Two alternative implementations of the ensemble‐transform (ET) analysis‐perturbation scheme: The ET with extended cycling intervals, and the ET without cycling

Abstract

Four alternative approximate bases for the ensemble transform (ET) are obtained by extending the cycling interval to 24, 48, 72 and 96 h. Another alternative basis is obtained by foregoing cycling and instead drawing randomly generated perturbations from an archive. Experiments based upon 16‐member global ensembles and a diagonal estimate of analysis‐error covariance indicate that the alternative bases are effective at reducing the discrepancy between the ET analysis‐perturbation variance and the estimated analysis‐error variance. Forecast ensembles associated with the alternative bases maintain considerably more energy in the tropics and subtropics than the forecast ensemble associated with the original basis. Forecast ensembles associated with the alternative bases also outperform the original forecast ensemble in terms of the ensemble forecast‐error covariance‐matrix eigenvalue spectrum, the relationship between ensemble variance and observed squared error and the Brier score. The performance gains facilitated by the alternative approximate bases are substantial in some instances, especially in the tropics. The randomly sampled basis is superior to the original basis in most respects. Published in 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Document Details

Document Type
Pub Defense Publication
Publication Date
Jun 25, 2009
Source ID
10.1002/qj.437

Entities

People

  • Carolyn A. Reynolds
  • Justin McLay

Organizations

  • Office of Naval Research
  • United States Naval Research Laboratory

Tags

Readers

  • Atmospheric Science/Meteorology
  • Operations Research
  • Regression Analysis.