Analysis of Sparse and Noisy Ocean Current Data Using Flow Decomposition. Part 1: Theory

Abstract

A new approach is developed to reconstruct a three-dimensional incompressible flow from noisy data in an open domain using a two-scalar (toroidal and poloidal) spectral representation. The results are presented in two parts: Theory (first part) and Application (second part). In Part I, this approach includes the following: (a) a boundary extension method to determine normal and tangential velocities at an open boundary, (b) establishment of homogeneous open boundary conditions for the two potentials with a spatially varying coefficient kappa, (c) spectral expansion of kappa, (d) calculation of basis functions for each of the scalar potentials, and (e) determination of coefficients in the spectral decomposition of both velocity and kappa using linear or nonlinear regressions. The basis functions are the eigenfunctions of the Laplacian operator with homogeneous mixed boundary conditions and they depend upon the spatially varying parameter kappa at the open boundary. A cost function used for poor data statistics is introduced to determine the optimal number of basis functions. An optimization scheme with iteration and regularization is proposed to obtain unique and stable solutions. In Part II, the capability of the method is demonstrated through the reconstruction of a 2D wind-driven circulation in a rotating channel, a baroclinic circulation in the eastern Black Sea, and a large-scale surface circulation in the Southern Ocean.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 01, 2003
Accession Number
ADA479483

Entities

People

  • Leonid M. Ivanov
  • Oleg V. Melnichenko
  • Peter Cheng Chu
  • Tatiana M. Margolina
  • Tatiana P. Korzhova

Organizations

  • Naval Postgraduate School

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Materials and Manufacturing Processes

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Black Sea
  • Boundaries
  • Coefficients
  • Decomposition
  • Eigenvectors
  • Equations
  • Flow
  • Geometry
  • Incompressible Flow
  • Linear Algebraic Equations
  • Mathematical Filters
  • Ocean Currents
  • Oceans
  • Southern Ocean
  • Statistics
  • Three Dimensional
  • Two Dimensional

Readers

  • Atmospheric Science / Meteorology, specifically Wind Wave Turbulence.
  • Finite Element Method (FEM) for solving Partial Differential Equations (PDEs)
  • Linear Algebra