The NARVAL Software Toolbox in Support of Ocean Models Skill Assessment at Regional and Coastal Scales

Lorente, Pablo; Sotillo, Marcos García; Amo-Baladrón, Arancha; Aznar, R.; Levier, Bruno; Aouf, Lotfi; Dabrowski, Tomasz; Pascual, Amparo Serrano; Reffray, Guillaume; Dalphinet, Alice; Toledano, Cristina; Rainaud, Romain; Álvarez-Fanjul, Enrique

doi:10.1007/978-3-030-22747-0_25

Cited by 9 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Within CMEMS, coordinated model validation activities among different operational and oceanographic research centers have been promoted, assessing a wider range of ocean parameters and comparing different systems (Hernandez et al, 2015). Juza et al (2016) and Lorente et al (2019a) pointed out the need for defining assessment strategies to quantify error propagation through downscaling (from global to regional scales), as well as for specific areas where different model products overlap. To this aim, different multi-parameter multiplatform model validation toolboxes are being developed (i.e., the NARVAL one, used by the CMEMS IBI Monitoring Forecasting Centre to assess its model solutions in terms of mean circulation and water mass properties).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of the Operational CMEMS and Coastal Downstream Ocean Forecasting Services During the Storm Gloria (January 2020)

et al. 2021

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Storm Gloria was the 10th named storm in Europe for the 2019–2020 winter season, and it severely affected Spain and France. This powerful storm represents an excellent study case to analyze the capabilities of the different ocean model systems available in the Spanish Mediterranean coasts to simulate extreme events, as well as to assess their suitability to enhance preparedness in maritime disasters with high impacts on coastal areas. Five different operational ocean forecasting services able to predict the storm-induced ocean circulation are evaluated. Three of the systems are delivered by the Copernicus Marine Service (hereafter CMEMS): the CMEMS global scale solution (GLO-1/12°), the specific Mediterranean basin scale one (MED-1/24°), and the regional solution for the Atlantic façade (IBI-1/36°), which includes also part of the western Mediterranean. These CMEMS core products are complemented with two higher resolution models focused on more limited areas, which provide operational forecasts for coastal applications: the WMOP system developed at the Balearic Islands Coastal Observing and Forecasting System (SOCIB) with a horizontal resolution of roughly 2 km and the Puertos del Estado (PdE) SAMOA systems with a 350-m resolution that cover the coastal domains of the Spanish Port Authorities of Barcelona, Tarragona, Castellón and Almeria. Both the WMOP and SAMOA models are nested in CMEMS regional systems (MED and IBI, respectively) and constitute good examples of coastal-scale-oriented CMEMS downstream services. The skill of these five ocean models in reproducing the surface dynamics in the area during Gloria is evaluated using met-ocean in situ measurements from numerous buoys (moored in coastal and open waters) and coastal meteorological stations as a reference to track the effects of the storm in essential ocean variables such as surface current, water temperature, and salinity throughout January 2020. Furthermore, modeled surface dynamics are validated against hourly surface current fields from the two high-frequency radar systems available in the zone (the SOCIB HF-Radar system covering the eastern part of the Ibiza Channel and the PdE one at Tarragona, which covers the Ebro Delta, one of the coastal areas most impacted by Gloria). The results assess the performance of the dynamical downscaling at two different levels: first, within the own CMEMS service (with their regional products, as enhanced solutions with respect to the global one) and second in the coastal down-streaming service side (with very high-resolution models reaching coastal scales). This multi-model study case focused on Storm Gloria has allowed to identify some strengths and limitations of the systems currently in operations, and it can help outlining future model service upgrades aimed at better forecasting extreme coastal events.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evaluation of the Operational CMEMS and Coastal Downstream Ocean Forecasting Services During the Storm Gloria (January 2020)

et al. 2021

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“…Daily 3D fields are available over 50 geopotential vertical levels, but in this study hourly fields provided for the upper layer are used (Aznar et al, 2016). The IBI ocean model forecasts are continuously monitored, using to this aim the NARVAL multi-parameter multi-platform validation toolbox (Lorente et al, 2019). This multi-parametric ocean model skill assessment is performed by the IBI-MFC using all available operational observational sources in the IBI model domain.…”

