The California Current System: A multiscale overview and the development of a feature-oriented regional modeling system (FORMS)
Over the past decade, the feature-oriented regional modeling methodology has been developed and applied in several ocean domains, including the western North Atlantic and tropical North Atlantic. This methodology is model-independent and can be utilized with or without satellite and/or in situ obser...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | en_US |
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Elsevier
2017
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/110434 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1869-3883 |
| _version_ | 1811081487313797120 |
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| author | Gangopadhyay, Avijit Rosenfeld, Leslie Robinson, Allan R. Calado, Leandro Kim, Hyun Sook Lermusiaux, Pierre Leslie, Wayne G Haley, Patrick |
| author2 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering |
| author_facet | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering Gangopadhyay, Avijit Rosenfeld, Leslie Robinson, Allan R. Calado, Leandro Kim, Hyun Sook Lermusiaux, Pierre Leslie, Wayne G Haley, Patrick |
| author_sort | Gangopadhyay, Avijit |
| collection | MIT |
| description | Over the past decade, the feature-oriented regional modeling methodology has been developed and applied in several ocean domains, including the western North Atlantic and tropical North Atlantic. This methodology is model-independent and can be utilized with or without satellite and/or in situ observations. Here we develop new feature-oriented models for the eastern North Pacific from 36° to 48°N – essentially, most of the regional eastern boundary current. This is the first time feature-modeling has been applied to a complex eastern boundary current system. As a prerequisite to feature modeling, prevalent features that comprise the multiscale and complex circulation in the California Current system (CCS) are first overviewed. This description is based on contemporary understanding of the features and their dominant space and time scales of variability. A synergistic configuration of circulation features interacting with one another on multiple and sometimes overlapping space and time scales as a meander-eddy-upwelling system is presented. The second step is to define the feature-oriented regional modeling system (FORMS). The major multiscale circulation features include the mean flow and southeastward meandering jet(s) of the California Current (CC), the poleward flowing California Undercurrent (CUC), and six upwelling regions along the coastline. Next, the typical synoptic width, location, vertical extent, and core characteristics of these features and their dominant scales of variability are identified from past observational, theoretical and modeling studies. The parameterized features are then melded with the climatology, in situ and remotely sensed data, as available.
The methodology is exemplified here for initialization of primitive-equation models. Dynamical simulations are run as nowcasts and short-term (4–6 weeks) forecasts using these feature models (FM) as initial fields and the Princeton Ocean Model (POM) for dynamics. The set of simulations over a 40-day period illustrate the applicability of FORMS to a transient eastern boundary current region such as the CCS. Comparisons are made with simulations initialized from climatology only. The FORMS approach increases skill in several factors, including the: (i) maintenance of the low-salinity pool in the core of the CC; (ii) representation of eddy activity inshore of the coastal transition zone; (iii) realistic eddy kinetic energy evolution; (iv) subsurface (intermediate depth) mesoscale feature evolution; and (v) deep poleward flow evolution.
