Circulation Model Experiments of the Gulf Stream Using Satellite-Derived Fields

• Main Authors: Fox, Daniel N., Carnes, Michael R., Mitchell, Jimmy L.
• Other Authors: NAVAL RESEARCH LAB STENNIS SPACE CENTER MS
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 1993
• Subjects: Physical and Dynamic Oceanography; Military Intelligence; Military Operations; Strategy and Tactics; *OCEAN CURRENTS; *NAVAL OPERATIONS; *OCEAN MODELS; *OCEAN SURVEILLANCE; SIMULATION; PREDICTIONS; MODELS; MONITORING; INTERACTIONS; MEAN; AIR WATER INTERACTIONS; OCEANOGRAPHY; RECONNAISSANCE SATELLITES; FRONTS(OCEANOGRAPHY); SEARCH AND RESCUE; HYDRODYNAMICS; NORTH ATLANTIC OCEAN; GULF STREAM; SURVEILLANCE; ASSIMILATION; ACOUSTIC SURVEILLANCE; INTERVALS; CLIMATOLOGY; WEAPON SYSTEMS; THERMODYNAMICS; OBSERVATION; FORECASTING; INTERPOLATION; ARTIFICIAL SATELLITES; *OCEAN CIRCULATION; NOWCAST; PE62435N; WUDN251050; North Atlantic; Northwest Atlantic
• Online Access: http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA266067; http://oai.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA266067

The ability to perform skillful forecasts of the space and time evolution of mesoscale ocean phenomena can significantly improve acoustic surveillance capabilities, search and rescue operators, the performance of weapon systems, and other aspects of naval operations. The Ocean Dynamics and Prediction Branch, Ocean Monitoring and Prediction Section of the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), Stennis Space Center, MS, is developing an ocean nowcast/ forecast capability to permit dynamical interpolation of the limited number of in situ and satellite observations available using a hierarchy of coupled hydrodynamic and thermodynamic models. A series of numerical experiments to predict the evolution of the Gulf Stream were performed. These experiments led to the first system to show significant skill in this area. The forecast system uses the NRL Northwest Atlantic regional primitive equation model and assimilation schemes. The schemes employ both a feature model and statistical correlations derived from the regional climatology of in situ data and long time-base numerical simulations. . Ocean models, Ocean forecasting, Fronts (Oceanography), Air-sea interaction