Section: Ocean Modelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The list of observational data source used in the IBI validation includes remote sensed data (i.e., satellite L3 and L4 SST and sea level anomaly products, together with surface currents from coastal HF-Radars stations) and in-situ observations (from moorings and tide gauges and sea level essential variables such as surface temperature, salinity, currents and sea level; as well as from ARGO floats for 3D temperature and salinity). See further details in Lorente et al (2019) for a complete list of the observational products and platforms used, as well as the regions covered, to operationally validate the IBI ocean model product. Furthermore, the CMEMS IBI-MFC forecast model products are qualified before their entry into operational service.…”

Section: Ocean Modelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Very High Resolution Tools for the Monitoring and Assessment of Environmental Hazards in Coastal Areas

et al. 2021

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Recently, new steps have been taken for the development of operational applications in coastal areas which require very high resolutions both in modeling and remote sensing products. In this context, this work describes a complete monitoring of an oil spill: we discuss the performance of high resolution hydrodynamic models in the area of Gran Canaria and their ability for describing the evolution of a real-time event of a diesel fuel spill, well-documented by port authorities and tracked with very high resolution remote sensing products. Complementary information supplied by different sources enhances the description of the event and supports their validation.

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“…The accuracy of IBI ocean forecast system is routinely evaluated by means of the NARVAL (North Atlantic Regional VALidation) web-based toolbox (Lorente et al, 2019b). Multi-parameter comparisons against observational sources, encompassing both in situ (buoys, tide-gauges, drifters, gliders, and argo profilers) and remote-sensing (satellite and HFR) platforms, are regularly conducted to achieve a comprehensive 3D skill assessment.…”

Section: Cmems Ibi Circulation Forecast Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

On the Performance of High Frequency Radar in the Western Mediterranean During the Record-Breaking Storm Gloria

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Storm Gloria (January 19–24, 2020) hit the NW Mediterranean Sea with heavy rainfall, strong easterly winds, and very high waves, causing structural damages and 13 fatalities. The low-lying Ebro Delta (ED) region was severely inundated, ruining rice fields and seaside promenades. A variety of Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS) modeling and observational products were jointly used to examine the fingerprint of Gloria and the response of the upper oceanic layer. According to the results, Gloria can be interpreted as a high-impact once-in-a-decade metocean event where various historical records were beaten. The 99th percentile of several parameters (wind speed, significant wave height, wave period, and surface current velocity), derived from long-term observational time series, was persistently exceeded. The atmospheric surge, albeit not negligible, exerted a secondary role in ED. The ability of a high-frequency radar deployed in this region (HFR-ED) to characterize the striking features of the storm was quantified from both waves and circulation aspects. Consistent radar current observations were subsequently compared against the 5-day-ahead forecast of CMEMS Iberia-Biscay-Ireland (IBI) regional ocean model to determine, from an Eulerian perspective, the strengths and shortcomings in its predictive capabilities. Time-averaged maps of surface circulation, superimposed with fields of Instantaneous Rate of Separation (IROS), were derived to resolve flow features and identify areas of elevated particles dispersion, respectively. The mean and P99 values of IROS almost doubled the historical statistics in the vicinity of the northern Ebro hemidelta. Although IBI predicted moderately well basic features of the storm-induced circulation, results suggests that coastal transport processes, likely modulated by wave-current interactions, were not fully captured. Furthermore, current estimations from other two radar systems, overlooking immediate choke points like the Ibiza Channel and the Strait of Gibraltar, evidenced Gloria’s remote-effect in the anomalous circulation patterns observed, that altered the usual water exchanges between adjacent sub-basins. Finally, three-dimensional outcomes from IBI were used to elucidate the impact of this moving storm at different depth levels. Data analyses illustrated that Gloria caused a large increase in kinetic energy and a significant deepening of the mixed layer depth.

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The NARVAL Software Toolbox in Support of Ocean Models Skill Assessment at Regional and Coastal Scales

Cited by 9 publications

References 7 publications

Evaluation of the Operational CMEMS and Coastal Downstream Ocean Forecasting Services During the Storm Gloria (January 2020)

Evaluation of the Operational CMEMS and Coastal Downstream Ocean Forecasting Services During the Storm Gloria (January 2020)

Very High Resolution Tools for the Monitoring and Assessment of Environmental Hazards in Coastal Areas

On the Performance of High Frequency Radar in the Western Mediterranean During the Record-Breaking Storm Gloria

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