An ocean data assimilation system and reanalysis of the World Ocean hydrophysical fields

A new version of the ocean data assimilation system (ODAS) developed at the Hydrometcentre of Russia is presented. The assimilation is performed following the sequential scheme analysis–forecast–analysis. The main components of the ODAS are procedures for operational observation data processing, a variational analysis scheme, and an ocean general circulation model used to estimate the first guess fields involved in the analysis. In situ observations of temperature and salinity in the upper 1400-m ocean layer obtained from various observational platforms are used as input data. In the new ODAS version, the horizontal resolution of the assimilating model and of the output products is increased, the previous 2D-Var analysis scheme is replaced by a more general 3D-Var scheme, and a more flexible incremental analysis updating procedure is introduced to correct the model calculations. A reanalysis of the main World Ocean hydrophysical fields over the 2005–2015 period has been performed using the updated ODAS. The reanalysis results are compared with data from independent sources.     

On the simulation of temperature and salinity fields in the Arctic Ocean

This paper considers the formation of the thermohaline structure of the Arctic Ocean: the formation of the salinity field and a freshwater reservoir in the Beaufort Sea and the transport of warm Atlantic water into the central part of the Arctic Ocean. A new version of the Finite Element Model of the Arctic Ocean (FEMAO) with a low spatial resolution is used. The main distinctions of this version are the following features: a new equation of state, a more sophisticated parameterization of vertical turbulence, modified formulations for the boundary conditions on open boundaries (using satellite data on the sea level) and at the upper boundary of the ocean, and the use of a variable eddy diffusivity in the parameterization of the eddy transport of a scalar. Our experiments indicated that the use of the parameterization of the eddy transport of a scalar enhances the transport of warm Atlantic waters to the central part of the Arctic Ocean through the Fram Strait; the results are most realistic when a variable coefficient is used. The Neptune effect has a contradictory role and, in the future, a higher spatial resolution should be used instead of this parameterization. We revealed that a key factor in the thermohaline fields on a large time scale is the interaction with the Atlantic Ocean, which is the source of heat and saline water.     

Reconstruction of hydrological fields and reproduction of climatic circulation of World Ocean waters

Due to a lack of observational data, the hydrological fields of temperature, salinity, and density used by oceanographers at present remain significantly smoothed. Specifically, this refers to the WOA data distributed freely by the group of Sidney Levitus. This study describes the history of synthesis of hydrological data and mathematical modeling with high resolution. Our aim is to minimize the drawbacks of original data of hydrological fields, improve them with the help of a mathematical model, and thus reproduce the current fields. The results of some realistic calculations are presented.     

基于ROMS和4DVAR的沿轨与网格化SSH数据同化效果评价

Remote sensing products are significant in the data assimilation of an ocean model. Considering the resolution and space coverage of different remote sensing data, two types of sea surface height(SSH) product are employed in the assimilation, including the gridded products from AVISO and the original along-track observations used in the generation. To explore their impact on the assimilation results, an experiment focus on the South China Sea(SCS) is conducted based on the Regional Ocean Modeling System(ROMS) and the four-dimensional variational data assimilation(4 DVAR) technology. The comparison with EN4 data set and Argo profile indicates that, the along-track SSH assimilation result presents to be more accurate than the gridded SSH assimilation, because some noises may have been introduced in the merging process. Moreover, the mesoscale eddy detection capability of the assimilation results is analyzed by a vector geometry–based algorithm. It is verified that, the assimilation of the gridded SSH shows superiority in describing the eddy's characteristics, since the complete structure of the ocean surface has been reconstructed by the original data merging.     

四维LOESS插值法在台湾海峡及其邻近海域温盐场研究中的应用

将四维LOESS(locally weighted regression)插值法应用至台湾海峡及其邻近海域,在考虑了研究海域海底地形和岸界对分析结果影响的基础上,通过引入空间和时间拟合函数,有效地解决了调查资料在时间和空间上的不均匀性.通过与气候态WOD01数据及卫星遥感资料的对比分析,可以发现,四维LOESS插值法不仅能够较好地再现研究海域的水文要素整体分布特征,而且对于台湾海峡及其邻近海域的中尺度现象(如夏季浅滩附近的局地低温、东山外海上升流等)也有较好的分辨能力.总的来说,四维LOESS插值法在台湾海峡及其邻近海域的应用是可行、可靠的.     

