CODAM - The Center for Ocean Data Assimilation and Modeling

The Center for Ocean Data Assimilation and Modeling (CODAM) is a consortium of NOAA's Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) and The Program in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences (AOS) of Princeton University. The center will collaborate with NOAA's National Center for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) and other laboratories and universities.

The Main Goals of the Center are:

To develop and test methods for systematic development of ocean circulation models and the assimilation of oceanographic data in ocean models in support of the ocean modeling and prediction community.
To generate by means of data assimilation and data analyses comprehensive oceanographic data sets that will allow researchers to test different nowcast/forecast systems and ocean models.
To create a forum for discussion and information exchange on modeling and data assimilation issues and to define and plan future research.

Background and Current Research

Ocean Modeling

Traditionally, ocean circulation models have played a major role in the research at GFDL and AOS. Two of the most widely used ocean models, the Bryan-Cox, Modular Ocean Model (MOM) and the Blumberg-Mellor, Princeton Ocean Model (POM) have been developed here. Continuous model development and support to over 500 users of these models are now provided through informal communication between the users and GFDL and AOS. The center will formalize these efforts and will pursue intercomparisons between the two models

Data Assimilation

The ocean models and data assimilation methods developed at GFDL and AOS have already led to operational products through collaborate with NCEP. MOM is part of a coupled ocean-atmosphere model that is used by NCEP for seasonal and interannual climate prediction. POM is coupled to NCEP's meso-scale ETA model and runs quasi-operationally as part of the East Coast Forecast System (ECOFS) . POM is also part of the Navy's efforts in Data Assimilation and Model Evaluation Experiments (DAMEE).

See a reference list of selected papers associated with ocean modeling and data assimilation studies at GFDL and AOS.

The Core Scientists Associated with CODAM

GFDL
- Jeffrey Anderson (Exper. Pred. Group Leader)
- Matthew Harrison
- Jerry Mahlman (GFDL Dir.)
- Anthony Rosati
- Robert Toggweiler (Ocean Circ. Group Leader)
AOS
- Tal Ezer (CODAM Exec. Dir.)
- Stephen Griffies
- George Mellor
- George Philander (Geosciences Chair, AOS Dir.)
- Eli Tziperman (also Weizmann Institute)
NCEP (and other collaborators and visitors)
- (to be added later)

This page is maintained by:

Tal Ezer (ezer@splash.princeton.edu)

Program in Atmospheric & Oceanic Sciences, P.O.Box CN710, Sayre Hall, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544-0710