Introducing LAB60: A 1/60° NEMO 3.6 numerical simulation of the Labrador Sea

• Main Authors: Pennelly, Clark, Myers, Paul G.
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2020
• Subjects: Greenland; Labrador Sea; Sea ice
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-2020-111; https://gmd.copernicus.org/preprints/gmd-2020-111/

A high-resolution coupled ocean-sea ice model is set up within the Labrador Sea. With a horizontal resolution of 1/60°, this simulation is capable of resolving the multitude of eddies which transport heat and freshwater into the interior of the Labrador Sea. The transport of these fluxes strongly governs the overall stratification, deep convection, and subsequent production of Labrador Sea Water. We implement nested domains within our regional configuration to reduce computational costs, allowing for a simulation that spans over 10 years. Three passive tracers are also included: Greenland runoff, Labrador Sea Water produced during convection, and Irminger Water which enters the Labrador Sea along Greenland. We describe the configuration setup and compare against similarly forced lower-resolution simulations to better describe how horizontal resolution impacts the Labrador Sea.