Global surface wind and flux fields from model assimilation of Seasat data

Abstract

The entire 96‐day period of Seasat scatterometer data has been objectively dealiased using the Goddard Laboratory for Atmospheres (GLA) analysis/forecast system, and global fields of wind stress and sensible and latent heat fluxes were produced as a by‐product of the data assimilation process. The GLA objectively dealiased winds were compared with a more limited subjectively dealiased data set and with objectively dealiased winds obtained using an alternative method. Good general agreement between the three methods was found. The GLA objective method was also verified using simulated Seasat data. Monthly mean analyses of wind stress and latent heat flux agreed well with climatological fields and known atmospheric and oceanic features. Monthly mean sensible heat flux fields differed substantially from climatology, but in a limited number of subjective comparisons with observed atmospheric features the instantaneous fields were found to be reasonable.