Oceanography The Official Magazine of
The Oceanography Society
Volume 27 Issue 03

View Issue TOC
Volume 27, No. 3
Pages 126 - 137

OpenAccess

The Navy's Application of Ocean Forecasting to Decision Support

By Frank L. Bub (retired) , Andrea C. Mask , Kelly R. Wood, Dennis G. Krynen , Bruce N. Lunde , Christopher J. DeHaan , E. Joseph Metzger, Pamela G. Posey , and Jay A. Wallmark  
Jump to
Article Abstract Citation References Copyright & Usage
Article Abstract

The Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO) provides daily operational global, regional, and coastal ocean model forecasts and their associated prediction products. The models utilized include three-dimensional circulation, wave, and ice forecasting systems that have been developed to meet Navy requirements; the models are forced by Navy atmospheric models and constrained by Navy-developed bottom topography. In addition, NAVOCEANO acquires, quality controls, and delivers real-time ocean observations from both in situ and remote-sensing resources for assimilation by the ocean models. These observations are also used to assess model skill and develop ocean climatologies. A major supercomputing capacity is needed to run this ocean modeling suite, as well as a uniquely skilled model operations team that keeps the systems running. Dedicated ocean forecasters interpret the predictions and apply the information to Navy operations. The path from requirements to development to operations demonstrates the close links between research and development, production, and operational Navy applications. This path also provides innovative future ocean modeling plans directed to improve oceanographic support to the Navy.

Citation

Bub, F.L., A.C. Mask, K.R. Wood, D.G. Krynen, B.N. Lunde, C.J. DeHaan, E.J. Metzger, P.G. Posey, and J.A. Wallmark. 2014. The Navy’s application of ocean forecasting to decision support. Oceanography 27(3):126–137, https://doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2014.74.

References
    Allard, R., E. Rogers, P. Martin, T. Jensen, P. Chu, T. Campbell, J. Dykes, T. Smith, J. Choi, and U. Gravois. 2014. The US Navy coupled ocean-wave prediction system. Oceanography 27(3):92–103, https://doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2014.71.
  1. Burnett, W., S. Harper, R. Preller, G. Jacobs, and K. LaCroix. 2014. Overview of operational ocean forecasting in the US Navy: Past, present, and future. Oceanography 27(3):24–31, https://doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2014.65.
  2. Collins, N., G. Theurich, C. DeLuca, M. Suarez, A. Trayanov, V. Balaji, P. Li, W. Yang, C. Hill, and A. da Silva. 2005. Design and implementation of components in the Earth System Modeling Framework. International Journal of High Performance Computing Applications 19:341–350, https://doi.org/10.1177/1094342005056120.
  3. Fox, D.N., W.J. Teague, C.N. Barron, M.R. Carnes, and C.M. Lee. 2002. The Modular Ocean Data Assimilation System (MODAS). Journal of Atmospheric and Oceanic Technology 19:240–252, https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0426(2002)019<0240:TMODAS>2.0.CO;2.
  4. Helber, R.W., T.L. Townsend, C.N. Barron, J.M. Dastugue, and M.R. Carnes. 2013. Validation Test Report for the Improved Synthetic Ocean Profile (ISOP) System: Part 1. Synthetic Profile Methods and Algorithm. NRL MR 7320—13-9364. Naval Research Laboratory, Stennis Space Center, MS, 120 pp, http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA585251.
  5. Hogan, T.F., M. Liu, J.A. Ridout, M.S. Peng, T.R. Whitcomb, B.C. Ruston, C.A. Reynolds, S.D. Eckermann, J.R. Moskaitis, N.L. Baker, and others. 2014. The Navy Global Environmental Model. Oceanography 27(3):116–125, https://doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2014.73.
  6. Metzger, E.J., O.M. Smedstad, P.G. Thoppil, H.E. Hurlburt, J.A. Cummings, A.J. Wallcraft, L. Zamudio, D.S. Franklin, P.G. Posey, M.W. Phelps, and others. 2014. US Navy operational global ocean and Arctic ice prediction systems. Oceanography 27(3):32–43, https://doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2014.66.
  7. Rogers, W.E., J.D. Dykes, and P.A. Wittmann. 2014. US Navy global and regional wave modeling. Oceanography 27(3):56–67, https://doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2014.68.
  8. Rowley, C., and A. Mask. 2014. Regional and coastal prediction with the Relocatable Ocean Nowcast/Forecast System. Oceanography 27(3):44–55, https://doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2014.67.
Copyright & Usage

This is an open access article made available under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits use, sharing, adaptation, distribution, and reproduction in any medium or format as long as users cite the materials appropriately, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate the changes that were made to the original content. Images, animations, videos, or other third-party material used in articles are included in the Creative Commons license unless indicated otherwise in a credit line to the material. If the material is not included in the article’s Creative Commons license, users will need to obtain permission directly from the license holder to reproduce the material.