Articles | Volume 5-opsr
https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-5-opsr-15-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-5-opsr-15-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
02 Jun 2025
| OPSR | Chapter 6.1
| 02 Jun 2025 | OPSR | Chapter 6.1
An introduction to operational chains in ocean forecasting
Liying Wan
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Key Laboratory of Marine Hazards Forecasting, National Marine Environmental Forecasting Center, Ministry of Natural Resources, Beijing, China
Marcos Garcia Sotillo
Nologin Oceanic Weather Systems, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
Mike Bell
Met Office,nExeter, UK
Yann Drillet
Mercator Ocean International, Toulouse, France
Roland Aznar
Nologin Oceanic Weather Systems, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
Stefania Ciliberti
Nologin Oceanic Weather Systems, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
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Operational ocean prediction relies on computationally expensive numerical models and complex workflows, known as data assimilation, in which models are fit to observations to produce optimal initial conditions for prediction. Machine learning has the potential to vastly accelerate ocean prediction, improve uncertainty quantification through massive surrogate model-based ensembles, and render simulations more accurate through better model calibration. We review the developments and challenges.
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The paper describes the significant role that ocean forecasting systems play in the blue economy, demonstrating their direct benefits in improving prediction accuracy and downstream applications.
Stefania A. Ciliberti, Enrique Alvarez Fanjul, Jay Pearlman, Kirsten Wilmer-Becker, Pierre Bahurel, Fabrice Ardhuin, Alain Arnaud, Mike Bell, Segolene Berthou, Laurent Bertino, Arthur Capet, Eric Chassignet, Stefano Ciavatta, Mauro Cirano, Emanuela Clementi, Gianpiero Cossarini, Gianpaolo Coro, Stuart Corney, Fraser Davidson, Marie Drevillon, Yann Drillet, Renaud Dussurget, Ghada El Serafy, Katja Fennel, Marcos Garcia Sotillo, Patrick Heimbach, Fabrice Hernandez, Patrick Hogan, Ibrahim Hoteit, Sudheer Joseph, Simon Josey, Pierre-Yves Le Traon, Simone Libralato, Marco Mancini, Pascal Matte, Angelique Melet, Yasumasa Miyazawa, Andrew M. Moore, Antonio Novellino, Andrew Porter, Heather Regan, Laia Romero, Andreas Schiller, John Siddorn, Joanna Staneva, Cecile Thomas-Courcoux, Marina Tonani, Jose Maria Garcia-Valdecasas, Jennifer Veitch, Karina von Schuckmann, Liying Wan, John Wilkin, and Romane Zufic
State Planet, 1-osr7, 2, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-1-osr7-2-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-1-osr7-2-2023, 2023
Ibrahim Hoteit, Eric Chassignet, and Mike Bell
State Planet, 5-opsr, 21, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-5-opsr-21-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-5-opsr-21-2025, 2025
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This paper explores how using multiple predictions instead of just one can improve ocean forecasts and help prepare for changes in ocean conditions. By combining different forecasts, scientists can better understand the uncertainty in predictions, leading to more reliable forecasts and better decision-making. This method is useful for responding to hazards like oil spills, improving climate forecasts, and supporting decision-making in fields like marine safety and resource management.
Patrick Heimbach, Fearghal O'Donncha, Timothy A. Smith, Jose Maria Garcia-Valdecasas, Alain Arnaud, and Liying Wan
State Planet, 5-opsr, 22, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-5-opsr-22-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-5-opsr-22-2025, 2025
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Operational ocean prediction relies on computationally expensive numerical models and complex workflows, known as data assimilation, in which models are fit to observations to produce optimal initial conditions for prediction. Machine learning has the potential to vastly accelerate ocean prediction, improve uncertainty quantification through massive surrogate model-based ensembles, and render simulations more accurate through better model calibration. We review the developments and challenges.
