The Finite Element Sea Ice-Ocean Model (FESOM) v.1.4: formulation of an ocean general circulation model

• Published in: Geoscientific Model Development
• Main Authors: Wang, Qiang, Danilov, Sergey, Sidorenko, Dmitry, Timmermann, Ralph, Wekerle, Claudia, Wang, Xuezhu, Jung, Thomas, Schröter, Jens
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: Copernicus Publications 2014
• Subjects: Sea ice
• Online Access: https://epic.awi.de/id/eprint/35621/; https://epic.awi.de/id/eprint/35621/1/gmd-7-663-2014.pdf; http://www.geosci-model-dev.net/7/663/2014/gmd-7-663-2014.html; https://hdl.handle.net/10013/epic.43582; https://hdl.handle.net/10013/epic.43582.d001

The Finite Element Sea Ice-Ocean Model (FESOM) is the first global ocean general circulation model based on unstructured-mesh methods that has been developed for the purpose of climate research. The advantage of unstructured-mesh models is their flexible multi-resolution modelling functionality. In this study, an overview of the main features of FESOM will be given; based on sensitivity experiments a number of specific parameter choices will be explained; and directions of future developments will be outlined. It is argued that FESOM is sufficiently mature to explore the benefits of multi-resolution climate modelling and that its applications will provide information useful for the advancement of climate modelling on unstructured meshes.