Miller, A. J., E. Di Lorenzo, D. J. Neilson, B. D. Cornuelle and J. R. Moisan, 2000:

Modeling CalCOFI Observations during El Nino:
Fitting physics and biology



California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations Reports,41, 87-97.

Abstract. Surveys of temperature, salinity, and velocity from CalCOFI, altimetric measurements of sea level and drifter observations of temperature and velocity during the 1997-98 El Nino are now being fit with an eddy-resolving ocean model of the Southern California Bight region to obtain dynamically consistent estimates of eddy variability. Skill evaluations are quantified by the model-data mismatch (rms error) during the fitting interval and eventually by forecasting independent data. Preliminary results of fitting July 1997 physical fields are discussed. The physical fields are used to drive a three-dimensional NPZD-type model to be fit to sub-surface chlorophyll-a (Chl-a), nitrate and bulk zooplankton from CalCOFI surveys and surface Chl-a from SeaWiFS. Preliminary results of testing the ecosystem model in one-dimensional and three-dimensional form are discussed.

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