COAMPS Simulations of the Coastal Atmosphere

Abstract

LONG-TERM GOALSThe long-term goal of this project is to improve our ability to understand and predict environmental conditions in the coastal zone. OBJECTIVESThe objectives of this project are to conduct and analyze mesoscale model simulations of the coastal atmosphere using the Naval Research Laboratory's Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System (COAMPS), to provide model-based atmospheric forcing fields to coastal ocean modelers, to compare COAMPS model results to scatterometer and aircraft observations and to other model results, and to investigate and quantify the response of the coastal lower atmosphere to sea surface temperature variations. APPROACHThe approach used in this project is to combine numerical model results with in-situ and remotesensing observations to understand and quantify physical processes in the coastal lower atmosphere and test their representation in mesoscale atmospheric models.