Coming together is a beginning, Keeping together is progress, Working together is success. [Henry FORD]
General Ocean Turbulence Model (GOTM) is a very ambitious name for a one-dimensional water column model which simply allows for different combinations of momentum and tracer equations and a choice between some standard turbulence parameterizations. GOTM is of course not complete (and will never be). Whoever is missing any feature in GOTM, is warmly invited to contribute to GOTM and add her or his personal preferences or needs.
The idea behind GOTM is to provide a very simple, clear and well-documented
tool that can easily be used to:
Learn about the physics & numerical treatment of
vertical mixing processes.
Compare the performances of various turbulence schemes
under various oceanic regimes or for analytical solutions.
Integrate your own observation fields into GOTM and simulate
numerically the water column processes under investigation.
Introduce easily new features in the modular models
(e.g. new turbulence scheme).
Couple GOTM with new modules like biological models, ice models ...
investigate their behaviour in idealized or realistic test cases.
Integrate GOTM into their personal one-, two-, or three-dimensional
hydrodynamic codes.
The structure of GOTM is modular which should support the extension
to further processes or turbulence closure schemes. Interested colleagues
should report to us their experiences with or extensions to GOTM
such that they may be considered and integrated into further releases of
GOTM. All contributors will then be considered as co-developers
and co-authors of GOTM and thus be acknowledged for it. The idea
is that such GOTM is steadily developing and hopefully more and
more deserving its name.