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Evaluating the leeway coefficient for different ocean drifters using operational models

G. Sutherland,N. Soontiens,F. Davidson,Gregory C. Smith,N. Bernier,H. Blanken,D. Schillinger,G. Marcotte,Johannes Rohrs,K. Dagestad,K. Christensen,O. Breivik

Published 2020 in arXiv: Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics

ABSTRACT

The water following characteristics of six different drifter types are investigated using two different operational marine environmental prediction systems: one produced by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and the other produced by the Norwegian Meteorological Institute (METNO). These marine prediction systems include ocean circulation models, atmospheric models, and surface wave models. Two leeway models are tested for use in drift object prediction: an implicit leeway model where the Stokes drift is implicit in the leeway coefficient, and an explicit leeway model where the Stokes drift is provided by the wave model. Both leeway coefficients are allowed to vary in direction and time in order to perfectly reproduce the observed drifter trajectory. This creates a time series of the leeway coefficients which exactly reproduce the observed drifter trajectories. Mean values for the leeway coefficients are consistent with previous studies which utilized direct observations of the leeway. For all drifters and models, the largest source of variance in the leeway coefficient occurs at the inertial frequency and the evidence suggests it is related to uncertainties in the ocean inertial currents.

PUBLICATION RECORD

  • Publication year

    2020

  • Venue

    arXiv: Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics

  • Publication date

    2020-05-19

  • Fields of study

    Physics, Environmental Science

  • Identifiers
    arXiv 2005.09527
  • External record

    Open on Semantic Scholar

  • Source metadata

    Semantic Scholar

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