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5.8 Applications from GODAE to Navies throughout the world
Lead author: Gregg Jacobs (NRL, Stennis)
Authors/co-authors: Gregg A Jacobs1, Robert Woodham2, Didier Jourdan3, Jez Braithwaite4
1Naval Research Laboratory, Stennis Space Center, USA
2 Royal Australian Navy
3 Centre Militaire d'Océanographie, Toulouse, France
4 Fleet Weather and Oceanography Centre
Abstract
The Global Ocean Data Assimilation Experiment has brought researchers together throughout the globe to address the problem of predicting the ocean environment. A significant step forward has occurred through these efforts, and there exists today operational application of these technologies in areas where historically a strong need has existed alongside the relative lack of mature technical development. GODAE has addressed the necessary technological development for data assimilation, which is a critical choke point within the process of providing meaningful information to many people encompassing a wide range of applications. One of these application areas is for Navies throughout the globe. Major use of oceanographic information through numerical model forecasts initialized by analysis of global satellite and in situ data sets by operational Navies has allowed substantial advancement in the safety of operations and search and rescue throughout the globe. The importance of the information relayed to ships across the globe is reflected in the dedication of large resources to daily production and dissemination. Not including the costs of observational systems, there are large investments associated with personnel required to ensure that each step of the processing is properly conducted every day. The communications and computational hardware requirements to ensure products are delivered require enormous effort and costs to implement. The importance of the information on which decisions are made daily by the world's Navies throughout the world's oceans is reflected by the commitment of these substantial resources to ensure the GODAE technology enables a new level of capability.
Examples of systems in place now are provided by the Royal Australian Navy BLUE link, the UK Meteorology Office Forecasting Ocean Assimilation Model (FOAM) and Nucleus for European Modelling of the Ocean (NEMO) systems, French Navy Service Hydrographique et Oceanographique de la Marine (SHOM), and the US Naval Oceanographic Office global and nested prediction systems. All these systems are composed from similar components and characteristics, and difference bear out the innovative capabilities inherent within all the collaborators. Such diversity is driven by their inherent environments, adaptation and specialization.
Centered on Australia, the BLUElink system uses the Ocean Forecasting Australia Model (OFAM) system based on the MOM4 numerical core. Assimilating satellite observations, the system provides twice weekly forecasts out to 7 days for applications such as commerce and safety operations. The system must contend with a diverse range of dynamics from tropics to the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. Results from the system have been applied to areas from leisure activities such as yacht racing to saving lives during search and rescue at sea.
The Naval Oceanographic Office provide products throughout the globe based on global and nested model predictions that run on a daily cycle with forecasts from 48 hours to 30 days depending on the applications. These systems draw in the data sets developed through GODAE including satellite data streams and in situ profiling floats. The results are used continually in emergency response and search and recovery such as the cockpit recorder of the Indonesian airline Adam Air Flight 574 disaster.
(Last Updated: 13-10-2008)