Process-Oriented Validation of HYCOM-TSIS Reanalysis Runs for the Northern Gulf of Mexico

Abstract

The Tendral Statistical Interpolation (T-SIS) package is used with HYCOM to produce the reanalysis hindcast. To assess 1/25° and 1/100° resolution model hindcasts’ performance, model results were compared to independent ADCP current measurements from several sites in the Northern GOM impacted by passing Loop Current Eddies, Deep Cyclonic Eddies (without a clear surface expression) and Tropical Storms. The comparative analysis of HYCOM-TSIS reanalysis data and ADCP measurements showed a good qualitative and satisfactory quantitative agreement between model and observations. Of most importance, the model with the T-SIS package resolves the general kinematic structure of subsurface flows associated with the Deep Cyclonic Eddies, reflecting a substantial improvement of the model skill compared to the previous version of the hindcast.