Gulf of Mexico

Gulf of Mexico Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (GoM-HYCOM)

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

Top