HYCOM Coastal Ocean Hindcasts and Predictions: Impact of Nesting in HYCOM GODAE Assimilative Hindcasts
Abstract
The overarching goal is to improve our capability to map, understand, and predict changes in currents and water properties in the coastal ocean. Providing real-time (nowcast) and future (forecast) coastal ocean fields requires a coastal ocean nowcast/forecast system that consists of several components: 1. a high-quality ocean general circulation model; 2. accurate surface flux (atmospheric forcing) fields to drive the ocean model; 3. accurate estimates of coastal ocean fields at the start of a model run and along the lateral boundaries of the coastal domain during model runs; 4. accurate estimates of freshwater input from rivers and estuaries; and 5. high-quality ocean observations. The observations are necessary to provide the accurate initial and boundary fields required by component (3) and to evaluate the performance of the nowcast/forecast system. The central focus of this project is component (3), specifically to quantify and understand the impact of initial and boundary fields on coastal ocean nowcasts and forecasts, and to provide feedback that will motivate improvements in generating these fields. We are evaluating initial and boundary fields provided by a nowcast/forecast system based on the HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM) developed at the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL-Stennis) as part of the Global Ocean Data Assimilation Experiment (GODAE). Results are being communicated to NRL to guide improvement strategies for their nowcast/forecast system. Although our central focus is on component (3), we also consider the other four components of the coastal nowcast/forecast system. We are striving to improve ocean model performance, evaluate model sensitivity to different atmospheric forcing products, study sensitivity to river runoff, and assess the adequacy of available coastal ocean observations. Coastal ocean simulations are also being analyzed to improve our scientific understanding of ocean variability observed in our region of interest.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2006
- Accession Number
- ADA483529
Entities
People
- Alexander Barth
- Eric. P. Chassignet
- George R. Halliwell
- Harley E. Hurlburt
- James A. Cummings
- Lynn K. Shay
- Ole Martin Smedstad
- Patrick J. Hogan
- Robert H. Weisberg
- Villy Kourafalou
Organizations
- Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science