Jennifer Veitch, Enrique Alvarez-Fanjul, Arthur Capet, Stefania Ciliberti, Mauro Cirano, Emanuela Clementi, Fraser Davidson, Ghada el Serafy, Guilherme Franz, Patrick Hogan, Sudheer Joseph, Svitlana Liubartseva, Yasumasa Miyazawa, Heather Regan, and Katerina Spanoudaki
State Planet, 5-opsr, 6, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-5-opsr-6-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-5-opsr-6-2025, 2025
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Ocean forecast systems provide information about a future state of the ocean. This information is provided in the form of decision support tools, or downstream applications, that can be accessed by various stakeholders to support livelihoods, coastal resilience and the good governance of the marine environment. This paper provides an overview of the various downstream applications of ocean forecast systems that are utilized around the world.
Antonio Novellino, Alain Arnaud, Andreas Schiller, and Liying Wan
State Planet, 5-opsr, 25, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-5-opsr-25-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-5-opsr-25-2025, 2025
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The paper describes the significant role that ocean forecasting systems play in the blue economy, demonstrating their direct benefits in improving prediction accuracy and downstream applications.
Mauro Cirano, Enrique Alvarez-Fanjul, Arthur Capet, Stefania Ciliberti, Emanuela Clementi, Boris Dewitte, Matias Dinápoli, Ghada El Serafy, Patrick Hogan, Sudheer Joseph, Yasumasa Miyazawa, Ivonne Montes, Diego A. Narvaez, Heather Regan, Claudia G. Simionato, Gregory C. Smith, Joanna Staneva, Clemente A. S. Tanajura, Pramod Thupaki, Claudia Urbano-Latorre, and Jennifer Veitch
State Planet, 5-opsr, 5, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-5-opsr-5-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-5-opsr-5-2025, 2025
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Operational ocean forecasting systems (OOFSs) are crucial for human activities, environmental monitoring, and policymaking. An assessment across eight key regions highlights strengths and gaps, particularly in coastal and biogeochemical forecasting. AI offers improvements, but collaboration, knowledge sharing, and initiatives like the OceanPrediction Decade Collaborative Centre (DCC) are key to enhancing accuracy, accessibility, and global forecasting capabilities.
Marcos Garcia Sotillo, Marie Drevillon, and Fabrice Hernandez
State Planet, 5-opsr, 16, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-5-opsr-16-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-5-opsr-16-2025, 2025
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Operational forecasting systems require best practices for assessing the quality of ocean products. The authors discuss the role of the observing network in performing validation of ocean models, identifying current gaps but also emphasizing the need of new metrics. An analysis on the level of maturity of validation processes from global to regional systems is provided. A rich variety of approaches exists. An example is provided of how the Copernicus Marine Service organizes product quality information.
Stefania Ciliberti and Gianpaolo Coro
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This review explores how cloud computing technology and its foundational concepts can enhance operational forecasting with scalable, flexible, and measurable resources. It highlights its benefits for the ocean value chain in support of ocean data management, forecasting system infrastructure, data analysis, visualization of ocean forecasts, dissemination, and outreach, showcasing real-world initiatives from the weather and ocean community.
Yann Drillet, Matthew Martin, Yosuke Fujii, Eric Chassignet, and Stefania Ciliberti
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This article describes the various stages of research and development that have been carried out over the last few decades to produce an operational reference service for global ocean monitoring and forecasting.
Fabrice Hernandez, Marcos Garcia Sotillo, and Angélique Melet
State Planet, 5-opsr, 17, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-5-opsr-17-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-5-opsr-17-2025, 2025
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An historical review over the last 3 decades on intercomparison projects of ocean numerical reanalysis or forecast is first proposed. From this, main issues and lessons learned are discussed in order to propose an overview of best practices and key considerations to facilitate intercomparison activities in operational oceanography.
Michael J. Bell, Andreas Schiller, and Stefania Ciliberti
State Planet, 5-opsr, 10, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-5-opsr-10-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-5-opsr-10-2025, 2025
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We provide an introduction to physical ocean models, at elementary and intermediate levels, describing the properties they represent, the principles and equations they use to evolve these properties, the physical phenomena they simulate, and the wider context and prospects for their further development. We also outline, at a more technical level, the methods and approximations that they use and the difficulties that limit their accuracy or reliability.
David Storkey, Pierre Mathiot, Michael J. Bell, Dan Copsey, Catherine Guiavarc'h, Helene T. Hewitt, Jeff Ridley, and Malcolm J. Roberts
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Manuel García-León, José María García-Valdecasas, Lotfi Aouf, Alice Dalphinet, Juan Asensio, Stefania Angela Ciliberti, Breogán Gómez, Víctor Aquino, Roland Aznar, and Marcos Sotillo
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-657, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-657, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Ocean Science (OS).
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Accurate short-term wave forecasts are key for coastal activities. These forecasts rely on wind and currents as forcing, which in this work were both enhanced using neural networks (NNs) trained with satellite and radar data. Tested at three European sites, the NN-corrected winds were 35 % more accurate, and currents also improved. This led to improved IBI wave model predictions of wave height and period by 10 % and 17 %, respectively; even correcting under extreme events.
Pierre-Yves Le Traon, Gerald Dibarboure, Jean-Michel Lellouche, Marie-Isabelle Pujol, Mounir Benkiran, Marie Drevillon, Yann Drillet, Yannice Faugere, and Elisabeth Remy
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-356, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-356, 2025
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By providing all weather, global and real time observations of sea level, a key variable to constrain ocean analysis and forecasting systems, satellite altimetry has had a profound impact on the development of operational oceanography. The paper provides an overview of the development and evolution of satellite altimetry and operational oceanography over the past 20 years from the launch of Jason-1 in 2001 to the launch of SWOT in 2022.
Catherine Guiavarc'h, David Storkey, Adam T. Blaker, Ed Blockley, Alex Megann, Helene Hewitt, Michael J. Bell, Daley Calvert, Dan Copsey, Bablu Sinha, Sophia Moreton, Pierre Mathiot, and Bo An
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The Global Ocean and Sea Ice configuration version 9 (GOSI9) is the new UK hierarchy of model configurations based on the Nucleus for European Modelling of the Ocean (NEMO) and available at three resolutions. It will be used for various applications, e.g. weather forecasting and climate prediction. It improves upon the previous version by reducing global temperature and salinity biases and enhancing the representation of Arctic sea ice and the Antarctic Circumpolar Current.
Davi Mignac, Jennifer Waters, Daniel J. Lea, Matthew J. Martin, James While, Anthony T. Weaver, Arthur Vidard, Catherine Guiavarc’h, Dave Storkey, David Ford, Edward W. Blockley, Jonathan Baker, Keith Haines, Martin R. Price, Michael J. Bell, and Richard Renshaw
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3143, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3143, 2024
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We describe major improvements of the Met Office's global ocean-sea ice forecasting system. The models and the way observations are used to improve the forecasts were changed, which led to a significant error reduction of 1-day forecasts. The new system performance in past conditions, where sub-surface observations are scarce, was improved with more consistent ocean heat content estimates. The new system will be of better use for climate studies and will provide improved forecasts for end users.
Álvaro de Pascual Collar, Roland Aznar, Bruno Levier, and Marcos García Sotillo
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The Iberia–Biscay–Ireland region in the North Atlantic has diverse ocean currents impacting upper and deeper layers. These currents are vital for heat transport, species dispersion, and sediment and pollutant movement. Monitoring them is crucial for informed decision-making in ocean-related activities, including the blue economy sector. This study introduces an indicator to track these currents, covering main ones like the Azores, Canary, Portugal, and poleward slope currents.
