11 Rapid Assessment ofthe Coastal Ocean
Environment
ALLAN R. ROBINSON
Harvard University
JURGEN SELLSCHOPP
NATO SACIANT Undersea Research Centre
11.1 Introduction
The concept of Rapid Environmental Assessment (REA) is to provide environmental nowcasts and forecasts accurate and efficient enough to support operational
activity in any arbitrary region ofthe global coastal ocean, and to respond to operational assessment requests effectively on very short notice. Ocean science and technology today are rapidly evolving and recognized as generally involving
interdisciplinary processes and interactions on multiple scales in space and time
(Robinson et al., 1999a). To deal with the complex ocean forecasts and simulations
required both for research and for operations and management, the concept of an
Ocean Observing and Prediction System (OOPS) has emerged for assimilating data
from the system's observational network into the system's forecasts models to generate requisite field estimates (Mooers, 1999; Robinson and the LOOPS Group,
1999). REA requires a rapidly deployable, generic, portable OOPS.
REA has been articulated in the context ofNATO naval operations (Pouliquen et
al., 1997) as "a new approach to environmental support, designed specifically to
provide ... tactieally useful environmental data in a taetieally useable time se ale"
(Hammond, 1997) and US requirements have reeent1y been artieulated by Curtin
(1999). The Harvard and SACLANTCEN oeeanography groups have eollaborated
in recent years (Sellschopp and Robinson, 1997) in providing real time nowcasts
and foreeasts for a number of NATO REA exercises (Sellsehopp, 1998; 1999).
Fig. 11.1, taken from an exercise operational web site, illustrates multiscale interdiseiplinary forecast products for the Gulf of Cadiz for 21 March 1998 obtained by
assimilating multiple streams of in situ and remotely sensed data. It will be discussed further below.
Section 11.2 discusses physical forecasting and section 11.3 the use of the physical forecast. The concept of an REA OOPS is introduced in seetion 11.4 and validation issues are presented in section 11.5. Section 11.6 overviews and evaluates
experience gained in NATO Rapid Response REA exercises in 1996-1998. Sections 11. 7 and 11. 8 summarize and discuss prospects for improved REA respectively from an operational and researeh viewpoint.
Environment
ALLAN R. ROBINSON
Harvard University
JURGEN SELLSCHOPP
NATO SACIANT Undersea Research Centre
11.1 Introduction
The concept of Rapid Environmental Assessment (REA) is to provide environmental nowcasts and forecasts accurate and efficient enough to support operational
activity in any arbitrary region ofthe global coastal ocean, and to respond to operational assessment requests effectively on very short notice. Ocean science and technology today are rapidly evolving and recognized as generally involving
interdisciplinary processes and interactions on multiple scales in space and time
(Robinson et al., 1999a). To deal with the complex ocean forecasts and simulations
required both for research and for operations and management, the concept of an
Ocean Observing and Prediction System (OOPS) has emerged for assimilating data
from the system's observational network into the system's forecasts models to generate requisite field estimates (Mooers, 1999; Robinson and the LOOPS Group,
1999). REA requires a rapidly deployable, generic, portable OOPS.
REA has been articulated in the context ofNATO naval operations (Pouliquen et
al., 1997) as "a new approach to environmental support, designed specifically to
provide ... tactieally useful environmental data in a taetieally useable time se ale"
(Hammond, 1997) and US requirements have reeent1y been artieulated by Curtin
(1999). The Harvard and SACLANTCEN oeeanography groups have eollaborated
in recent years (Sellschopp and Robinson, 1997) in providing real time nowcasts
and foreeasts for a number of NATO REA exercises (Sellsehopp, 1998; 1999).
Fig. 11.1, taken from an exercise operational web site, illustrates multiscale interdiseiplinary forecast products for the Gulf of Cadiz for 21 March 1998 obtained by
assimilating multiple streams of in situ and remotely sensed data. It will be discussed further below.
Section 11.2 discusses physical forecasting and section 11.3 the use of the physical forecast. The concept of an REA OOPS is introduced in seetion 11.4 and validation issues are presented in section 11.5. Section 11.6 overviews and evaluates
experience gained in NATO Rapid Response REA exercises in 1996-1998. Sections 11. 7 and 11. 8 summarize and discuss prospects for improved REA respectively from an operational and researeh viewpoint.