A consistent approach to unstructured mesh generation for geophysical models

Abstract: Geophysical model domains typically contain irregular, complex fractal-like boundaries and physical processes that act over a wide range of scales. Constructing geographically constrained boundary-conforming spatial discretizations of these domains with flexible use of anisotropically, fully unstructured meshes is a challenge. The problem contains a wide range of scales and a relatively large, heterogeneous constraint parameter space. Approaches are commonly ad hoc, model or application specific and insufficiently described. Development of new spatial domains is frequently time-consuming, hard to repeat, error prone and difficult to ensure consistent due to the significant human input required. As a consequence, it is difficult to reproduce simulations, ensure a provenance in model data handling and initialization, and a challenge to conduct model intercomparisons rigorously. Moreover, for flexible unstructured meshes, there is additionally a greater potential for inconsistencies in model initialization and forcing parameters. This paper introduces a consistent approach to unstructured mesh generation for geophysical models, that is automated, quick-to-draft and repeat, and provides a rigorous and robust approach that is consistent to the source data throughout. The approach is enabling further new research in complex multi-scale domains, difficult or not possible to achieve with existing methods. Examples being actively pursued in a range of geophysical modeling efforts are presented alongside the approach, together with the implementation library Shingle and a selection of its verification test cases.