The impact of assimilating along-track SLA data on simulated Eddy characteristics in the Agulhas system

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dc.contributor.advisorBackeberg, Björnen_ZA
dc.contributor.advisorCounillon, Françoisen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorDe Vos, Marcen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2016-07-20T07:02:29Z
dc.date.available2016-07-20T07:02:29Z
dc.date.issued2016en_ZA
dc.description.abstractThe 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.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationDe Vos, M. (2016). <i>The impact of assimilating along-track SLA data on simulated Eddy characteristics in the Agulhas system</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Oceanography. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20503en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationDe Vos, Marc. <i>"The impact of assimilating along-track SLA data on simulated Eddy characteristics in the Agulhas system."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Oceanography, 2016. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20503en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationDe Vos, M. 2016. The impact of assimilating along-track SLA data on simulated Eddy characteristics in the Agulhas system. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - De Vos, Marc AB - 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. DA - 2016 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2016 T1 - The impact of assimilating along-track SLA data on simulated Eddy characteristics in the Agulhas system TI - The impact of assimilating along-track SLA data on simulated Eddy characteristics in the Agulhas system UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20503 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/20503
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationDe Vos M. The impact of assimilating along-track SLA data on simulated Eddy characteristics in the Agulhas system. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Oceanography, 2016 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/20503en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Oceanographyen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Scienceen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherOcean and Climate Scienceen_ZA
dc.titleThe impact of assimilating along-track SLA data on simulated Eddy characteristics in the Agulhas systemen_ZA
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationnameMScen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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