Submesoscale processes, characterized by O(1km) horizontal scale and O(1) Rossby number, are ubiquitous in the world ocean and play an important role in the vertical flux of mass, buoyancy and tracers in the upper ocean. However, they have not been intensively studied due to the requirement of uniquely high spatial and temporal resolution in the observation and computer modeling. In this thesis, using a suite of high-resolution numerical experiments in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico, where rich submesoscale structures are accompanied by the strong mesoscale Loop Current eddies, the impact of resolving submesoscales on the tracer distribution and 3-D transport was extensively examined. It was concluded that, submesoscale dynamics aggregated the surface tracers and formed characteristic patterns at scales of kilometers near the ocean surface by enhanced convergence/divergence zones associated with strong ageostrophic processes. This distinctive phenomenon was evident in recent ocean color satellite images which showed similar extensive lines and spirals of floating Sargassum in the western Gulf of Mexico. In addition, better-resolved submesoscale activities increased the horizontal resolution dramatically and elevated local vertical velocity both within and below the mixed layer while leaving the horizontal component almost unaltered. The vertical dispersion increased by several fold with the largest difference close to the surface. Considering the pervasive presence of submesoscale structures at the surface ocean, these models predict that submesoscale processes may serve as an important nutrient supply mechanism in the upper ocean and potentially make a significant contribution on balancing the global biogeochemical tracer budget.

Ce travail de thèse vise à améliorer la compréhension du mécanisme de transport des parcelles d'air nuageuses dans la tropopause tropicale (TTL). Les sommets des nuages convectifs profonds sont déterminés à partir des données de température de brillance CLAUS. Un bon accord statistique entre les trajectoires, intégrées en avant et en arrière dans le temps entre ces sommets et la surface 380K, a été obtenu entre 2005 et 2008. La contribution verticale des sources convectives et les temps de transit associés à chaque sous-régions tropicales ont été quantifiés. Tout au long de l'année, environ 85% des parcelles tropicales à 380K proviennent d'un sommet de nuage convectif. De novembre à avril, les sources de la warm pool prédominent et contribuent jusqu'à 70% du flux de masse ascendant. Durant l'été, la région de la mousson asiatique est le plus grand contributeur. Les régions océaniques et continentales asiatiques contribuent similairement mais les propriétés de transit diffèrent significativement. Le plateau Tibétain, faible contributeur, est la région pour laquelle l'impact de la convection à 380K est la plus importante. Les différences de taux de chauffage entre les réanalyses impacte le transport. Les propriétés de transit sont très largement expliquées par un simple modèle régional unidimensionnel soulignant l'importance de la proximité du niveau de chauffage radiatif nul. / This work aims to improve understanding of the cloudy air transport mechanism in the tropical tropopause layer (TTL). Deep convective clouds tops are determined from brightness temperature provided by CLAUS dataset. A good statistical agreement is obtained over the period 2005-2008, between forward and backward trajectories, integrated between these clouds tops and the 380K surface. This agreement allowed to quantify the vertical contribution of convective sources and their transit time for each tropical sub-regions. Throughout the year, about 85% of the tropical parcels at 380K originate from convective sources. From November to April, the warm pool sources dominate and account for up to 70% of the upward flux. During summer, Asian monsoon region is the largest contributor with similar contributions from oceanic regions and Asian mainland. However, the transit properties differ significantly. The Tibetan plateau, although a minor contributor, is the region with the highest impact of convection at 380K. The differences in heating rates between reanalysis impact the transport.Transit properties can be largely explained by a simple one-dimensional regional model emphasizing the importance of proximity of the level of zero radiative heating rate.

