Sensitivity with respect to observations in variational data assimilation

Abstract

Abstract The problem of variational data assimilation for a nonlinear evolution model is formulated as an optimal control problem to find the initial condition function (analysis). The observation data, and hence the optimal solution, may contain uncertainties. A response function is considered as a functional of the optimal solution after assimilation. Based on the second-order adjoint techniques, the sensitivity of the response function to the observation data is studied. The gradient of the response function is related to the solution of a non-standard problem involving the coupled system of direct and adjoint equations. The solvability of the non-standard problem is studied, based on the Hessian of the original cost function. An algorithm to compute the gradient of the response function with respect to observations is developed and justified.