An iterative procedure that assimilates the zonal wind stress based on the simulated SST anomaly errors is also presented. The AGCM wind stress described above serves as the first guess field for the assimilation cycle. The ocean model is used to show how this new wind stress analysis yields a substantially improved simulation of the SST anomalies. Simple experiments with the ocean model show that the improvements in the simulated SST anomalies are associated with a systematic large scale eastward shift in the assimilated wind stress forcing. The success of the assimilation procedure is shown to be independent of ocean model resolution and some evidence is given that indicates that the assimilation procedure works with other ocean models. It is concluded that this new wind stress analysis may be superior to the FSU data and that the iteration procedure provides a simple mechanism for assimilating wind stress anomalies and initializing ocean models for coupled forecasts.
last update: 31 August 1995
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