The Global Ocean Data Assimilation Experiment

The HistoryThe History

Neville SMITH

Bureau of Meteorology, Australia

Michel LEFEBVRE

Villeneuve, France

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The seeds …The seeds …

Michel and La Chapelle-Aubareil 1995 Practical experience Knowing what is useful

TOGA, WOCE Development of an ocean

observing system

GONOW or GODAE?

Concept agreed early 1997

GGOODDAEAE

GGOODDAEAE

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umThe Foundations … The Foundations …

The First GARP Global ExperimentThe First GARP Global Experiment The goals of GARP were

effectively:a) deterministic weather forecasting;b) understanding climate

FGGE Goals (circa 1978) Development of more realistic models for

extended range forecasting, general circulation studies, and climate.

To assess the ultimate limit of predictability of weather systems.

To develop more powerful methods for assimilation of meteorological observations and, in particular, for using non-synchronous data...

To design an optimum composite meteorological observing system for routine numerical weather prediction...

Ocean predictionUnderstand, predictclimate

Ocean models

Ocean predictability

Ocean assimilation

The observing system

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umWhy a Global Ocean Data Why a Global Ocean Data Assimilation Experiment ?Assimilation Experiment ?

Opportunity development and maturity of remote sensing and

in-situ observing systems, making global real-time observation feasible

steady advances in scientific knowledge (e.g. TOGA, WOCE) and our ability to model the global ocean and assimilate ocean data

Need user demand for (global) ocean products for a

variety of applications including scientific research the future sustained, well supported ocean

observing system requires a convincing demonstration of its utility

Timing Now (1997) for 10 years

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Where was the science?Where was the science?

• Practical prediction

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Organising GODAEOrganising GODAE

“Aloof” and self determining

Partners (PIs) Patrons The GODAE

Common

A beginning, and an end

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On the importance of dataOn the importance of data

Altimetry and satellite data The support of the CEOS Strategic

Implementation Team 1997 The OSTST – GODAE alliance

Argo 1998 OceanObs 1999 GHRSST 2000/2001

GODAE provided a unifying force

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GODAE: The System BuildGODAE: The System Build

NWPcentres

Measurementnetwork

Data AssemblyCentres

DataServers

AssimilationCentres

ApplicationCentres Research

users

Users

Legend:

Sources ofinput

GODAEcommon

Users of GODAEoutputs

ProductServers

Flows ofinformation

NWPcentres

Measurementnetwork

Data AssemblyCentres

DataServers

AssimilationCentres

ApplicationCentres Research

users

Users

Legend:

Sources ofinput

GODAEcommon

Users of GODAEoutputs

ProductServers

Flows ofinformation

Climate Climate PredictionsPredictions

Models: consistent analysesModels: consistent analyses

Regional Regional PredictionsPredictions

Climate Climate PredictionsPredictions

Models: consistent analysesModels: consistent analyses

Regional Regional PredictionsPredictions

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Lessons learned …Lessons learned …

Successes, we have had a few … But not all things have followed to plan

The Symposium will reveal Operating prediction systems Advances in knowledge Advances in the observing system A powerful legacy

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1998

1999

2000

2003

2001

2002

2004

2007

2006

2005

Concept

Development

Operational Demonstration

Consolidation and transition

I dentif y Application CentersEstablish metricsExercise real-time in situ servers

GODAE PhasesGODAE Phases

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And so … some last thoughtsAnd so … some last thoughts Good people

My enduring memory will be of the people that have worked to make GODAE a reality

GODAE: OK, we are now at the end. We lay before you

our achievements and ask you to judge whether we have succeeded or not.

It is humbling to see the progress made, and the plans for the future, and to look back at the basis from which this was made.

Success begets responsibility