Ocean Eddy Tracking using Lagrangian Data Assimilation
Kayo Ide, Guillaume Vernieres, Chris Jones
University of Maryland
(Abstract received 08/15/2009 for session D)
ABSTRACT
The Lagrangian data assimilation (LaDA) is a method for the assimilation of Lagrangian observations directly into the model. By augmenting the model state vector with the coordinates of the Lagrangian instruments and computing their trajectories based on the model velocity, the LaDA removes the need for any commonly used approximations to transform the Lagrangian observations into the Eulerian velocity observations. we demonstrate effectiveness of LaDA in a realistic setting for ocean-eddy tracking in Gulf of Mexico. We evaluate three types of observations for ocean eddy tracking: the measurement of velocities at fixed station, the horizontal position of surface drifters, and the three dimensional position of isopycnal floats. We examine how and to what extent the LaDA propagates the information vertically to estimate the three-dimensional ocean structure. We show that as little as one judiciously placed drifter or isopycnal float is needed to recover an eddy being shed by the loop current.
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