Highlights
► A multiscale overview of the California Current System (CCS) is presented. ► A feature oriented regional modeling system (FORMS) for the CCS is developed. ► Model initialized with FORMS are more realistic than those with climatology. ► FORMS simulations provided low salinity core, realistic EKE inshore of CTZ. ► FORMS simulations provided realistic subsurface eddies and deep poleward flows. |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T11:47:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | mit-1721.1/110434 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| language | en_US |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-23T11:47:28Z |
| publishDate | 2017 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | mit-1721.1/1104342022-10-01T06:04:43Z The California Current System: A multiscale overview and the development of a feature-oriented regional modeling system (FORMS) Gangopadhyay, Avijit Rosenfeld, Leslie Robinson, Allan R. Calado, Leandro Kim, Hyun Sook Lermusiaux, Pierre Leslie, Wayne G Haley, Patrick Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering Lermusiaux, Pierre Leslie, Wayne G Haley, Patrick Over the past decade, the feature-oriented regional modeling methodology has been developed and applied in several ocean domains, including the western North Atlantic and tropical North Atlantic. This methodology is model-independent and can be utilized with or without satellite and/or in situ observations. Here we develop new feature-oriented models for the eastern North Pacific from 36° to 48°N – essentially, most of the regional eastern boundary current. This is the first time feature-modeling has been applied to a complex eastern boundary current system. As a prerequisite to feature modeling, prevalent features that comprise the multiscale and complex circulation in the California Current system (CCS) are first overviewed. This description is based on contemporary understanding of the features and their dominant space and time scales of variability. A synergistic configuration of circulation features interacting with one another on multiple and sometimes overlapping space and time scales as a meander-eddy-upwelling system is presented. The second step is to define the feature-oriented regional modeling system (FORMS). The major multiscale circulation features include the mean flow and southeastward meandering jet(s) of the California Current (CC), the poleward flowing California Undercurrent (CUC), and six upwelling regions along the coastline. Next, the typical synoptic width, location, vertical extent, and core characteristics of these features and their dominant scales of variability are identified from past observational, theoretical and modeling studies. The parameterized features are then melded with the climatology, in situ and remotely sensed data, as available. The methodology is exemplified here for initialization of primitive-equation models. Dynamical simulations are run as nowcasts and short-term (4–6 weeks) forecasts using these feature models (FM) as initial fields and the Princeton Ocean Model (POM) for dynamics. The set of simulations over a 40-day period illustrate the applicability of FORMS to a transient eastern boundary current region such as the CCS. Comparisons are made with simulations initialized from climatology only. The FORMS approach increases skill in several factors, including the: (i) maintenance of the low-salinity pool in the core of the CC; (ii) representation of eddy activity inshore of the coastal transition zone; (iii) realistic eddy kinetic energy evolution; (iv) subsurface (intermediate depth) mesoscale feature evolution; and (v) deep poleward flow evolution. Highlights ► A multiscale overview of the California Current System (CCS) is presented. ► A feature oriented regional modeling system (FORMS) for the CCS is developed. ► Model initialized with FORMS are more realistic than those with climatology. ► FORMS simulations provided low salinity core, realistic EKE inshore of CTZ. ► FORMS simulations provided realistic subsurface eddies and deep poleward flows. United States. Office of Naval Research (N00014-08-1-1097) United States. Office of Naval Research (N00014-08-1-0680) 2017-07-03T19:46:35Z 2017-07-03T19:46:35Z 2011-05 Article http://purl.org/eprint/type/JournalArticle 0377-0265 http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/110434 Gangopadhyay, Avijit; Lermusiaux, Pierre F.J.; Rosenfeld, Leslie; Robinson, Allan R.; Calado, Leandro; Kim, Hyun Sook; Leslie, Wayne G. and Haley, Patrick J.“The California Current System: A Multiscale Overview and the Development of a Feature-Oriented Regional Modeling System (FORMS).” Dynamics of Atmospheres and Oceans 52, no. 1–2 (September 2011): 131–169 © 2011 Elsevier B.V. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1869-3883 en_US http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.dynatmoce.2011.04.003 Dynamics of Atmospheres and Oceans Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ application/pdf Elsevier MIT web domain |
| spellingShingle | Gangopadhyay, Avijit Rosenfeld, Leslie Robinson, Allan R. Calado, Leandro Kim, Hyun Sook Lermusiaux, Pierre Leslie, Wayne G Haley, Patrick The California Current System: A multiscale overview and the development of a feature-oriented regional modeling system (FORMS) |
| title | The California Current System: A multiscale overview and the development of a feature-oriented regional modeling system (FORMS) |
| title_full | The California Current System: A multiscale overview and the development of a feature-oriented regional modeling system (FORMS) |
| title_fullStr | The California Current System: A multiscale overview and the development of a feature-oriented regional modeling system (FORMS) |
| title_full_unstemmed | The California Current System: A multiscale overview and the development of a feature-oriented regional modeling system (FORMS) |
| title_short | The California Current System: A multiscale overview and the development of a feature-oriented regional modeling system (FORMS) |
| title_sort | california current system a multiscale overview and the development of a feature oriented regional modeling system forms |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/110434 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1869-3883 |
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