| Oceanography > Issues > Archive > Volume 13 > Issue 1 |
2000, Oceanography 13(1):47–53, http://dx.doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2000.52
Data Assimilation for Coastal Observing Systems
Authors | Introduction | Full Article | Citation
Authors
Leonard J. Walstad | University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Cambridge, Maryland, USA
Dennis J. McGillicuddy | Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA
Introduction
Data assimilation is the process of combining our knowledge of a system, including both observations and dynamics, to produce estimates of the state of a system. The state of a system, or state variable, describes the physical, chemical, or biological environment. Real, four-dimensional systems are generally under-sampled. This is particularly true in the coastal marine environment where there is a broad range of relevant time and space scales. There is inadequate spatial or temporal resolution in the measurements. Variables of interest cannot be measured adequately, or we wish to predict the future. These problems may be addressed through judicious application of data assimilation.
Given that within the coastal and estuarine environment there is substantial need for data assimilation, what approaches are likely to be successful? What can we learn from the meteorological community? Here, we describe data assimilation procedures and provide a limited set of examples of coastal marine atmospheric and oceanographic assimilation. These examples provide some guidance for developing data assimilation in the coastal and estuarine marine environment.
Full Article
Citation
Walstad, L.J., and D.J. McGillicuddy. 2000. Data assimilation for coastal observing systems. Oceanography 13(1):47–53, http://dx.doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2000.52.