Importance of ocean observations to the ECCC global ocean analysis system, GIOPS

The Synergistic Observing Network for Ocean Prediction (SynObs) project (https://oceanpredict.org/synobs) seeks to find synergies between ocean observations and ocean prediction through a multi-system approach to an Observing System Experiment (OSE). Best estimates and predictions for locations of eddies, shape of ocean sound speed profiles, ocean currents, sea surface temperature and ocean water masses are important ocean diagnostics for a variety of ocean and/or coupled NWP applications. Skillful estimates of these diagnostics is presumably determined by the quantity and quality of ocean observations used in the ocean state estimation, but the exact value of the observations, and in particular, which observations are most crucial is unknown. 

In the context of the SynObs project, Environment and Climate Change Canada's (ECCC's) system the Global Ice Ocean Prediction System (GIOPS) has performed several observation withholding experiments.  The importance of each withholding experiment will be studied by looking first at our standard innovation metrics of observation minus model misfits in the context of both assimilated observations and withheld profile observations.    Further analysis against novel observation metrics, such as an eddy tracking diagnostic comparison, drifting buoy current velocity measurements and sound profile (from T/S profile) comparisons will be detailed.  Finally, preliminary results from a set of short lead (10d) coupled forecast runs may also be presented.