Le travail effectué au cours de cette thèse s'inscrit au sein du projet ANR Mascaret, dont l'objectif est la compréhension du phénomène de mascaret, l'étude de ses conséquences sur l'environnement et sa sensibilité aux modifications de cet environnement. La contribution de cette thèse s'inscrit uniquement dans la partie numérique de ce projet. Seul l'aspect transport sédimentaire causé par le mascaret sera abordé. Le but est de construire un modèle numérique de transport sédimentaire général qui pourra notamment s'appliquer au cas du mascaret. Trois méthodes numériques sont explorées, une première permettant le suivi individuel des grains sédimentaires et deux autres permettant de suivre l'évolution de la concentration en grains au sein de l'écoulement. La première méthode considérera les plus petites échelles et sera appelée méthode tracker et consistera en un suivi individuel des grains sédimentaires. La seconde méthode, dite méthode particulaire, portera sur des échelles plus larges et le transport d'une concentration locale en grains sédimentaires. Enfin, la troisième méthode, que l'on appellera méthode des moments, s'intéressera aux échelles les plus larges en transportant un nuage de particules sédimentaires dans son ensemble grâce à une seule particule numérique caractérisée par les moments de sa distribution en concentration interne. Ceci permettra de caractériser le transport sédimentaire de manière locale qui se produit lors du passage d'un mascaret. Deux mascarets ondulés de nombre de Froude proches seront étudiés. Il sera notamment montré que le nombre de Froude n'est pas un critère permettant de caractériser le transport sédimentaire induit par les mascarets. / The work performed during this thesis is a part of the Mascaret ANR project, which aims to understand the phenomenon of tidal bore, the study of its impact on the environment and its sensitivity to changes in that environment. The contribution of this thesis lies solely in the numerical part of this project. Only the sediment transport caused by the tidal bore is discussed. The goal is to build a generic numerical model of sediment transport which can therefore be applied to the specific case of tidal bores. Three methods are explored, a first for individual tracking of sediment grains and two to model the concentration of grains in the flow. The first method considers the smallest scales and will be called tracking method and consists of individual tracking of sediment grains. The second method, called particle method, focuses on larger scales and the transport of local concentration of sedimentary grains. The third method, which we call moments method, will focus on the largest scales, carrying a cloud of sediment grains as a whole using a single numerical particle characterized by the moments of its internal concentration distribution. This will characterize the local sediment transport process occurring during the passage of a tidal bore. Two undulating bores will be studied whose Froude numbers are close. It will be shown in particular that the Froude number is not a criterion to deduce the intensity of the induced tidal bores sediment transport.

A esfera é utilizada como domínio computacional na modelagem de diversos fenômenos físicos, como em previsão numérica do tempo. Sua discretização pode ser feita de diversas formas, sendo comum o uso de malha regulares em latitude/longitude. Recentemente, também para melhor uso de computação paralela, há uma tendência ao uso de malhas mais isotrópicas, dentre as quais a icosaédrica. Apesar de já existirem modelos atmosféricos que usam malhas icosaédricas, não há consenso sobre as metodologias mais adequadas a esse tipo de malha. Nos propusemos, portanto, a estudar em detalhe diversos fatores envolvidos no desenvolvimento de modelos atmosféricos globais usando malhas geodésicas icosaédricas. A discretização usual por volumes finitos para divergente de um campo vetorial utiliza como base o Teorema da Divergência e a regra do ponto médio nas arestas das células computacionais. A distribuição do erro obtida com esse método apresenta uma forte relação com características geométricas da malha. Definimos o conceito geométrico de alinhamento de células computacionais e desenvolvemos uma teoria que serve de base para explicar interferências de malha na discretização usual do divergente. Destacamos os impactos de certas relações de alinhamento das células na ordem da discretização do método. A teoria desenvolvida se aplica a qualquer malha geodésica e também pode ser usada para os operadores rotacional e laplaciano. Investigamos diversos métodos de interpolação na esfera adequados a malhas icosaédricas, e abordamos o problema de interpolação e reconstrução vetorial na esfera em malhas deslocadas. Usamos métodos alternativos de reconstrução vetorial aos usados na literatura, em particular, desenvolvemos um método híbrido de baixo custo e boa precisão. Por fim, utilizamos as técnicas de discretização, interpolação e reconstrução vetorial analisadas em um método semi-lagrangiano para o transporte na esfera em malhas geodésicas icosaédricas. Realizamos experimentos computacionais de transporte, incluindo testes de deformações na distribuição do campo transportado, que mostraram a adequação da metodologia para uso em modelos atmosféricos globais. A plataforma computacional desenvolvida nesta tese, incluindo geração de malhas, interpolações, reconstruções vetoriais e um modelo de transporte, fornece uma base para o futuro desenvolvimento de um modelo atmosférico global em malhas icosaédricas. / Spherical domains are used to model many physical phenomena, as, for instance, global numerical weather prediction. The sphere can be discretized in several ways, as for example a regular latitude-longitude grid. Recently, also motivated by a better use of parallel computers, more isotropic grids have been adopted in atmospheric global circulation models. Among those, the icosahedral grids are promising. Which kind of discretization methods and interpolation schemes are the best to use on those grids are still a research subject. Discretization of the sphere may be done in many ways and, recently, to make better use of computational resources, researchers are adopting more isotropic grids, such as the icosahedral one. In this thesis, we investigate in detail the numerical methodology to be used in atmospheric models on icosahedral grids. The usual finite volume method of discretization of the divergence of a vector field is based on the divergence theorem and makes use of the midpoint rule for integration on the edges of computational cells. The error distribution obtained with this method usually presents a strong correlation with some characteristics of the icosahedral grid. We introduced the concept of cell alignment and developed a theory which explains the grid imprinting patterns observed with the usual divergence discretization. We show how grid alignment impacts in the order of the divergence discretization. The theory developed applies to any geodesic grid and can also be used for other operators such as curl and Laplacian. Several interpolation schemes suitable for icosahedral grids were analysed, including the vector interpolation and reconstruction problem on staggered grids. We considered alternative vector reconstruction methods, in particular, we developed a hybrid low cost and good precision method. Finally, employing the discretizations and interpolations previously analysed, we developed a semi-Lagrangian transport method for geodesic icosahedral grids. Several tests were carried out, including deformational test cases, which demonstrated that the methodology is suitable to use in global atmospheric models. The computational platform developed in this thesis, including mesh generation, interpolation, vector reconstruction and the transport model, provides a basis for future development of global atmospheric models on icosahedral grids.

