image: U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL), Stennis Space Center Oceanographers received NASA Letters of Achievement for their collaboration with NASA’s Sub-Mesoscale Ocean Dynamics Experiment (S-MODE). NRL and NAVO provided the NASA science team with gliders and floats and real-time ocean model forecasts for several observational campaign. From left to right- Jay Shriver, Ph.D., Joseph D’Addezio, Ph.D., and Gregg Jacobs, Ph.D. (U.S. Navy photo)
Credit: U.S. Navy photo
WASHINGTON - U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) oceanographers and the Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVO) received a Group Achievement Award from NASA for their collaboration with NASA’s Sub-Mesoscale Ocean Dynamics Experiment (S-MODE). NRL and NAVO provided the NASA science team with gliders and floats and real-time ocean model forecasts for several observational campaigns.
NRL’s Joseph D’Addezio, Ph.D., Gregg A. Jacobs, Ph.D., and Jay. F. Shriver, Ph.D. used Office of Naval Research’s (ONR) Physical Oceanography Program funding to provide S-MODE with daily, real-time ocean model forecasts during three S-MODE’s observational campaigns. Aided by the real-time model simulations, NRL also provided real-time glider movement guidance using NRL’s Guidance of Heterogeneous Observation Systems-GHOST technology.
“S-MODE was a scientific campaign initiated to observe, for the first time, ocean features that are too small to see from space and too large to see with isolated measurements,” said D’Addezio, “These ocean features are uniquely important because they allow the ocean and atmosphere to ‘breathe’ between one another. This makes them essential for understanding the current and future evolution of the global earth system.”
Because these features are difficult to see from space, numerical prediction models provide a way to forecast where they might occur in abundance, allowing the ship-based campaign to target certain geographic locations. The numerical model is also robust in its representation of fields in space and time, allowing scientists to study these difficult to observe features in a more complete way. NRL provided real time forecasts of the ocean off the west coast of the United States in order to aid the ship-based campaigns and the scientific evaluation of these unique ocean features. NRL deployed new prediction capabilities and demonstrated their efficacy in operational settings for the first time ever. S-MODE has proven to be a highly successful scientific endeavor for all involved.
Both the ocean model simulations and glider guidance used novel methodologies that had not yet been tested in operational environments. The ocean model was corrected every day using a new assimilation technology, whereby the horizontal scales of the model corrections were directly a function of the observation spatial density. The traditional GHOST glider guidance was augmented using the real-time ocean model fields, whereby gliders were forced to sample regions that had not been recently observed, thereby significantly reducing the redundancy of observations collected by the gliders. “Each new methodology was tested in real-time during the S-MODE campaigns and were shown to significantly increase ocean model forecast skill” said Jacobs, Ph. D., “Both technologies are now moving towards Navy transition. Overall, the NRL/NASA collaboration proved fruitful for both government agencies.”
During each S-MODE observational campaign, NAVO donated gliders and floats for S-MODE to deploy and use. During the first two experiments, NAVO donated 20 gliders. During the final experiment, NAVO donated 5 gliders and 10 floats. S-MODE successfully used these observations for their science goals and Ocean and Predictions Branch was also able to utilize the observations for Navy-oriented goals.
“Both S-MODE and NRL are extremely grateful for NAVO’s participation in the exercises.” said Shriver, Ph.D.
D’Addezio is an oceanographer in NRL’s Ocean Dynamics and Prediction Branch at Stennis Space Center, Mississippi. He received Bachelor of Science degrees in meteorology and oceanography at North Caroline State University in 2012, his Master of Science degree in physical oceanography at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in 2014, and his Doctoral degree in physical oceanography at the University of South Carolina in 2016. His work focuses on research and development for the Navy’s ocean models, with a specific focus on data assimilation: the process by which the ocean model is updated to include information from recently taken observations. He began working with NRL in 2016.
Jacobs is head of NRL’s Ocean Dynamics and Prediction Branch. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Colorado in Boulder, CO in 1986, his Master of Science degree in physical oceanography from Oregon State University in 1988 and Doctoral degree in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Colorado in Boulder, CO in 1991. Jacobs has over 100 refereed journal publications, 5 book chapters and 6 patents awarded.
His recent work has focused on ocean circulation predictability into submesoscale ocean processes by exploiting new high-resolution observations such as the Surface Water and Ocean Topography mission and ocean circulation and processes controlling sound channels throughout the globe with specific focus on the North Atlantic and North Pacific oceans.
Shriver is an oceanographer also with NRL’s Ocean Dynamics and Prediction Branch. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics and meteorology from SUNY Brockport in 1987, his Master of Science degree in 1989 and Doctoral degree in 1993 in dynamic meteorology from Florida State University. Shriver has published over 55 refereed publications on a wide range of topics and has played an integral role in the transition of multiple global ocean prediction systems to the U.S. Navy for operational applications. His research interests include ocean analysis and forecasting, oceanic tides and nonlinear ocean dynamics.
Their research group has transitioned systems to operational use for real time observation processing, global and high-resolution prediction systems, and many associated applications. In recent years in collaboration with the NRL Marine Meteorology Division, the groups have transitioned global and high-resolution Earth System Prediction Capability forecasts to operations. These systems now regularly provide skillful forecasts out to 45 days.
The Ocean Dynamics and Predictions branch research focus includes basic understanding of physics of ocean circulation wave and ice processes, remote and in situ sensing systems, demonstration of predictability, and transitioning ocean forecast systems to production centers within the Navy and other national agencies. Stationed at NASA’s Stennis Space Center in southern Mississippi, it is known primarily as a test site for NASA rocket engines.
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About the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory
NRL is a scientific and engineering command dedicated to research that drives innovative advances for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps from the seafloor to space and in the information domain. NRL is located in Washington, D.C. with major field sites in Stennis Space Center, Mississippi; Key West, Florida; Monterey, California, and employs approximately 3,000 civilian scientists, engineers and support personnel.
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