DESCRIPTION:
The Gulf of Mexico (GoM) HYCOM model domain and bathymetry (contours in m). This is the low resolution set up used for the real time GoM-HYCOM, which has been running at the Naval Research Lab at the Stennis Space Center (NRL-SSC) since 2002 (Pat Hogan and Ole-Martin Smedstad). It provides forecasts of all hydrodynamic variables throughout the water column. The low resolution model set-up (1/25 degree, about 3.5 km) serves as a regional model used for Gulf of Mexico studies and to provide boundary conditions for nested shelf and coastal models in the Northern Gulf of Mexico (NGoM-HYCOM), West Florida Shelf (WFS-HYCOM) and South Florida (SoFLA-HYCOM). At RSMAS/UM-AOML/NOAA (Ocean Modeling and OSSE Center, OMOC), the same domain has been set-up at 1/12 degree (about 7 km) low resolution for the development of the ocean OSSE prototype and at 1/50 degree (about 1.8 km) for high resolution forecasts.
RESOLUTION:
~1.8km (0.02o) or ~3.5km (0.04°) or ~7km (0.08°), 20 or 26 or 32 vertical levels (isopycnic/z-coordinates in deep water, sigma coordinates over shelf)
NESTED: Yes
OUTER MODELS:
ATL-HYCOM, GLB-HYCOM
DATA ASSIMILATION:
Yes, using the Navy Coupled Ocean Data Assimilation NCODA scheme
FORCING:
Hindcast:
(1) Navy Operational Global Atmospheric Prediction System NOGAPS (0.5o)
(2) NAVy Global Environmental Model (NAVGEM, 0.5o)
(3) NAVy Global Environmental Model (NAVGEM, 0.281o)
Forecast:
NOAA-NCEP Global Forecast System (GFS, 0.25o)
APPLICATIONS:
• Loop Current Dynamics
• Initial and Boundary Conditions for Shelf and Coastal Models
• Observing System Simulation Experiments (OSSEs)
• Navy Coupled Ocean Data Assimilation (NCODA)
• Hurricane Response (Animation)
• Deepwater Horizon oil spill
• Forecast: Sea Surface Temperature
• Forecast: Sea Surface Height and Surface Currents
• Forecast: Sea Surface Salinity
• Forecast: Temperature at 50m
CONTACT:
Villy Kourafalou — vkourafalou@rsmas.miami.edu
HeeSook Kang — hkang@rsmas.miami.edu
