Representing momentum transport by gravity waves in numerical fluid solvers

Abstract:  Fluid flow in the atmosphere is effected by different atmospheric waves which evolve on different spatial scales and time scales. One such class of waves, gravity waves (GWs), are the key drivers of global mass transport in the atmosphere and oceans. However, representing these waves in numerical climate models i.e., models which solve the Navier-Stokes equation of fluid flow on a rotating sphere, is challenging. The talk will provide an overview of the partial differential equations that govern the dynamics of gravity waves, the present state of gravity wave representation in numerical climate models, and the possibility of leveraging tools from machine learning to emulate these waves accurately in climate models.