Assimilation of Directional Wave Spectra in the Wave Model WAM: An Impact Study from Synthetic Observations in Preparation for the SWIMSAT Satellite Mission

Within the framework of the Surface Waves Investigation and Monitoring from Satellite mission (SWIMSAT) proposed to the European Space Agency, an assimilation scheme has been implemented in the Wave Model (WAM) in order to estimate the impact of spectral information on wave prediction. The scheme uses an optimal interpolation and the “spectral partitioning” principle. The synthetic wave spectra are located along a SWIMSAT orbit track and are assimilated in a 4-day-period simulation. Random errors are included to simulate the uncertainties of SWIMSAT instrumentation. The sensitivity of the scheme to background and observational errors and the correlation length is examined. The assimilation impact is investigated for two cases of moderate and large errors of the first guess. The results show that the assimilation scheme works correctly and the rms errors of significant wave height, mean period, and direction are significantly reduced for both periods of analysis and forecast. The impact on signifi...