Umscheid, L., and P. R. Bannon, 1977: A comparison of three global grids used in numerical prediction models. Monthly Weather Review, 105 (5), 618-635.
Abstract: Three finite-difference global grids [the original Kurihara (OK), a modified
Kurihara (MK), and latitude-longitude (LL)] are tested by comparing numerical
solutions with a barotropic free-surface model to a high-resolution control
run and by comparing forecast with a general circulation model to observations.
With the free surface model, 30-day integrations are made for three different
resolutions of each grid and with three initial conditions: two mathematical
patterns and one 500 mb observed field. The LL grid performed well on the
mathematical patterns, especially the case with zonal wavenumber 4. The
numerical solutions with the high-resolution MK grid also performed satisfactorily
for both mathematical patterns. The OK grid did not perform as well, particularly
on the case with zonal wavenumber 1. For the observed case, the LL grid
in general had lower rms errors although the solutions did not depend as
strongly on the three different grid types as the solutions for the mathematical
patterns.
For the three-dimensional cases, the GFDL nine-level model was used for
14-day forecasts for observed conditions in March and 3-day forecasts in
November. Forecast sensitivity to the different grids is low for short range.
The MK grid had the lowest 500 mb rms errors for the duration of both forecasts.
Both the MK and LL grids were free of the problem of anomalously high geopotential
heights over the North Pole that occurred with the OK grid.