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Next: 2.11.3 Grid initialization and Up: 2.11 Spatial discretization of Previous: 2.11.1 The finite volume   Contents

2.11.2 C grid staggering of variables

Figure 2.9: Three dimensional staggering of velocity components. This facilitates the natural discretization of the continuity and tracer equations.
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The basic algorithm employed for stepping forward the momentum equations is based on retaining non-divergence of the flow at all times. This is most naturally done if the components of flow are staggered in space in the form of an Arakawa C grid Arakawa and Lamb [1977].

Fig. 2.9 shows the components of flow ($ u$ ,$ v$ ,$ w$ ) staggered in space such that the zonal component falls on the interface between continuity cells in the zonal direction. Similarly for the meridional and vertical directions. The continuity cell is synonymous with tracer cells (they are one and the same).


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