Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Simultaneous assimilation of surface drifter data, satellite and in situ observations for improved estimates of meso-scale variability in the Kuroshio Extension Region

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Journal of Oceanography Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In order to better estimate meso-scale variabilities in the energetic Kuroshio Extension (KE) region, simultaneous assimilation of drifter-derived velocity data, together with satellite and in situ hydrographic data, is attempted by using a high-resolution 4-dimensional variational data assimilation (4D-VAR) system. Our experimental results, both with and without assimilation of drifter data (Exp. Drf and Exp. Ref, respectively) for the period during Aug–Oct 2005, show that the reproduced fields in Exp. Drf better reflect the observed meso-scale features such as the KE meandering jet and associated eddies. The adjoint sensitivity analysis indicates that our 4D-VAR system has the ability to provide a more realistic timeseries of the meandering jet structures that play a key role in the intergyre exchange between the subtropical and subarctic gyres in the North Pacific. In addition, the observed information from the surface drifters works to improve the subsurface structure. These results illustrate the advantage of our 4D-VAR simultaneous assimilation with the addition of drifter-derived surface velocity information.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Awaji T, Masuda S, Ishikawa Y, Sugiura N, Toyoda T, Nakamura T (2003) State estimation of the North Pacific Ocean by a four dimensional variational data assimilation experiment. J. Oceanogr 59:931–943

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bower AS (1991) A simple kinematic mechanism for mixing fluid parcels across a meandering jet. J Phys Oceanogr 21:173–180

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chapron B, Collard F, Ardhuin F (2005) Direct measurements of ocean surface velocity from space: interpretation and validation. J Geophys Res 110:C07 008, doi:10.1029/2004JC002809

  • Cushman-Roisin B (1994) Introduction to geophysical fluid dynamics, 2nd edn. Prentice Hall College Div, Upper Saddle River

  • Ebuchi N, Hanawa K (2000) Mesoscale eddies observed by TOLEX-ADCP and TOPEX/POSEIDON altimeter in the Kuroshio Recirculation Region South of Japan. J Oceanogr 56:43–57

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Flierl GR (1981) Particle motions in large amplitude wave fields. Geophys Astrophys Fluid Dyn 18:39–74

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fujii Y, Kamachi M (2003) A nonlinear preconditioned Quasi-Newton method without inversion of a first-guess covariance matrix in variational analyses. Tellus Ser A 55:450–454

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fukumori I, Wunsch C (1991) Efficient representation of North Atlantic hydrographic and chemical distribution. Prog Oceanogr 27:111–195

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gent PR, McWilliams JC (1990) Isopycnal mixing in the ocean circulation model. J Phys Oceanogr 20:150–155

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Griffies SM (1998) The gent-mcwilliams skew flux. J Phys Oceanogr 28:831–841

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hansen DV, Poulain PM (1996) Quality control and interpolations of WOCE-TOGA drifter data. J Atmos Oceanic Technol 13:900–909

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hasumi H (2000) Ccsr ocean component model (coco) version 2.1. CCSR Report, No. 13, Center for Climate System Research, University of Tokyo

  • Hurlburt HE, Wallcraft AJ, Schmitz WJ Jr, Hogan PJ, Metzger EJ (1996) Dynamics of the Kuroshio/Oyashio current system using eddy-resolving models of the North Pacific Ocean. J Geophys Res 101:941–976

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ide K, Courtier P, Ghil M, Lorenc A (1997) Unified notation for data assimilation: operational, sequential and variational. J Meteorol Soc Jpn 75:181–189

    Google Scholar 

  • Ide K, Kuznetsov L, Jones C (2002) Lagrangian data assimilation for point vortex systems. J Turbul 3:053

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ikeda M (1989) Snow cover detected by diurnal warming of sea ice/snow surface off Labrador in NOAA imagery. IEEE Trans Geosci Remote Sens 27:552–560

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ishikawa I, Ishizaki H (2009) Importance of eddy representation for modeling the intermediate salinity minimum in the North Pacific: comparison between eddy-resolving and eddy-permitting models. J Oceanogr 65:407–426

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ishikawa Y, Awaji T, Toyoda T, In T, Nishina K, Nakayama T, Shima S (2009) High-resolution synthetic monitoring by a 4-dimensional variational data assimilation system in the northwestern North Pacific. J Mar Syst 78:237–248

