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Modular Ocean Model
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GMwork array is not sign definite #217

Closed StephenGriffies closed 3 years ago

StephenGriffies commented 9 years ago

The GMwork array is computed in

MOM6-examples/src/MOM6/src/parameterizations/lateral/MOM_thickness_diffuse.F90

This term has been found to be sign-indefinite. That is wrong. The physical term is sign-definite (GM is a potential energy sink). For most of the ocean, it is negative (a sink). But there are any number of positive locations found throughout the global ocean. The lack of sign-definiteness revealed in global_ALE/z as well as global (isopycnal moddel).

The GMwork array must be coded wrong. This error must be corrected to ensure that the GM source term is properly handled if/when using the MEKE approach to compute diffusivities. Without a sign-definite source term, the MEKE scheme will produce spurious diffusivities.

Hallberg-NOAA commented 3 years ago

This issue is merged with #965.