A Potential Density Gradient Dependent Analysis Scheme for Ocean Multiscale Data Assimilation

Figure 1

Schematic illustration of isopycnal data assimilation. Since oceanic mixing usually occurs along potential density surface, assuming one observation at point (100°E, 20°N, 100 m) has increment of 5°C and the other observation at point (150°E, 20°N, 300 m) has increment of 1°C, these two observations locate at same potential density layer with 1027 km/m³ value and a smart data assimilation should simulate real mixing procedure and result in an analyzed increment value of 3°C at point (125°E, 20°N, 250 m), not at point (125°E, 20°N, 200 m).