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ishizaki H, Motoi T (1999) Reevaluation of the takano-onishi scheme for momentum advection on bottom relief in ocean models. J Atmos Oceanic Technol 16:1994–2010

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Johannessen JA, Chapron B, Collard F, Kudryavtsev V, Mouche A, Akimov D, Dagestad K.-F (2008) Direct ocean surface velocity measurements from space: improved quantitative interpretation of Envisat ASAR observations. Geophys Res Lett 35: L22 608, doi:10.1029/2008GL035709

  • Kalnay E et al (1996) The NCEP/NCAR 40-year re-analysis project. Bull Am Meteorol Soc 77:437–471

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kamachi M, O’Brien J (1995) Continuous data assimilation of drifting buoy trajectory into an equatorial Pacific Ocean model. J Mar Syst 6:159–178

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kawamura H, Mizuno K, Toba Y (1986) Formation process of a warm-core ring in the Kuroshio–Oyashio frontal zone–December 1982–October 1982. Deep-Sea Res 33:1617–1640

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kelly KA, Thompson L, Cheng W, Metzger EJ (2007) Evaluation of HYCOM in the Kuroshio extension region using new metrics. J Geophys Res 112:C01 004

    Google Scholar 

  • Lebedev KV, Yoshinari H, Maximenko NA, Hacker PW (2007) YoMaHa f07: velocity data assessed from trajectories of Argo floats at parking level and at the sea surface. IPRC Technical Note 4(2):16

    Google Scholar 

  • Leonard B (1979) A stable and accurate convective modeling procedure based upon quadratic upstream interpolation. J Comput Methods Appl Mech Eng 19:59–98

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Leonard B, MacVean MK, Lock AP (1993) Positivity-preserving numerical schemes for multidimensional advection. NASA Tech. Memo 62, ICOMP–93–05

    Google Scholar 

  • Lin XH, Oey L-Y, Wang D-P (2007) Altimetry and drifter data assimilations of loop current and eddies. J Geophys Res 112:C05 046, doi:10.1029/2006JC003779

  • Lorenc AC (1981) A global three-dimensional multivariate statistical interpolation scheme. Mon Weather Rev 109:701–721

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Masuda S, Awaji T, Sugiura N, Ishikawa Y, Baba K, Horiuchi K, Komori N (2003) Improved estimates of the dynamical state of the North Pacific Ocean from a 4 dimensional variational data assimilation. Geophys Res Lett 30:1868

    Google Scholar 

  • Masuda S, Awaji T, Sugiura N, Toyoda T, Ishikawa Y, Horiuchi K (2006) Interannual variability of temperature inversions in the subarctic North Pacific. Geophys Res Lett 33:L24 610

    Google Scholar 

  • Matthews J (2005) Stereo observation of lakes and coastal zones using ASTER imagery. Remote Sens Environ 99:16–30

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Matthews J, Awaji T (2010) Synoptic mapping of internal-wave motions and surface currents near the Lombok Strait using the Along-Track Stereo Sun Glitter technique. Remote Sens Environ 114:1765–1776

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mitsudera H, Taguchi B, Yoshikawa Y, Nakamura H, Waseda T, Qu T (2004) Numerical study on the Oyashio water pathways in the Kuroshio–Oyashio confluence. J Phys Oceanogr 34:1174–1196

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Moore AM et al (2011) The regional ocean modeling system (roms) 4-dimensional variational data assimilation systems part ii - performance and application to the California current system. Prog Oceanogr 91:50–73

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nakamura T, Toyoda T, Ishikawa Y, Awaji T (2006) Effects of tidal mixing at the kuril straits on the North Pacific ventilation: adjustment of the intermediate layer revealed from numerical experiments. J Geophys Res 111:C04 003, doi:10.1029/2005JC003142

  • Niiler PP, Maximenko N, Panteleev G, Yamagata T, Olson D (2003) Nearsurface dynamical structure of the Kuroshio extension. J Geophys Res 108(C3):3193, doi:10.1029/2002JC001461

  • Niiler PP, Sybrandy AL, Bi K, Poulain P, Bitterman D (1995) Measurements of the water-following capability of holey-sock and TRISTAR drifters. Deep Sea Res 42:1951–1964

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nodet M (2006) Variational assimilation of Lagrangian data in oceanography. Inverse Probl 22:245–263

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Noh Y (2005) Sensitivity to wave breaking and the prandtl number in the ocean mixed layer model and its dependence on latitude. Geophys Res Lett 31:L23 305

