Validation Test Report for the Global Ocean Prediction System V3.0 - 1/12 Degree HYCOM/NCODA: Phase I

Abstract

Global Ocean Prediction System Version 3.0 (V3.0) is comprised of the 1/12 degree global HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM) and the Navy Coupled Ocean Data Assimilation (NCODA) system. It is a next-generation system capable of nowcasting and forecasting the oceanic "weather", which includes the three-dimensional ocean temperature, salinity and current structure, the surface mixed layer, and the location of mesoscale features such as eddies, meandering currents, and fronts. It supports the current Navy requirements for Numerical Modeling (METOC 98-01), Hi-Resolution Surface and Sub-Surface Currents Model (OCEAN 93-08), Tactical Environmental/Acoustic Routing (OCEAN 91-11), and Air/Sea Drift Prediction (OCEAN 91-15). V3.0 is scheduled to replace the existing nowcast/forecast system (V2.6) based on the 1/8 degree Navy Coastal Ocean Model (NCOM), 1/32 degree Navy Layered Ocean Model (NLOM), 1/8 degree Modular Ocean Data Analysis System (MODAS) and NCODA. This report describes the validation testing performed on one-year hindcasts of V3.0 and V2.5+, an interim version of V2.6 that does not include in situ profile assimilation and referred to throughout this report as V2.5. The phase I validation tasks include evaluation of a) the large scale circulation features, b) sea surface height variability and eddy kinetic energy, c) vertical temperature and salinity structure, d) quantities that describe the underwater acoustical environment such as mixed layer depth, sonic layer depth, deep sound channel axis and below layer gradient, e) sea surface temperature, and f) coastal/island sea level variability. Analyses are performed on both hindcast and forecast simulations. For these quantities in areas of Navy interest, V3.0 is generally performing equal to or slightly better than V2.5, with the exception of sonic layer depth.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Nov 26, 2008
Accession Number
ADA490855

Entities

People

  • Alan J. Wallcraft
  • D. S. Franklin
  • Edward Joseph Metzger
  • Harley E. Hurlburt
  • Jay F. Shriver
  • L. F. Smedstad
  • Ole Martin Smedstad
  • Prasad G. Thoppil

Organizations

  • United States Naval Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Arabian Sea
  • Data Analysis
  • Grids
  • Gulf Stream
  • Ocean Currents
  • Oceanography
  • Oceans
  • Pacific Ocean
  • Sea Level
  • Sea Level Rise
  • Sea Surface Temperature
  • Sea Water
  • Surface Temperature
  • Terrain
  • Three Dimensional
  • Topography
  • Underwater Acoustics

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Ocean-Atmosphere Mesoscale Modeling, Data Assimilation, and Flux Boundary Layers
  • Oceanography.