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The impact of assimilating along-track SLA data on simulated Eddy characteristics in the Agulhas system
The Agulhas Current System is a vital element of the global ocean-climate system by virtue of its role in the transfer of energy, nutrients and organic material. In the context of working towards better climate change projections, it is necessary to develop a robust understanding of the complex dyna...
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Department of Oceanography
2016
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| _version_ | 1867613160591065088 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | De Vos, Marc |
| author2 | Backeberg, Björn |
| author_browse | Backeberg, Björn De Vos, Marc |
| author_facet | Backeberg, Björn De Vos, Marc |
| author_sort | De Vos, Marc |
| collection | Thesis |
| description | The Agulhas Current System is a vital element of the global ocean-climate system by virtue of its role in the transfer of energy, nutrients and organic material. In the context of working towards better climate change projections, it is necessary to develop a robust understanding of the complex dynamical mechanisms which facilitate this transfer. Mesoscale cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies transport heat, salt, organic matter and nutrients from the Indian Ocean into the South Atlantic Ocean. In so doing, they are key drivers of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). As such, it is important that they are adequately simulated by numerical models in order to advance the accuracy of climate prediction. In the absence of spatially and temporally coherent observing systems, numerical models provide the capacity to describe the oceanographic conditions of the region. Given the complexity of the regional dynamics, and the challenges it presents to free-running numerical models, data assimilation is a valuable tool in improving simulation quality. An important step in this continuing process is the objective, quantitative evaluation of model configurations, such that they can be continuously refined. In this study, the impact of assimilating along-track sea level anomaly (SLA) data is investigated with regard to the simulation of mesoscale eddies in the Agulhas System. Two configurations of a Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM) configuration are analysed; one free run (hereafter 'Free') and one with along-track SLA data from satellite altimetry assimilated (hereafter 'Assim.') via an Ensemble Optimal Interpolation (EnOI) data assimilation scheme. The results of these two configurations are compared with each other, and against a set of corresponding observational data from satellite altimetry (hereafter 'Aviso'). To this end, an automatic eddy detection and tracking algorithm is implemented, in order to quantify eddy characteristics in a coherent and consistent manner. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/20503 |
| institution | University of Cape Town (South Africa) |
| language | eng |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:31:43.046Z |
| license_str | Not specified — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| publishDate | 2016 |
| publishDateRange | 2016 |
| publishDateSort | 2016 |
| publisher | Department of Oceanography |
| publisherStr | Department of Oceanography |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository |
| spelling | oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/20503 The impact of assimilating along-track SLA data on simulated Eddy characteristics in the Agulhas system De Vos, Marc Backeberg, Björn Counillon, François Ocean and Climate Science The Agulhas Current System is a vital element of the global ocean-climate system by virtue of its role in the transfer of energy, nutrients and organic material. In the context of working towards better climate change projections, it is necessary to develop a robust understanding of the complex dynamical mechanisms which facilitate this transfer. Mesoscale cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies transport heat, salt, organic matter and nutrients from the Indian Ocean into the South Atlantic Ocean. In so doing, they are key drivers of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). As such, it is important that they are adequately simulated by numerical models in order to advance the accuracy of climate prediction. In the absence of spatially and temporally coherent observing systems, numerical models provide the capacity to describe the oceanographic conditions of the region. Given the complexity of the regional dynamics, and the challenges it presents to free-running numerical models, data assimilation is a valuable tool in improving simulation quality. An important step in this continuing process is the objective, quantitative evaluation of model configurations, such that they can be continuously refined. In this study, the impact of assimilating along-track sea level anomaly (SLA) data is investigated with regard to the simulation of mesoscale eddies in the Agulhas System. Two configurations of a Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM) configuration are analysed; one free run (hereafter 'Free') and one with along-track SLA data from satellite altimetry assimilated (hereafter 'Assim.') via an Ensemble Optimal Interpolation (EnOI) data assimilation scheme. The results of these two configurations are compared with each other, and against a set of corresponding observational data from satellite altimetry (hereafter 'Aviso'). To this end, an automatic eddy detection and tracking algorithm is implemented, in order to quantify eddy characteristics in a coherent and consistent manner. 2016-07-20T07:02:29Z 2016-07-20T07:02:29Z 2016 Master Thesis Masters MSc http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20503 eng application/pdf Department of Oceanography Faculty of Science University of Cape Town |
| spellingShingle | Ocean and Climate Science De Vos, Marc The impact of assimilating along-track SLA data on simulated Eddy characteristics in the Agulhas system |
| thesis_degree_str | Master's |
| title | The impact of assimilating along-track SLA data on simulated Eddy characteristics in the Agulhas system |
| title_full | The impact of assimilating along-track SLA data on simulated Eddy characteristics in the Agulhas system |
| title_fullStr | The impact of assimilating along-track SLA data on simulated Eddy characteristics in the Agulhas system |
| title_full_unstemmed | The impact of assimilating along-track SLA data on simulated Eddy characteristics in the Agulhas system |
| title_short | The impact of assimilating along-track SLA data on simulated Eddy characteristics in the Agulhas system |
| title_sort | impact of assimilating along track sla data on simulated eddy characteristics in the agulhas system |
| topic | Ocean and Climate Science |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20503 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT devosmarc theimpactofassimilatingalongtracksladataonsimulatededdycharacteristicsintheagulhassystem AT devosmarc impactofassimilatingalongtracksladataonsimulatededdycharacteristicsintheagulhassystem |