HR: 1330h
AN: OS43A-04    [Abstracts]
TI: An Improved Ocean Observing System for Coastal Louisiana: WAVCIS (WAVE-CURRENT-SURGE Information System )
AU: * Zhang, X
EM: xzhang2@lsu.edu
AF: Coastal Studies Institute, Louisiana State University, 329 Howe-Russell Geoscience Complex, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 United States
AU: Stone, G W
EM: gagreg@lsu.edu
AF: Coastal Studies Institute, Louisiana State University, 329 Howe-Russell Geoscience Complex, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 United States
AU: Stone, G W
EM: gagreg@lsu.edu
AF: Department of Oceanography and Coastal Sciences, Louisiana State University, 1002-Y Energy, Coast and Environment Building, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 United States
AU: Gibson, W J
EM: bgibson@lsu.edu
AF: Coastal Studies Institute, Louisiana State University, 329 Howe-Russell Geoscience Complex, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 United States
AU: Braud, D
EM: dbraud1@lsue.edu
AF: Coastal Studies Institute, Louisiana State University, 329 Howe-Russell Geoscience Complex, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 United States
AB: WAVCIS is a regional ocean observing and forecasting system. It was designed to measure, process, forecast, and distribute oceanographic and meteorological information. WAVCIS was developed and is maintained by the Coastal Studies Institute at Louisiana State University. The in-situ observing stations are distributed along the central Louisiana and Mississippi coast. The forecast region covers the entire Gulf of Mexico with emphasis on offshore Louisiana. By using state-of-the-art instrumentation, WAVCIS measures directional waves, currents, temperature, water level, conductivity, turbidity, salinity, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll, Meteorological parameters include wind speed and direction, air pressure and temperature visibility and humidity. Through satellite communication links, the measured data are transmitted to the WAVCIS laboratory. After processing, they are available to the public via the internet on a near real-time basis. WAVCIS also includes a forecasting capability. Waves, tides, currents, and winds are forecast daily for up to 80 hours in advance. There are a number of numerical wave and surge models that can be used for forecasts. WAM and SWAN are used for operational purposes to forecast sea state. Tides at each station are predicted based on the harmonic constants calculated from past in-situ observations at respective sites. Interpolated winds from the ETA model are used as input forcing for waves. Both in-situ and forecast information are available online to the users through WWW. Interactive GIS web mapping is implemented on the WAVCIS webpage to visualize the model output and in-situ observational data. WAVCIS data can be queried, retrieved, downloaded, and analyzed through the web page. Near real-time numerical model skill assessment can also be performed by using the data from in-situ observing stations.
DE: 4247 Marine meteorology
DE: 4255 Numerical modeling
DE: 4263 Ocean prediction
DE: 4294 Instruments and techniques
DE: 4299 General or miscellaneous
SC: Ocean Sciences [OS]
MN: 2005 Joint Assembly