Advanced-Research Wrf dynamics and numerics

The WRF-ARW core is based on an Eulerian solver for the fully compressible nonhydrostatic equations, cast in flux (conservative) form, using a mass (hydrostatic pressure) vertical coordinate. Prognostic variables for this solver are column mass of dry air (mu), velocities u, v and w (vertical velocity), potential temperature, and geopotential. Non-conserved variables (e.g. temperature, pressure, density) are diagnosed from the conserved prognostic variables. The solver uses a third-order Runge-Kutta time-integration scheme coupled with a split-explicit 2nd-order time integration scheme for the acoustic and gravity-wave modes. 5th-order upwind-biased advection operators are used in the fully conservative flux divergence integration; 2nd-6th order schemes are run-time selectable.

The following papers describe the equations and numerical schemes used in the WRF ARW core.

Klemp, J. B., W. C. Skamarock, and J. Dudhia, 2007: Conservative split-explicit time integration methods for the compressible nonhydrostatic equations. Mon. Wea. Rev., accepted (pdf file).

Skamarock, W. C., and J. B. Klemp, 2007: A time-split nonhydrostatic atmospheric model for research and NWP applications. J. Comp. Phys., special issue on environmental modeling. Accepted (pdf file).

Skamarock, W. C., 2006: Positive-Definite and Montonic Limiters for Unrestricted-Timestep Transport Schemes. Mon. Wea. Rev., 134, 2241-2250 (pdf file).

Skamarock, W. C., J. B. Klemp, J. Dudhia, D. O. Gill, D. M. Barker, W. Wang, and J. G. Powers, 2005: A description of the Advanced Research WRF Version 2. NCAR Tech Notes-468+STR (pdf file).

Skamarock, W. C., 2004: Evaluating Mesoscale NWP Models Using Kinetic Energy Spectra. Mon. Wea., Rev., 132, 3019-3032 (pdf file).

Wicker, L. J., and W. C. Skamarock, 2002: Time splitting methods for elastic models using forward time schemes (pdf file). Mon. Wea. Rev., 130, 2088-2097.