The "Yin-Yang Grid": An Overset Grid in Spherical Geometry

Abstract

A new kind of overset grid, named Yin-Yang grid, for spherical geometry is proposed. The Yin-Yang grid is composed of two identical component grids that are combined in a complemental way to cover a spherical surface with partial overlap on their boundaries. Each component grid is a low latitude part of the latitude-longitude grid. Therefore the grid spacing is quasi-uniform and the metric tensors are simple and analytically known. One can directly apply mathematical and numerical resources that have been written in the spherical polar coordinates or latitude-longitude grid. The complemental combination of the two identical component grids enables us to make efficient and concise programs. Simulation codes for geodynamo and mantle convection simulations using finite difference scheme based on the Yin-Yang grid are developed and tested. The Yin-Yang grid is suitable for massively parallel computers.