Assessing the value of biogeochemical Argo profiles versus ocean color observations for biogeochemical model optimization in the Gulf of Mexico

Wang, Bin; Fennel, Katja; Yu, Liuqian; Gordon, Christopher

doi:https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-4059-2020

Articles | Volume 17, issue 15

https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-4059-2020

© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Special issue:

Biogeochemistry in the BGC-Argo era: from process studies...

https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-4059-2020

© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Articles | Volume 17, issue 15

Research article

|

11 Aug 2020

Research article |

| 11 Aug 2020

Assessing the value of biogeochemical Argo profiles versus ocean color observations for biogeochemical model optimization in the Gulf of Mexico

Bin Wang, Katja Fennel, Liuqian Yu, and Christopher Gordon

Supplement

https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-17-4059-2020-supplement

Data sets

Ocean forecasting in terrain-following coordinates: Formulation and skill assessment of the Regional Ocean Modeling System D. B. Haidvogel, H. Arango, W. P. Budgell, B. D. Cornuelle, E. Curchitser, E. D. Lorenzo, K. Fennel, W. Geyer, A. Hermann, L. Lanerolle, J. Levin, J. C. McWilliams, A. J. Miller, A. M. Moore, T. M. Powell, A. F. Shchepetkin, C. R. Sherwood, R. P. Signell, J. C. Warner, and J. Wilkin https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcp.2007.06.016

US GODAE: Global ocean prediction with the HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HYCOM) E. P. Chassignet, H. E. Hurlburt, E. J. Metzger, O. Smedstad, J. Cummings, G. Halliwell, R. Bleck, R. Baraille, A. J. Wallcraft, C. Lozano, H. L. Tolman, A. Srinivasan, S. Hankin, P. Cornillon, R. Weisberg, A. Barth, R. He, F. Werner, and J. Wilkin https://doi.org/10.5670/oceanog.2009.39

Ocean currents, temperatures, and others measured by drifters and profiling floats for the Lagrangian Approach to Study the Gulf of Mexico Deep Circulation project 2011-07 to 2015-06 P. Hamilton, and Leidos https://accession.nodc.noaa.gov/0159562

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Short summary

We assess trade-offs between different types of biological observations, specifically satellite ocean color and BGC-Argo profiles and the benefits of combining both for optimizing a biogeochemical model of the Gulf of Mexico. Using all available observations leads to significant improvements in observed and unobserved variables (including primary production and C export). Our results highlight the significant benefits of BGC-Argo measurements for biogeochemical model optimization and validation.