Production and Analysis of a Southern Ocean State Estimate

A modern general circulation model of the Southern Ocean with one-sixth of a degree resolution is optimized to the observed ocean in a weighted least squares sense. Con-vergence toward the state estimate solution is carried out by systematically adjust-ing the control variables (prescribed atmospher...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Matthew R. Mazloff, Woods Hole, Oceanographic Institution, Carl Wunsch
Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: 2006
Subjects:
Online Access:http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.466.6768
http://darchive.mblwhoilibrary.org:8080/bitstream/handle/1912/1282/msthesis_mazloff.pdf?sequence=1
Description
Summary:A modern general circulation model of the Southern Ocean with one-sixth of a degree resolution is optimized to the observed ocean in a weighted least squares sense. Con-vergence toward the state estimate solution is carried out by systematically adjust-ing the control variables (prescribed atmospheric state, initial conditions, and open northern boundary at 24.7oS) using the adjoint method. A cost function compares the model state to data from CTD synoptic sections, hydrographic climatology, satel-lite altimetry, and XBTs. Costs attributed to control variable perturbations ensure a physically realistic solution. An optimized solution is determined by the weights placed on the cost function terms. The state estimation procedure, along with the weights used, is described. A significant result is that the adjoint method is shown to