Model initialization in a tidally energetic regime : a dynamically adjusted objective analysis

Abstract

A simple improvement to objective analysis of hydrographic data is proposed to eliminate spatial aliasing e ects in tidally energetic regions. The proposed method consists of the evaluation of anomalies from observations with respect to circulation model elds. The procedure is run iteratively to achieve convergence. The method is applied in the Bay of Fundy and compared with traditional objective analysis procedures and dynamically adjusted climatological elds. The hydrographic skill (di erence between observed and model temperature and salinity) of the dynamically adjusted objective analysis is signi cantly improved by reducing bias and correcting the vertical structure. Representation of the observed velocities is also improved. The resulting ow is consistent with the known circulation in the Bay.