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Simulation of Lagrangian trajectories from models with and without assimilation
Julio Sheinbaum, Julio Candela, Bernard Barnier, Michel Crepon
Physical Oceanography, CICESE, Ensenada, Mexico, LEGI-CNRS, Grenoble, LODYC, Paris, France
julios@cicese.mx(Abstract received 04/29/2005 for session A)
ABSTRACT
The statistics of lagrangian trajectories in the Caribbean Sea obtained by integrating the surface currents of two numerical models are compared. The models used are two different configurations of the OPA French model: One is the CLIPPER ATL6 configuration forced with observed satellite winds (ERS), with no data assimilation. The other is the MERCATOR operational model that assimilates satellite derived sea surface height anomalies. The lagrangian statistics derived from simulated trajectories in the two models differs significantly and also when compared with that from available observed trajectories in the region. The unrealistically large number of eddies in the model without assimilation may explain these differences. Several tracer release experiments are carried out with the two models to compute the probability of finding particles in different regions of the domain; this information is particularly valuable to understand biological connectivity in the Mesoamerican Barrier-Reef System.
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2005 LAPCOD Meeting, Lerici, Italy, June 13-17, 2005