System Description

The system is configured for the global ocean with HYCOM 2.2 as the dynamical model. Computations are carried out on a mercator grid between 78°S and 47°N (1/12° equatorial resolution). A bipolar patch is used for regions north of 47°N. The horizontal dimensions of the global grid are 4500 x 3298 grid points resulting in ~7 km spacing on average. There are 32 vertical layers (see blkdat.input). Bathymetry is derived from a quality controlled NRL DBDB2 dataset. Surface forcing is from Navy Operational Global Atmospheric Prediction System (NOGAPS) and includes wind stress, wind speed, heat flux (using bulk formula), precipitation. For additional details on the model configuration such as layer reference densities time steps, advection scheme, mixing etc. see blkdat.input.

Data Assimilation

The system uses the Navy Coupled Ocean Data Assimilation (NCODA) system (Cummings, 2005) for data assimilation. NCODA uses the model forecast as a first guess in a multi-variate Optimal Interpolation (MVOI) scheme and assimilates available satellite altimeter observations (along track obtained via the NAVOCEANO Altimeter Data Fusion Center) satellite and in-situ Sea Surface Temperature (SST) as well as available in-situ vertical temperature and salinity profiles from XBTs, ARGO floats and moored buoys. (Cooper, Haines, 1996) is used for the downward projection of surface information.

• 00Z NCODA Analysis Time
• The assimilation is performed from 67°S to 47°N

WARNING: Legacy experiments display a subsurface temperature bias in many locations. We recommend using one of the "Current Experiments" listed here.

Operational Details

The system runs daily at the NAVO HPC and generates a 5 day hindcast and a 5 day forecast. The data are made available typically within two days after the model run via servers located at the Center For Ocean-Atmospheric Prediction Studies (COAPS), Florida State University (FSU). The HYCOM format archive files are converted to CF 1.0 compliant NetCDF files using standard HYCOM post-processing package. These files contain diagnostic output at standard Levitus depth levels for several variables including: currents, temperature and salinity. The archive files are snapshots.

Detailed Information

Run Configuration (blkdat.input)

Contains model run configuration information such as time steps, advection scheme, mixing, vertical structure, etc.

Model Bathymetry (depth.[ab])

Files containing the model bathymetry.

Computational Grids (regional.grid.[ab])

Files containing the location of model grid point.

References

(Cummings, 2005)

Cummings, J.A., 2005: Operational multivariate ocean data assimilation. Quart. J. Royal Met. Soc., Part C, 131(613), 3583-3604.

(Cooper, Haines, 1996)

Cooper, M. and K.A. Hained, 1996: Altimetric assimilation with water property conservation. J. Geophys. Res., 24, 1059-1077.