Regional Variability and Predictability in the Upper Ocean
Abstract
We pursued understanding of regional upper ocean and lower atmospheric variability in large part by participation in fleet exercises and examination of the realism of oceanographic and meteorological models. The exercises were MIREM (Mine Warfare Readiness Effectiveness Measuring) Programs focusing on the performance of Navy systems in the upper ocean and/or atmospheric boundary layer in the littoral environment. We conducted enhanced environmental monitoring, placing small, non-intrusive instruments on ships operating in the exercise region to collect time series of the surface meteorological forcing and upper ocean structure and deploying easily deployable/recoverable buoys with meteorological sensors and upper ocean temperature, salinity, optical, surface wave, and current sensors. These provided accurate air-sea flux measurements and the moored observations documented the variability in the ocean. We carried out reconstructions and retrospective analyses of the exercises, focusing on quantifying the environmental variability, examining the predictability of this variability and exploring how the environment may have impacted performance of operational systems. In addition, we deployed an array of six such moorings in a regional array in a littoral setting to examine the ability of present ocean and atmosphere models to capture the spatial as well as temporal variability seen near the coast.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 23, 2005
- Accession Number
- ADA434014
Entities
People
- Joseph H. Lacasce
- Robert A. Weller
Organizations
- Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution