Open AccessEnKF and Hybrid Gain Ensemble Data Assimilation. Part II: EnKF and Hybrid Gain Results
Author(s) -
Massimo Bonavita,
Mats Hamrud,
Lars Isaksen
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
monthly weather review
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.862
H-Index - 179
eISSN - 1520-0493
pISSN - 0027-0644
DOI - 10.1175/mwr-d-15-0071.1
Subject(s) - data assimilation , computer science , context (archaeology) , hybrid system , scalability , assimilation (phonology) , meteorology , ensemble forecasting , numerical weather prediction , environmental science , climatology , machine learning , geology , database , geography , paleontology , linguistics , philosophy
The desire to do detailed comparisons between variational and more scalable ensemble-based data assimilation systems in a semioperational environment has led to the development of a state-of-the-art EnKF system at ECMWF, which has been described in Part I of this two-part study. In this part the performance of the EnKF system is evaluated compared to a 4DVar of similar resolution. It is found that there is not a major difference between the forecast skill of the two systems. However, similarly to the operational hybrid 4DVar–EDA, a hybrid EnKF–variational system [which we refer to as the hybrid gain ensemble data assimilation (HG-EnDA)] is capable of significantly outperforming both component systems. The HG-EnDA has been implemented with relatively little effort following Penny’s recent study. Results of numerical experimentation comparing the HG-EnDA with the hybrid 4DVar–EDA used operationally at ECMWF are presented, together with diagnostic results, which help characterize the behavior of the proposed ensemble data assimilation system. A discussion of these results in the context of hybrid data assimilation in global NWP is also provided.