High-Resolution Coupled COAMPS Atmosphere and Ocean Coastal Modeling during the Surfzone Coastal Oil Pathways Experiment (SCOPE)

This research utilizes the Naval Research Laboratory's Coupled Ocean Atmosphere Mesoscale Prediction System (COAMPS) to produce a very high-resolution coastal northern Gulf of Mexico simulation that includes both atmosphere and ocean data assimilation. In conjunction with the Surfzone Coastal Oil Pathways Experiment (SCOPE) that occurred in December 2013, a 250 m resolution Navy Ocean Coastal Model (NCOM) grid was forced with 6 km COAMPS atmospheric output to provide guidance during the exercise. Comparisons to atmospheric and oceanic observational data collected during the exercise will be discussed, including the use of drifters, Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers (ADCPs), and National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) buoys. A fully-coupled atmosphere and ocean modeling simulation will also be evaluated to assess the atmosphere/ocean feedback at very high resolutions and make comparisons to the one-way atmospheric forcing simulation.