EAM has relied in two types of dissipation at the model top. With the lack of a robust non-reflecting boundary condition for the nonlinear dynamics, vertically propagating waves which should leave the model can instead be reflected off the model top. The sponge layer damps these waves to minimize the reflection. It also prevents pileup of KE at the model top.
The first sponge layer is Rayleigh damping, implemented in the physics and turned on in EAMv1 when we transitioned from 30 to 72L.
The second sponger layer is a Laplacian dissipation term implemented in the dycore.
Both approaches are inherited from CAM.
Rayleigh Damping
namelist parameter: raytay0 = 5.0 (default starting with v1)
Algorithm?
Laplacian smoothing:
namelist parameter: nu_top
Laplacian smoothing applied at the model top with coefficient nu_top*nu_top_scale(k)
preqx dycore (EAM v0,v1). Sponge layer modeled after that used by CAM-EUL
nu_top=2.5e5
nu_top_scale(1:nlev)=4,2,1,0,0,0….. (applied in top 3 model layers)
Laplacian term added to RHS of hyperviscosity operator
Theta dycore (EAM v2, SCREAM). Sponge layer modeled after CAM-FV ( Lauritzen et al., https://doi.org/10.1177/1094342011410088 )
nu_top = Resolution dependent. See https://acme-climate.atlassian.net/wiki/spaces/DOC/pages/1044644202/EAM+s+HOMME+dycore
Laplacian term applied independently from hyperviscosity, and with it’s own timestep controlled by hypervis_subcycle_tom. Default 1.
nu_top_scale(:) uses reference pressure based formula
Formula in terms of reference pressure computed from “eta” coordinate:
p_ratio = eta(1)/eta(k)
nu_top_scale = 16*( 1 ./ ( 1 + (p_ratio)^-2)). (mathematically equivalent to the 8*(1+ tanh(log(p_ratio))) formula used in CAM-FV)
where (nu_top_scale>8) nu_top_scale=8
where (nu_top_scale<0.15) nu_top_scale=0
This formula creates a sponge layer that is active from [ptop/10,ptop]. For EAM’s 72L configuration, ptop=0.1 mb, meaning that the sponge layer starts at 1mb which might be too high. For SCREAM’s L128 configuration, ptop=2mb, so the sponge layer starts an 20mb, which might be too low.
Plots of the CAM-FV / EAMv2 sponge layer profile:
Experiments
Some aqua planet experiments looking at zonal wind and EKE at model top: /wiki/spaces/NGDNA/pages/1060077843
At NE256 (and probably higher) with EAM’s 72L configuration, the model is unstable and the sponge layer needs to be larger (but not stronger):