Towards an Ocean Forecasting System for the Aegean Sea

Abstract

A first approach towards an ocean forecasting system for the Aegean Sea is presented in this paper. The ocean forecasting component is part of the POSEIDON system which includes high resolution atmospheric and wave modeling of the Aegean Sea together with an extended network of observational buoys for the continuous monitoring of physical, biological and chemical parameters. The ocean forecast model system consists of a high-resolution (1/20° times; 1/20°) implementation of the Princeton Ocean Model (POM) forced by forecast surface fluxes of momentum, heat and freshwater provided by the regional ETA atmospheric model. The climatological runs of the model reproduce the basic features of the general circulation in the Aegean Sea. In the forecasting mode the model shows skill in forecasting the sea surface temperature (SST) phenomenology when compared with satellite-derived SST. Sensitivity tests (such as the inclusion of sea surface atmospheric pressure) have been performed in order to improve the model's n...