, KPP, GLS, Richardson number) correctly deal with the wave induced turbulence. Approximations are available and will be adopted in the first phase (Qiao term or modification of TKE). The representation of non-local effect in KPP have some appeal but it should be reformulated according the wave dynamics.
