HR: 17:15h
AN: A52F-05    [PDF]
TI: Pacific Ocean Modeling Using the HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM)
AU: Metzger, E J
EM: metzger@nrlssc.navy.mil
AF: Naval Research Laboratory, Code 7323, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529-5004 United States
AU: * Wallcraft, A J
EM: wallcraft@nrlssc.navy.mil
AF: Naval Research Laboratory, Code 7323, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529-5004 United States
AU: Hurlburt, H E
EM: hurlburt@nrlssc.navy.mil
AF: Naval Research Laboratory, Code 7304, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529-5004 United States
AU: Zamudio, L
EM: zamudio@nrlssc.navy.mil
AF: Center for Ocean-Atmospheric Prediction Studies, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 32306-2840 United States
AU: Chassignet, E P
EM: echassignet@rsmas.miami.edu
AF: University of Miami-RSMAS, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149-1098 United States
AB: One component of the DoD HPC Challenge project on ``Basin-scale Prediction with the HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model" has been the development of a high resolution, Pacific version of HYCOM. The configuration for the Pacific (20$\deg$S - 66$\deg$N) has an equatorial grid resolution of 1/12$\deg$ and 20 vertical coordinate surfaces. Surface forcing includes wind stress and speed, thermal forcing, precipitation, relaxation to sea surface salinity and monthly varying river runoff. Closed boundaries exist in the Indonesian Seas, the Bering Strait and along 20$\deg$S. A 3$\deg$ buffer zone is included along 20$\deg$S with relaxation to monthly climatological temperature and salinity. The model has been integrated with both monthly climatological and 6-hourly interannual European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts forcing. It accurately simulates the large-scale circulation gyres and the major current systems. Near the western boundary in the vicinity of Luzon Strait and Taiwan, model-data comparisons of velocity as a function of depth indicate the climatological forced simulation agrees closely with the observations. The tropical current systems (South Equatorial Current, North Equatorial Counter Current, Equatorial UnderCurrent (EUC), and subsurface, off-equator Tsushiya jets) also compare very well against available velocity observations. Interannual variability is clearly evident in the simulation with 6-hourly forcing. In typical years, zonal velocity of the EUC along the equator shoals and strengthens from west to east. During the 1982-83 El Nino, the velocity core is essentially level with uniform magnitude across the central Pacific Ocean. In addition, Pacific HYCOM produces a coastally trapped wave generated by Hurricane Juliette that propagates poleward along the Mexican coast, into and out of the Gulf of California before continuing its poleward journey along the west coast of the Baja California Peninsula. High correlations exist between modeled and observed sea level along its path.
UR: http://hycom.rsmas.miami.edu/
DE: 4255 Numerical modeling
DE: 4512 Currents
DE: 4532 General circulation
SC: Atmospheric Sciences [A]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting