NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
Initialization and Predictability of a Coupled ENSO Forecast ModelThe skill of a coupled ocean-atmosphere model in predicting ENSO has recently been improved using a new initialization procedure in which initial conditions are obtained from the coupled model, nudged toward observations of wind stress. The previous procedure involved direct insertion of wind stress observations, ignoring model feedback from ocean to atmosphere. The success of the new scheme is attributed to its explicit consideration of ocean-atmosphere coupling and the associated reduction of "initialization shock" and random noise. The so-called spring predictability barrier is eliminated, suggesting that such a barrier is not intrinsic to the real climate system. Initial attempts to generalize the nudging procedure to include SST were not successful; possible explanations are offered. In all experiments forecast skill is found to be much higher for the 1980s than for the 1970s and 1990s, suggesting decadal variations in predictability.
Document ID
20000037979
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Chen, Dake
(Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory Palisades, NY United States)
Zebiak, Stephen E.
(Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory Palisades, NY United States)
Cane, Mark A.
(Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory Palisades, NY United States)
Busalacchi, Antonio J.
(NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, MD United States)
Date Acquired
August 19, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1997
Publication Information
Publication: Laboratory for Hydrospheric Processes Research Publications
Subject Category
Meteorology And Climatology
Report/Patent Number
LDGO-Contrib--5592
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

Available Downloads

There are no available downloads for this record.
No Preview Available