海洋温盐度资料多变量同化研究进展

早期海洋资料同化仅考虑温度的调整而忽略盐度的变化,这往往会带来虚假信息,可能导致密度场被严重恶化,同化后的结果甚至比没有同化任何观测资料时还要差。为了解决这个问题,海洋资料同化中的一些温、盐度多变量调整方案便被提出来了。本文对广泛应用于多变量分析的资料同化方法及不同温、盐度多变量调整方案进行了系统的回顾,对它们的优缺点进行了分析与讨论,并指出了不同调整方案的适用条件及应用现状,最后对Argo资料在海洋资料同化中的重要性及今后的研究重点进行了探讨。     

Modeling of circulation and salinity in Hooghly estuary

The circulation and salinity distribution in the Hooghly Estuary have been studied by developing a two‐dimensional depth‐averaged numerical model for the lower estuary, where the flow is vertically well mixed. This has been coupled with a one‐dimensional model for the upper estuary, where the flow is assumed to be unidirectional and well mixed over the depth and breadth. The Hooghly River receives high freshwater discharge during the monsoon season (June to September), which has significant effect on the salinity distribution in the estuary. The model‐simulated currents, elevations, and salinities are in good agreement with observations during the dry season. However, during the wet season the computed salinities seem to deviate slightly from the observed values.     

Calculation of adapted black sea fields on the basis of assimilation of climatic temperature and salinity data into the model

A scheme of a periodic assimilation of climatic temperature and salinity data into a model is proposed. In accordance with the criteria chosen on the basis of numerical experiments, an optimum assimilation period of three hours is set. The proposed method allows a hydrodynamic adaptation of the fields of temperature, salinity, and flow velocity that are close to the climatic ones within the framework of the proposed criteria. The main feature of the adapted fields of vertical flows in the layer 0–700 m is their smooth character and an almost complete absence of small-scale noise. The extreme values of vertical velocity in this layer decrease by almost an order of magnitude as compared to analogous values calculated for the variant of data assimilation with a weak adjustment of fields.     

Seasonal variability of climatic currents in the Caspian Sea reconstructed by assimilation of climatic temperature and salinity into the model of water circulation

We present the results of an analysis of the seasonal variability of current fields in the Caspian Sea, reconstructed by assimilation of climatic temperature and salinity into the primitive-equation model of water circulation on the basis of an algorithm for adaptive statistics of prediction errors. The sources in heat and salt transfer-diffusion equations depend on the spatial and temporal variability of the variances of prediction errors and one-dimensional (in the vertical coordinate) variances of measurement errors for temperature and salinity. The variances of prediction errors are adjusted at the moments of data assimilation in accordance with a simplified Kalman filter. The climatic circulation of waters in the Caspian Sea is shown to be highly varying. The maximum of its intensity over the entire depth is reached in February. The minimum of kinetic energy is observed in April. The currents in deep-sea areas are determined by the balance between wind and baroclinic factors of the formation of circulation with wind currents prevalent.     

4DVAR data assimilation in the Intra-Americas Sea with the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS)

We present the background, development, and preparation of a state-of-the-art 4D variational (4DVAR) data assimilation system in the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) with an application in the Intra-Americas Sea (IAS). This initial application with a coarse model shows the efficacy of the 4DVAR methodology for use within complex ocean environments, and serves as preparation for deploying an operational, real-time assimilation system onboard the Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines ship Explorer of the Seas. Assimilating satellite sea surface height and temperature observations with in situ data from the ship in 14 day cycles over 2 years from January 2005 through March 2007, reduces the observation-model misfit by over 75%. Using measures of the Loop Current dynamics, we show that the assimilated solution is consistent with observed statistics.     

4DVAR data assimilation in the Intra-Americas Sea with the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS)

We present the background, development, and preparation of a state-of-the-art 4D variational (4DVAR) data assimilation system in the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) with an application in the Intra-Americas Sea (IAS). This initial application with a coarse model shows the efficacy of the 4DVAR methodology for use within complex ocean environments, and serves as preparation for deploying an operational, real-time assimilation system onboard the Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines ship Explorer of the Seas. Assimilating satellite sea surface height and temperature observations with in situ data from the ship in 14 day cycles over 2 years from January 2005 through March 2007, reduces the observation-model misfit by over 75%. Using measures of the Loop Current dynamics, we show that the assimilated solution is consistent with observed statistics.     

Statistical structure of the large-scale fields of temperature and salinity in the Black Sea

In order to reconstruct the large-scale temperature and salinity fields by the method of optimal interpolation of the archival data, we compute the correlation functions and analyze the space and time variations of the statistical structure of the fields. On the sea surface, the thermohaline fields are spatially inhomogeneous. Thus, the correlation functions are anisotropic in the region of the northwest shelf and close to isotropic in the inner parts of the sea. The values of correlation length vary from season to season. In the layer of pycnocline, the temperature and salinity fields are anisotropic. In the zonal direction, the correlation length is 2–3 times greater than in the meridional direction. The indicated anisotropy becomes stronger in the winter season and weaker in the summer season as a consequence of the seasonal variability of large-scale circulation. We study the dependence of the error of reconstruction of the fields by the method of optimal interpolation on the form of approximation of the correlation functions with regard for anisotropy. __________ Translated from Morskoi Gidrofizicheskii Zhurnal, No. 1, pp. 51–65, January–February, 2008.     

