Feature Oriented Regional Modeling System (FORMS) – as a synthesis

component of the Global and Coastal IOOS

Avijit Gangopadhyay

University of Massachusetts Dartmouth

Email: avijit@umassd.edu

Seed funded by NASA

OUTLINE

• Feature Oriented Regional Modeling

• Concept -- Initialization/Synthesis Methodology

• Example of Strategy in Sicily Strait

• Shallow water applications – CCS

• Global Applications

• Feature oriented synthesis…..

Gulf Stream Front and Ring Analysis

Features in Western North Atlantic

• Gulf Stream

• Warm Core Rings

• Cold Core Rings

• Southern Recirculation Gyre

• Northern Recirculation Gyre

• Deep Western Boundary Current

• Gangopadhyay et al., 3-part series in 1997: Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Tech. (14) 1314:1365

• Maine Coastal Current

• NEC Inflow

• GSC Outflow

• Jordan Basin Gyre

• Wilkinson Basin Gyre

• Georges Basin Gyre

• Georges Bank Gyre

• Tidal Mixing Front• Gangopadhyay et al. 2003:

Continental Shelf Res. 23(3-4), 317-353

• Gangopadhyay and Robinson, 2002: DAO 36(2002) 201-232

Deep Sea region (GSMR) Coastal region (GOMGB)

Table I. List of GOMGB features and selected studies

Features Selected Studies

Maine Coastal Current(including Great South Channel Outflow)

Beardsley et al. (1985), Bisagni et al. (1996), Brooks(1987, 1990, 1994), Brooks and Townsend (1989),Chapman and Beardsley (1989), Holboke and Lynch(1995), Mavor and Huq (1996), Mountain and Manning(1994), Lynch et al. (1992, 1996, 1997), Lynch (1999),Naimie et al. (1994), Naimi (1995,1996), Smith (1989).

Gorges Bank Anticyclonic circulation,Tidal Fronts

Loder et al. (1992), Butman and Beardsley (1987),Butman et al. (1987), Bisagni et al. (1996), Flagg(1987), Houghton et al. (1982).

Jordan Basin Gyre Brooks (1987), Pettigrew et al. (1998), Wright et al.(1986), Beardsley et al. (1997).

Wilkinson Basin Circulation Brown and Beardsley (1978), Brown and Irish (1992,1993), Brown (1998a), Mountain and Jessen (1987).

Georges Basin Gyre Brooks, (1985), Wright et al. (1986), Beardsley et al.(1997), Pettigrew et al. (1998), Xue et al. (2000).

North East Channel Inflow Brooks (1987), Ramp et al. (1985), Bisagni and Smith(1998)

Abbreviations:GOMGB : Gulf of Maine and Georges Bank

MCC : Maine Coastal CurrentGSC : Great South ChannelTMF : Tidal (Mixing) FrontJBG : Jordan Basin GyreWBG : Wilkinson Basin GyreGBG : Georges Basin GyreNEC : North East Channel

T(x,y,z)=Ta(x,z)+(x,z)(y)where,Ta(x,z)={[T0(x)-Tb(x)](x,z)

+Tb}

U(x,y,z)=(y){[UT(x)-UB(x)](x,z)+ UB(x)}

In general, a coastal current (CC), a front (SSF) and an eddy/gyre (E/G) are represented by:

CC: TM(x, η, z) =TMa(x, z)+ αM(x, z) M(η)

 

SSF: Tss(x, y, z) = Tsh (x, z) + (Tsl (x, z) – Tsh(x, z)) (, z)

 

E/G T(r, z) = Tc (z) - [Tc (z) - Tk (z) ] {1-exp(-r/R)}

 where, TM

a(x, z), Tsh (x, z) and Tc (z) are axis, shelf and core

(η) = (0 W)

(, z) = ½ + ½ tanh[(-.Z)/] 

Strategy for GOMGB

MCC, WBG, JBG, GBG, GBAG, TMF, SSF, Inflow/Outflow

Feature Models at

feature locations

+

Regional Climatology

=

FORMS

FORMS Protocol

• Identify Circulation and Water mass features• Regional Synthesis -- Processes from a modeling

perspective• Synoptic Data sets -- in-situ and satellite• Regional Climatology (Background Circulation)• Objective Analysis (Climatology + Feature

Models)• Simulation -- Nowcasting/Forecasting

Feature oriented methodology is applicable to ALL different

Numerical Models • MOM (Modular Ocean Model)

• ROMS (Regional Ocean Model System)

• POM (Princeton Ocean Model)

• HYCOM

• MIT GCM

• HOPS (Harvard Ocean Prediction System)

• Finite Element / Finite Volume modelsIt is an Initialization and Assimilation Methodology

Strait of Sicily Feature Oriented Regional Modeling Set Up

FORMS Applications in Different Oceans

Ocean Application

Western North Atlantic Operational Modeling, e.g. AFMIS-RFAC

Strait of Sicily Dynamical Analysis

Monterey Bay Real-time forecasting w/ ROMS: AOSN-II in summer 2003 upwelling

Brazil Current Meander-eddy-Upwelling Interaction

Persian Gulf, Arabian Sea, Red Sea

Monsoonal FORMS

Chilean Waters - Northern Humboldt Currents

Nested Biophysical Modeling

Shallow water feature models

• Use of ‘intelligent observations’ that are important to resolve the scales and represent the underlying dynamical processes

• Not only temperature-salinity structure, but include first-order dynamics

• Process-oriented feature models

Arabian Sea - Persian Gulf – Red Sea

Meander-eddy-Upwelling System

Elements of Synthesis

• Synthesis of Multi-sensor observational system: Satellite (SST, SSH, SSC), in-situ, CODAR -- using feature-oriented approach

• Process-oriented shallow water feature models• Feature Tracking -- High resolution data

fusion• EOF analysis for Vertical Structure

determination (Warn-Varnas et al., 2004)• High-resolution regional climatology• Dynamical Adjustment via Models -- FORMS

Some more thoughts

• Feature-oriented method allows for strategic deployment of available resources

• It optimizes (possibly maximizes) return on investments (ROIs)

• The ‘returns’ are not only in $$ but in science, too

• Minimizes human involvement (loss) – because it’s a knowledge-based system

Thank You!!www.smast.umassd.edu/modeling/