INTEGRATION OF A SPECTRAL BAROTROPIC MODEL FROM GLOBAL 500-MB. CHARTS

Abstract

This project used a series of 500-mb. charts prepared originally for the study of planetary waves. These charts, covering both hemispheres, provided the initial conditions for a spectral barotropic model. In this model, the calculations proceeded from functions equivalent to spherical harmonics with the stream field represented by 153 degrees of freedom. A set of five integrations carried to 72 hr. produced reasonably good forecasts that did not appear to be affected seriously by the deficiencies of the observational network.