Simple geometric approximations for global atmospheres on moderately oblate planets

Abstract

Certain geometric approximations such as the widely used traditional shallow-atmosphere, spherical-geoid (TSA-SG) and the deep-atmosphere, spherical-geoid (DA-SG) approximations boil down to the specification of a spatial metric tensor. In order to eliminate the leading-order errors due to the SG and TSA approximations, a sequence of three metric geometric approximations of increasing accuracy at high altitudes is obtained. Their metric tensors possess a simple, closed-form analytical expression. The approximations capture to leading order the oblateness of the planet, the widening of atmospheric columns with height, the horizontal and vertical variations of gravity and the non-traditional part of the Coriolis force. Furthermore, for the first two approximations, the horizontal metric is conformal (proportional) to the spherical metric, which simplifies analytical and numerical formulations of the equations of motion.