Reconstructing 3D ocean temperature fields from real-time satellite and buoy surface measurements

Despite advancements in computational science, nonlinear geophysical processes still present important modeling challenges. Physical sensors (such as satellites, AUVs, or buoys) can collect data at specific points or regions, but are often scarce or inaccurate. Here, we present a framework to build...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Champenois, Bianca
Other Authors: Sapsis, Themistoklis
Format: Thesis
Published: Massachusetts Institute of Technology 2022
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/144978
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3922-3055
_version_ 1811082998954590208
author Champenois, Bianca
author2 Sapsis, Themistoklis
author_facet Sapsis, Themistoklis
Champenois, Bianca
author_sort Champenois, Bianca
collection MIT
description Despite advancements in computational science, nonlinear geophysical processes still present important modeling challenges. Physical sensors (such as satellites, AUVs, or buoys) can collect data at specific points or regions, but are often scarce or inaccurate. Here, we present a framework to build improved spatiotemporal models that combine dynamics inferred from high-fidelity numerical models with measurements from sensors. Specifically, we are interested in ocean temperature which can serve as a useful indicator for ocean acidification, and we are motivated by a data set of sensor measurements only available at the surface of the ocean. We first apply standard principal component analysis (PCA) at every ocean surface coordinate to a numerical simulation of a 3D temperature field (reanalysis data) over time. For each horizontal location, the vertical structure of the field can be represented with just two PCA modes and their corresponding time coefficients, significantly reducing the dimensionality of the data. Next, a conditionally Gaussian model implemented through a temporal convolutional neural network (TCN) is built to predict the time coefficients of the PCA modes, as well as their variance, as a function of the surface temperature. The full 2D surface temperature field is estimated by a multi-fidelity Gaussian process regression scheme, for which the buoys have the highest fidelity and the satellite measurements have lower fidelity. The surface temperature is then inputted into the neural network to obtain probabilistic predictions for the PCA coefficients, which are used to stochastically reconstruct the full 3D temperature field. The techniques described provide a framework for building less expensive and more accurate models of conditionally Gaussian estimates for full 3D fields, and they can be applied to geophysical systems where data from both sensors and numerical simulations are available. We implement these techniques to estimate the full 3D temperature field of the Massachusetts and Cape Cod Bays, an area with a significant ocean economy. We compare the predictions with in-situ measurements at all depths. Finally, we discuss how the developed ideas can be leveraged to make more informed decisions about optimal in-situ sampling and path planning.
first_indexed 2024-09-23T12:16:27Z
format Thesis
id mit-1721.1/144978
institution Massachusetts Institute of Technology
last_indexed 2024-09-23T12:16:27Z
publishDate 2022
publisher Massachusetts Institute of Technology
record_format dspace
spelling mit-1721.1/1449782022-08-30T03:35:42Z Reconstructing 3D ocean temperature fields from real-time satellite and buoy surface measurements Champenois, Bianca Sapsis, Themistoklis Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering Despite advancements in computational science, nonlinear geophysical processes still present important modeling challenges. Physical sensors (such as satellites, AUVs, or buoys) can collect data at specific points or regions, but are often scarce or inaccurate. Here, we present a framework to build improved spatiotemporal models that combine dynamics inferred from high-fidelity numerical models with measurements from sensors. Specifically, we are interested in ocean temperature which can serve as a useful indicator for ocean acidification, and we are motivated by a data set of sensor measurements only available at the surface of the ocean. We first apply standard principal component analysis (PCA) at every ocean surface coordinate to a numerical simulation of a 3D temperature field (reanalysis data) over time. For each horizontal location, the vertical structure of the field can be represented with just two PCA modes and their corresponding time coefficients, significantly reducing the dimensionality of the data. Next, a conditionally Gaussian model implemented through a temporal convolutional neural network (TCN) is built to predict the time coefficients of the PCA modes, as well as their variance, as a function of the surface temperature. The full 2D surface temperature field is estimated by a multi-fidelity Gaussian process regression scheme, for which the buoys have the highest fidelity and the satellite measurements have lower fidelity. The surface temperature is then inputted into the neural network to obtain probabilistic predictions for the PCA coefficients, which are used to stochastically reconstruct the full 3D temperature field. The techniques described provide a framework for building less expensive and more accurate models of conditionally Gaussian estimates for full 3D fields, and they can be applied to geophysical systems where data from both sensors and numerical simulations are available. We implement these techniques to estimate the full 3D temperature field of the Massachusetts and Cape Cod Bays, an area with a significant ocean economy. We compare the predictions with in-situ measurements at all depths. Finally, we discuss how the developed ideas can be leveraged to make more informed decisions about optimal in-situ sampling and path planning. S.M. 2022-08-29T16:24:56Z 2022-08-29T16:24:56Z 2022-05 2022-06-23T14:09:51.984Z Thesis https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/144978 https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3922-3055 In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted Copyright MIT http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC-EDU/1.0/ application/pdf Massachusetts Institute of Technology
spellingShingle Champenois, Bianca
Reconstructing 3D ocean temperature fields from real-time satellite and buoy surface measurements
title Reconstructing 3D ocean temperature fields from real-time satellite and buoy surface measurements
title_full Reconstructing 3D ocean temperature fields from real-time satellite and buoy surface measurements
title_fullStr Reconstructing 3D ocean temperature fields from real-time satellite and buoy surface measurements
title_full_unstemmed Reconstructing 3D ocean temperature fields from real-time satellite and buoy surface measurements
title_short Reconstructing 3D ocean temperature fields from real-time satellite and buoy surface measurements
title_sort reconstructing 3d ocean temperature fields from real time satellite and buoy surface measurements
url https://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/144978
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3922-3055
work_keys_str_mv AT champenoisbianca reconstructing3doceantemperaturefieldsfromrealtimesatelliteandbuoysurfacemeasurements