The Navy's JEDI-enabled FALCON Data Assimilation System

The upcoming unified FALCON data assimilation (DA) system is the Navy’s implementation of the Joint Effort for Data assimilation Integration (JEDI) developed by the Joint Center for Satellite Data Assimilation (JCSDA). The FALCON DA system contains Navy unique observation preprocessing, background error specification, and cylc workflow. FALCON DA utilizes JEDI solvers with a combination of Navy, JEDI Skylab, and METplus diagnostic and verification tools. The planned initial FALCON transition will be in support of the global NEPTUNE atmospheric model and will consist of a 3DVar solver with plans in place to eventually transition to a hybrid 4DVar solver.

We will provide a broad overview of improvements made to the FALCON DA system in recent months. For the solver we have undertaken to implement dual-resolution and the JEDI 3DVar FGAT. We have increased the observation types we are assimilating as well as implemented variational bias correction. Additionally, we have improved the tuning of our static background error covariance. We will discuss the impacts of these improvements in our cycling experiments and provide context for future development.

FALCON: Flexible Assimilation Linking Collaborations to Operations for NEPTUNE

NEPTUNE: Navy Environmental Prediction sysTem Utilizing a Nonhydrostatic Engine

Distribution Statement A. Approved for public release, distribution is unlimited