A semi-implicit semi-Lagrangian global nonhydrostatic model and the polar discretization scheme

The Global/Regional Assimilation and PrEdiction System(GRAPES) is a newly developed global non-hydrostatic numerical prediction model,which will become the next generation medium-range opera-tional model at China Meteorological Administration(CMA).The dynamic framework of GRAPES is featuring with fully compressible equations,nonhydrostatic or hydrostatic optionally,two-level time semi-Lagrangian and semi-implicit time integration,Charney-Phillips vertical staggering,and complex three-dimensional pre-conditioned Helmholtz solver,etc.Concerning the singularity of horizontal momentum equations at the poles,the polar discretization schemes are described,which include adoption of Arakawa C horizontal grid with ν at poles,incorporation of polar filtering to maintain the computational stability,the correction to Helmholtz equation near the poles,as well as the treatment of semi-Lagrangian interpolation to improve the departure point accuracy,etc.The balanced flow tests validate the rationality of the treatment of semi-Lagrangian departure point calculation and the polar discretization during long time integration.Held and Suarez tests show that the conservation proper-ties of GRAPES model are quite good.