Integrated Hybrid Data Assimilation for an Ensemble Kalman Filter

Abstract

Abstract Hybrid ensemble–variational assimilation methods that combine static and flow-dependent background error covariances have been widely applied for numerical weather predictions. The commonly used hybrid assimilation methods compute the analysis increment using a variational framework and update the ensemble perturbations by an ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF). To avoid the inconsistencies that result from performing separate variational and EnKF systems, two integrated hybrid EnKFs that update both the ensemble mean and ensemble perturbations by a hybrid background error covariance in the framework of EnKF are proposed here. The integrated hybrid EnKFs approximate the static background error covariance by use of climatological perturbations through augmentation or additive approaches. The integrated hybrid EnKFs are tested in the Lorenz05 model given different magnitudes of model errors. Results show that the static background error covariance can be sufficiently estimated by climatological perturbations with an order of hundreds. The integrated hybrid EnKFs are superior to the traditional hybrid assimilation methods, which demonstrates the benefit to update ensemble perturbations by the hybrid background error covariance. Sensitivity results reveal that the advantages of the integrated hybrid EnKFs over traditional hybrid assimilation methods are maintained with varying ensemble sizes, inflation values, and localization length scales. Significance Statement Data assimilation is critical for providing the best possible initial condition for forecast and improving the numerical weather predictions. The hybrid ensemble–variational data assimilation method has been widely adopted and developed by many operational centers. The hybrid ensemble–variational assimilation method combines the advantages of ensemble and variational methods and minimizes the weaknesses of the two methods, and thus it outperforms the stand-alone variational and ensemble assimilation methods. The hybrid ensemble–variational assimilation method often computes the control analysis using a variational solver with hybrid background error covariances, but generates the ensemble perturbations by an ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) system with pure flow-dependent background error covariances. The inconsistencies that result from performing separate variational and EnKF systems can lead to suboptimality in the hybrid ensemble–variational assimilation method. Therefore, integrated hybrid EnKF methods that utilize the framework of an EnKF to update both the ensemble mean and ensemble perturbations by the hybrid background error covariance, are proposed. The integrated hybrid EnKFs use climatological ensemble perturbations to approximate the static background error covariance. The integrated hybrid EnKFs are superior to the traditional hybrid ensemble–variational assimilation methods by producing smaller errors, and the advantages are persistent with varying assimilation parameters.