Implementing FORMS for the Monterey Bay Forecasting System Using HOPS and ROMS

Abstract

Abstract : Our long-term goal is to implement the feature-oriented regional modeling methodology for the Monterey Bay (MB) forecasting system in retrospective and real-time operations using (i) the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) and (ii) the Harvard Ocean prediction System (HOPS). Three specific objectives were pursued to achieve our long-term goal: (i) to develop a synoptic high- resolution regional climatology for Monterey Bay and the California Current System (CCS), (ii) to implement the feature-oriented regional modeling system (FORMS) capabilities in the West Coast ROMS and HOPS modeling efforts for synoptic nowcast, forecast and 3D-VARS and ESSE-based assimilation in the Monterey Bay region, and (iii) to apply this methodology in real time within the nested ROMS and HOPS modeling efforts. Significant progress has been made in,three aspects. The elements of the circulation template for both the upwelling and relaxed phases of the Monterey Bay regional circulation have been identified. A major difficulty in this region has been quantifying the variability of water masses and their inter-relationship with the CCS. The effort to develop the regional climatology clearly pointed out the lack of data in many regions of the coastal as well as offshore regions. We have started a major effort in gathering data sets for the whole region: 20-50N, 140-110W. This regional climatology will be made available to the community at large. The feature models for the upwelling fronts and coastal eddies in the MBay region will be implemented in the background of this regional climatology for the HOPS and ROMS modeling groups for usage in the 2006 AOSN-II real-time experiment.