Rotational Assignment Completes Ocean Modeling Research
(OSCURS Update and Implementation on LAS)
Current Status of Accomplishment or Milestone: Completed.
Background: As part of the NMFS Rotational Assignment program, James Ingraham from the Alaska Fisheries Science Center, Resource Ecology and Fisheries Management Division (REFM) visited PFEL November 7, 2000 to March 30, 2001 in order to collaborate on the implementation of the Ocean Surface Current Simulation (OSCURS) model on PFEL’s Live Access Server (LAS). The OSCURS numerical model is a research tool that allows oceanographers and fisheries scientists to perform retrospective analyses of daily ocean surface currents anywhere from Baja California to China and from 10ºN to the Bering Strait. The OSCURS model is used to measure the movement of surface currents over time, as well as the movement of what was in or on the water. Ocean surface currents affect organisms suspended and swimming in the water by determining their drift, and affecting their destinations. OSCURS has also gained visibility as an accidental debris tracker to analyze accidental but fortuitous at-sea events beyond the scale of normal oceanographic science. Investigation of events such as spills of cargo containers loaded with shoes or plastic bathtub toys has been used to fine-tune the OSCURS model and has drawn much public interest.
Purpose of Activity/Goal of Project: Implement the OSCURS model on PFEL’s Live Access Server, and upgrade OSCURS software to read input data updated monthly as part of PFEL’s regular monthly processing stream.
Description of Accomplishment and Significant Results: The OSCURS model has been implemented on a separate version of PFEL’s Live Access Server. Users can input a location in the North Pacific, and a start and ending time (1967 – present), and get a plot or listing of the predicted daily trajectory. Inputs to the model are daily values of FNMOC’s 6-hourly model sea level pressure. Prior to implementation on the LAS, a pressure extract was sent by ftp each month to REFM. OSCURS has now been updated to read netCDF pressure files created as part of PFEL’s monthly data processing. This facilitated implementation on the LAS and also increased the speed of data access. Future development will include an improved user interface, extension of the input data back farther in time, and integrating the OSCURS LAS with PFEL’s primary Live Access Server.
Significance of Accomplishment (e.g., to the Center, to Management, and to NMFS Strategic plan Goals): Interannual variability of ocean currents can affect survival of both suspended and swimming marine species. Implementation of OSCURS on PFEL’s LAS will provide access to this information to a greater number of researchers in fisheries and related fields, and could eventually be a good public relations tool for educators and the general public.
Problems: None.
Key Contact: Lynn deWitt (831-648-0936; ldewitt@pfeg.noaa.gov)