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preparing PO4 boundary conditions for MOM4

Description

This HOWTO describes in detail the process of preparing PO4 boundary conditions for MOM4. At present, initial and boundary conditions must be preprocessed by being put into NetCFD format and regridded onto the particular MOM3 grid of use. This is done in up to five steps: 1) Converting data to NetCDF, 2) Extrapolating the data vertically over the MOM4 grid domain, 3) Extrapolating the data horizontally over the globe, 4) Regridding the extrapolated data onto the particular MOM4 grid, and 5) making modifications to the final NetCDF header/description... all as follows:

1) Converting data to NetCDF
2) Extrapolating the data vertically over the MOM4 grid domain
3) Extrapolating the data horizontally over the globe
4) Regridding the extrapolated data onto the particular MOM4 grid
5) Modifying the NetCDF header/description


1) Converting data to NetCDF

NetCDF files must follow the formatting conventions for the standardization of NetCDF files established by the Cooperative Ocean/Atmosphere Research Data Service (COARDS). Some examples are provided at the ferret web site. More specifically, MOM4 is finicky about time units, which must adhere to the following additional requirements:
The easiest way I have found to set up NetCDF files is using the combination of ferret and NCO utilites. Matlab also has a bunch of utilities.

As an example of a data set whose conversion is nontrivial, regridding the OCMIP2-biotic standard euphotic zone boundary condition for phosphate (PO4) proceeds as follows:
An alternative method, if you're having trouble getting the NetCDF to look right, is use matlab:

2) Extrapolating the data vertically over the MOM4 grid domain

3) Extrapolation of the data horizontally over the globe:

4) Regridding extrapolated data onto OM1 grid
5) making modifications to the final NetCDF header/description



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last modified:May 04 2004.