Unified Gravity Wave Physics in the NOAA Environmental Modeling System: Improving Predictions of Whole Atmosphere Model across the Stratopause

The dynamics of gravity waves (GWs) and their associated generation of turbulence represent one of the major uncertainties in formulations of global models that extend across the stratopause. The current plans of NOAA centers include extending their climate and weather predictions into the upper atmosphere and continuing the integration of the Whole Atmosphere Modeling (WAM) predictions with the Global Forecast System (GFS) in the NOAA Environmental Modeling System (NEMS). For such an extension to be successful, it is imperative to evaluate and, where necessary, to improve treatment of resolved GW dynamics and implement physics of stationary and non-stationary GWs on sub-grid scales in the self-consistent manner. Resolution-sensitive formulations of GW parameterization schemes will be discussed to properly account for variable vertical and horizontal resolutions of models and the energy-conserving simulations. The novel design of unified GW parameterization scheme will include not only the momentum deposition (drag) but also the thermal and eddy transport effects of waves on temperature and radiatively active gases. The first improvements of the WAM/NEMS simulations across the stratopause for the zonal mean flow and dynamics of thermal tides will be discussed.