Habitat temperature ranges of azooxantellate scleractinian corals in the World Ocean

Based on the study of the scleractinian azooxantellate corals sampled during many marine expeditions of Russian research vessels in the Pacific, Indian, and Atlantic oceans, habitat temperature ranges of their species were first estimated with compiling of temperature series according to the growing thermophility. The temperature series compiled for these oceanic basins consist of 35, 17 and 10 species, respectively. The confinement of scleractinian species to particular water masses is revealed. These data are thought to be useful for reconstructing ecological and oceanological characteristics in the past geological epochs, since coral species exist for millions years. For example, the temperature series established for scleractinian species may be used for reconstructing water temperatures in Cenozoic oceans and, probably, for determining geological ages for some coral species.     

Analysis of the Black-Sea climatic fields below the main pycnocline obtained on the basis of assimilation of the archival data on temperature and salinity in the numerical hydrodynamic model

We study model climatic temperature and salinity fields and the fields of currents in the 350–1000-m layer. The following specific features are revealed: Colder waters are observed in the regions with anticyclonic vorticity. At the same time, warmer waters are detected in the regions with cyclonic vorticity. This temperature effect can be explained by the elevation of temperature with depth below the main pycnocline. In the region of the Sevastopol anticyclone, at depths greater than 500 m, we observe a zone of cyclonic rotation of waters. Near the Caucasian coast, in the region of Gelendzhik, we reveal a narrow jet current existing at a depth of 350 m from March till July. Translated from Morskoi Gidrofizicheskii Zhurnal, No. 1, pp.3–15, January–February, 2009.     

Regional features of the seasonal variability of linear trends of the temperature fields in the Atlantic Ocean and their relation to the large-scale circulation of waters

By using the data array of satellite measurements of the sea-surface temperature (SST), it is shown that the distributions of linear trends of the SST for 17 years (1986–2002) are closely correlated with the specific features of large-scale circulation of waters. The extreme values of trends of the SST are observed in the zones of the Gulf Stream, East-Greenland, Labrador, and North-Atlantic Currents, North Equatorial Countercurrent, South Equatorial and Antarctic Circumpolar Currents. The differences between the distributions of trends of the SST for some months of the year are revealed. In the zones of currents transporting warm surface waters from the tropical areas, positive trends of the SST are observed for the most part of the year. On the contrary, negative trends are predominant in the zones of currents transporting cold upwelling waters. Translated from Morskoi Gidrofizicheskii Zhurnal, No. 4, pp. 32–42, July–August, 2008.     

Modeling the global circulation response and the regional response of the Arctic Ocean to the external forcing anomalies

The problem of numerical modeling and analysis of the large-scale World Ocean circulation variability under variations of the external forcing is considered. A numerical model was developed in the INM RAS and is based on the primitive equations of the ocean circulation written in a spherical generalized σ-coordinate system. The model’s equations are approximated on a grid with resolution of 2.5° × 2° × 33, and the North Pole is displaced to the continental point (60°E, 60.5°N). There are two stages for the numerical experiments. The quasi-equilibrium circulation of the World Ocean under the climatological atmospheric forcing is simulated at the first stage. The run is carried out over a period of 3000 years during which a quasi-equilibrium model regime is formed. At the second stage, the sensitivity of the model ocean circulation to the atmospheric forcing perturbations in the Southern Hemisphere is studied. According to the results, the strongest regional changes in the hydrography take place in the Arctic Ocean. Substantial changes of sea’s surface height and local anomalies of the temperature and salinity are formed there.     

四维变分同化技术在风暴潮数值模拟中的应用

利用区域海洋模式ROMS(Regional Ocean Modelling System)及其四维变分同化模块,建立了具有资料同化能力的东中国海风暴潮数值模式,通过将海洋站水位观测资料同化到风暴潮模式中,提高了模式对风暴潮的模拟精度。四维变分同化技术能够在整个同化时间窗口保持动力协调,使模拟结果在该时间窗口内最大程度的靠近观测,同时,得到了最优预报初始场。利用该模式,对两次温带风暴潮过程进行了数值模拟,结果表明:在同化窗口内,同化对模拟精度有明显的提高;结束同化之后,得到的最优预报初始场对临近预报精度也有一定提高。