    Google Scholar 

  • Noh Y, Kim HJ (1999) Simulations of temperature and turbulence structure of the oceanic boundary layer with the improved near-surface process. J Geophys Res 104:15621–16534

    Google Scholar 

  • Oey LY, Chen P (1992) A nested -gris ocean model- with application to the simulation of meanders and eddies in the norwegian coastal current. J Geophys Res 97:20063–20086

    Google Scholar 

  • Pazan S, Niiler PP (2001) Recovery of near surface velocity from undrogued drifters. J Atmos Oceanic Technol 18:476–489

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qiu B, Chen S (2005) Variability of the Kuroshio extension jet, recirculation gyre and mesoscale eddies on decadal timescales. J Phys Oceanogr 35:2090–2103

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Qiu B, Chen S, Hacker P (2007) Effect of mesoscale eddies on subtropical mode water variability from the Kuroshio extension system study (KESS). J Phys Oceanogr 37:982–1000

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rio MH, Hernandez F (2004) A mean dynamic topography computed over the world ocean from altimetry, in situ measurements, and a geoid model. J. Geophys. Res 109:C12032

    Google Scholar 

  • Romeiser R, Johannessen J, Chapron B, Collard F, Kudryavtsev V, Runge H, Suchandt S (2010) Direct surface current field imaging from space by Along-Track InSAR and Conventional SAR. In: Barale V, Gower J F R, Alberotanza L (eds) Oceanography from space: revisited. Springer, Berlin, pp 73–91

  • Romeiser R, Runge H (2007) Theoretical evaluation of several possible Along-Track InSAR modes of TerraSAR-X for ocean current measurements. IEEE Trans Geosci Remote Sens 45:21–35

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roske F (2001) An atlas of surface fluxes based on the ECMWF re-analysis—a climatological dataset of force global ocean general circulation models. Rep., vol 323, pp 26. Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, Hamburg

  • Stammer D, Wunsch C, Fukumori I, Marshall J (2002) State estimation improves prospects for ocean research. EOS Trans Am Geophys Union 83:289–293

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sugimoto T, Kawasaki Y, Li J (1992) A description of the time-dependent hydrographic structure of the warm streamer around the Kuroshio warm-core ring 86B. Deep Sea Res 39:S77–S96

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Talley LD (2003) Shallow, intermediate, and deep overturning components of the global heat budget. J Phys Oceanogr 33:530–560

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Toyoda T, Awaji T, Ishikawa Y, Nakamura T (2004) Preconditioning of winter mixed layer in the formation of North Pacific eastern subtropical mode water. Geophys Res Lett 31:L17206

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Usui N, Tsujino H, Fujii Y, Kamachi M (2008a) Generation of a trigger meander for the 2004 Kuroshio large meander. J Geophys Res 113:C01012. doi:10.1029/2007JC004266

  • Usui N, Tsujino H, Nakano H, Fujii Y (2008b) Formation process of the Kuroshio large meander in 2004. J Geophys Res 113:C08047. doi:10.1029/2007JC004675

  • Yasuda I (2003) Hydrographic structure and variability of the Kuroshio–Oyashio transition area. J Oceanogr 59:389–402

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yu P, Kurapov AL, Egbert GD, Allen JS, Kosro PM (2012) Variational assimilation of hf radar surface currents in a coastal ocean model off oregon. Ocean Model 49–50:86–104

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. J.P. Matthews for his critical reading of our manuscript. We are grateful to two anonymous reviewers for their constructive comments. The numerical calculations are carried out on a Fujitsu Prime 590 Power HPC2500 in the Academic Center for Computing and Media Studies, Kyoto University. The present work is partly supported by Grant-in-Aid for JSPS Fellows.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geophysics, Graduate school of Science, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa-oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8502, Japan

    Kei Nishina & Toshiyuki Awaji

  2. Data Research Center for Marine-Earth Sciences, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, 3173-25 Showa-machi, Kanazawa-ku, Kanagawa, 236-0001, Japan

    Yoichi Ishikawa

Authors
  1. Kei Nishina
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yoichi Ishikawa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Toshiyuki Awaji
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kei Nishina.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Nishina, K., Ishikawa, Y. & Awaji, T. Simultaneous assimilation of surface drifter data, satellite and in situ observations for improved estimates of meso-scale variability in the Kuroshio Extension Region. J Oceanogr 69, 175–190 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10872-012-0163-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10872-012-0163-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation