Can Box Ocean Models Calibrated by Inverse Methods Provide a Means of Testing Ocean Circulation Models?

  • Kim J. Holmén
Chapter

Abstract

The use of chemical tracer data to calibrate box ocean models is discussed. The extent to which such models can provide independent information for testing ocean circulation models is elucidated with examples comparing a global 12-box model (Bolin et al., 1983) and an Atlantic 84-box model (Bolin et al., 1987). It is found that steady-state chemical tracers provide constraints only on the largest (basin-wide) scales. Arguments are presented for developing a symbiotic relationship between simple inverse models and ocean circulation models. Such a relationship can lead to better insight into how tracer data can be most efficiently used.

Keywords

World Ocean Ocean Circulation Inverse Method Tracer Data Independent Information 
These keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.
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Copyright information

© British Crown Copyright 1990

Authors and Affiliations

  • Kim J. Holmén
    • 1
  1. 1.Tritium Laboratory, Rosenstiel Schools of Marine and Atmospheric ScienceUniversity of MiamiMiamiUSA

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