A esfera é utilizada como domínio computacional na modelagem de diversos fenômenos físicos, como em previsão numérica do tempo. Sua discretização pode ser feita de diversas formas, sendo comum o uso de malha regulares em latitude/longitude. Recentemente, também para melhor uso de computação paralela, há uma tendência ao uso de malhas mais isotrópicas, dentre as quais a icosaédrica. Apesar de já existirem modelos atmosféricos que usam malhas icosaédricas, não há consenso sobre as metodologias mais adequadas a esse tipo de malha. Nos propusemos, portanto, a estudar em detalhe diversos fatores envolvidos no desenvolvimento de modelos atmosféricos globais usando malhas geodésicas icosaédricas. A discretização usual por volumes finitos para divergente de um campo vetorial utiliza como base o Teorema da Divergência e a regra do ponto médio nas arestas das células computacionais. A distribuição do erro obtida com esse método apresenta uma forte relação com características geométricas da malha. Definimos o conceito geométrico de alinhamento de células computacionais e desenvolvemos uma teoria que serve de base para explicar interferências de malha na discretização usual do divergente. Destacamos os impactos de certas relações de alinhamento das células na ordem da discretização do método. A teoria desenvolvida se aplica a qualquer malha geodésica e também pode ser usada para os operadores rotacional e laplaciano. Investigamos diversos métodos de interpolação na esfera adequados a malhas icosaédricas, e abordamos o problema de interpolação e reconstrução vetorial na esfera em malhas deslocadas. Usamos métodos alternativos de reconstrução vetorial aos usados na literatura, em particular, desenvolvemos um método híbrido de baixo custo e boa precisão. Por fim, utilizamos as técnicas de discretização, interpolação e reconstrução vetorial analisadas em um método semi-lagrangiano para o transporte na esfera em malhas geodésicas icosaédricas. Realizamos experimentos computacionais de transporte, incluindo testes de deformações na distribuição do campo transportado, que mostraram a adequação da metodologia para uso em modelos atmosféricos globais. A plataforma computacional desenvolvida nesta tese, incluindo geração de malhas, interpolações, reconstruções vetoriais e um modelo de transporte, fornece uma base para o futuro desenvolvimento de um modelo atmosférico global em malhas icosaédricas. / Spherical domains are used to model many physical phenomena, as, for instance, global numerical weather prediction. The sphere can be discretized in several ways, as for example a regular latitude-longitude grid. Recently, also motivated by a better use of parallel computers, more isotropic grids have been adopted in atmospheric global circulation models. Among those, the icosahedral grids are promising. Which kind of discretization methods and interpolation schemes are the best to use on those grids are still a research subject. Discretization of the sphere may be done in many ways and, recently, to make better use of computational resources, researchers are adopting more isotropic grids, such as the icosahedral one. In this thesis, we investigate in detail the numerical methodology to be used in atmospheric models on icosahedral grids. The usual finite volume method of discretization of the divergence of a vector field is based on the divergence theorem and makes use of the midpoint rule for integration on the edges of computational cells. The error distribution obtained with this method usually presents a strong correlation with some characteristics of the icosahedral grid. We introduced the concept of cell alignment and developed a theory which explains the grid imprinting patterns observed with the usual divergence discretization. We show how grid alignment impacts in the order of the divergence discretization. The theory developed applies to any geodesic grid and can also be used for other operators such as curl and Laplacian. Several interpolation schemes suitable for icosahedral grids were analysed, including the vector interpolation and reconstruction problem on staggered grids. We considered alternative vector reconstruction methods, in particular, we developed a hybrid low cost and good precision method. Finally, employing the discretizations and interpolations previously analysed, we developed a semi-Lagrangian transport method for geodesic icosahedral grids. Several tests were carried out, including deformational test cases, which demonstrated that the methodology is suitable to use in global atmospheric models. The computational platform developed in this thesis, including mesh generation, interpolation, vector reconstruction and the transport model, provides a basis for future development of global atmospheric models on icosahedral grids.