One of the mission outcomes of the UN Ocean Decade is to achieve a predicted ocean, while one of its defined challenges is to expand the ocean observing network. The UN Ocean Decade sponsored OceanPredict project, Synergistic Observing Network for Ocean Prediction (SynObs; https://oceanpredict.org/un-decade-of-ocean-science/synobs-2/), seeks to answer how best to achieve ocean prediction given the challenge of expanding and maintaining ocean observations in the most efficient manner through a multi-system exploration of Observing System Experiments (OSEs) and Observing System Simulation Experients (OSSEs). This session focuses on ocean state estimation and ocean forecasting through data assimilation and ocean modelling, with particular emphasis on the role of observations in supplying the best estimate or forecast. In keeping with the sub-programme theme, this session will concentrate on global and ocean basin scale investigations.
The session is intended to showcase work related to the SynObs project, but by no means limited to this. Any work highlighting the synergy between ocean observations and global ocean state estimation and prediction is more than welcome. Particularly welcome are results of other OSE and OSSE experiments, along with any other ocean observational network design experiments, or studies highlighting the role of assimilating novel, particularly novel in-situ, observations in the global ocean.