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Governing equations

???By default, PALM has six prognostic quantities: the velocity components u, v, w on a Cartesian grid, the potential temperature θ, specific humidity q_v or a passive scalar s, and the SGS turbulent kinetic energy (SGS-TKE) e. The separation of resolved scales and SGS is implicitly achieved by averaging the governing equations over discrete Cartesian grid volumes as proposed by Schumann (1975). Moreover, it is possible to run PALM in a direct numerical simulation mode by switching off the prognostic equation for the SGS-TKE and setting a constant eddy diffusivity. For a list of all symbols and parameters, that we will introduce below, see Tables~\ref{tab:parameters} and \ref{tab:symbols}.???

The model is based on the non-hydrostatic, filtered, incompressible Navier-Stokes equations in Boussinesq-approximated form. In the following set of equations, angle brackets denote a horizontal domain average. A subscript 0 indicates a surface value. Note that the variables in the equations are implicitly filtered by the discretization (see above), but that the continuous form of the equations is used here for convenience. A double prime indicates SGS variables. The overbar indicating filtered quantities is omitted for readability, except for the SGS flux terms. The equations for the conservation of mass, energy and moisture, filtered over a grid volume on a Cartesian grid, then read as

References

• Schumann U. 1975. Subgrid scale model for finite difference simulations of turbulent flows in plane channels and annuli. J. Comput. Phys. 18: 376–404.