These boundary conditions are based on zonal averages of Hellerman and Rosenstein annual mean windstress (1983). If option restorst is enabled, the surface temperature and salinity are damped back to initial conditions on a time scale given by dampts in days as given by Equation (28.23) in Section 28.2.9. This option together with options idealized_ic and restorst allow MOM to be easily portable to various computer platforms.
Recommendation: When setting up a new model for the first time, it is recommended that option simple_sbc be used. Only after verifying that results are reasonable should more suitable options be considered.