Jozef Skakala, David Ford, Keith Haines, Amos Lawless, Matthew Martin, Philip Browne, Marcin Chrust, Stefano Ciavatta, Alison Fowler, Daniel Lea, Matthew Palmer, Andrea Rochner, Jennifer Waters, Hao Zuo, Mike Bell, Davi Carneiro, Yumeng Chen, Susan Kay, Dale Partridge, Martin Price, Richard Renshaw, Georgy Shapiro, and James While
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In this paper we review marine data assimilation (MDA) in the UK, its stakeholders, needs, past and present developments in different areas of UK MDA, and offer a vision for their longer future. The specific areas covered are ocean physics and sea ice, marine biogeochemistry, coupled MDA, MDA informing observing network design and MDA theory. We also discuss future vision for MDA resources: observations, software, hardware and people skills.
Mounir Benkiran, Pierre-Yves Le Traon, Elisabeth Rémy, and Yann Drillet
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-420, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-420, 2024
Preprint archived
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The assimilation of altimetry data corrects and improves the forecast of a global ocean forecasting system. Until now, the use of altimetry observations from nadir altimeters has had a major impact on the quality of ocean forecasts. Our study shows that the use of observations from swath altimeters will have a greater impact than the quality of these forecasts and will better constrain mesoscale structures.
Álvaro de Pascual-Collar, Roland Aznar, Bruno Levier, and Marcos García-Sotillo
State Planet, 1-osr7, 9, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-1-osr7-9-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-1-osr7-9-2023, 2023
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The article comprises the analysis of the ocean heat content in the northeastern Atlantic Iberian–Biscay–Ireland (IBI) region. The variability of ocean heat content is studied, and results are linked with the variability of the main water masses found in the region. Results show how the coupled interannual variability of water masses accounts for an important part of the total ocean heat content variability in the region.
Stefania A. Ciliberti, Enrique Alvarez Fanjul, Jay Pearlman, Kirsten Wilmer-Becker, Pierre Bahurel, Fabrice Ardhuin, Alain Arnaud, Mike Bell, Segolene Berthou, Laurent Bertino, Arthur Capet, Eric Chassignet, Stefano Ciavatta, Mauro Cirano, Emanuela Clementi, Gianpiero Cossarini, Gianpaolo Coro, Stuart Corney, Fraser Davidson, Marie Drevillon, Yann Drillet, Renaud Dussurget, Ghada El Serafy, Katja Fennel, Marcos Garcia Sotillo, Patrick Heimbach, Fabrice Hernandez, Patrick Hogan, Ibrahim Hoteit, Sudheer Joseph, Simon Josey, Pierre-Yves Le Traon, Simone Libralato, Marco Mancini, Pascal Matte, Angelique Melet, Yasumasa Miyazawa, Andrew M. Moore, Antonio Novellino, Andrew Porter, Heather Regan, Laia Romero, Andreas Schiller, John Siddorn, Joanna Staneva, Cecile Thomas-Courcoux, Marina Tonani, Jose Maria Garcia-Valdecasas, Jennifer Veitch, Karina von Schuckmann, Liying Wan, John Wilkin, and Romane Zufic
State Planet, 1-osr7, 2, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-1-osr7-2-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-1-osr7-2-2023, 2023
Jean-Michel Lellouche, Eric Greiner, Olivier Le Galloudec, Gilles Garric, Charly Regnier, Marie Drevillon, Mounir Benkiran, Charles-Emmanuel Testut, Romain Bourdalle-Badie, Florent Gasparin, Olga Hernandez, Bruno Levier, Yann Drillet, Elisabeth Remy, and Pierre-Yves Le Traon
Ocean Sci., 14, 1093–1126, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-14-1093-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-14-1093-2018, 2018
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In the coming decades, a strong growth of the ocean economy is expected. Scientific advances in operational oceanography will play a crucial role in addressing many environmental challenges and in the development of ocean-related economic activities. In this context, remarkable improvements have been achieved with the current Mercator Ocean system. 3-D water masses, sea level, sea ice and currents have been improved, and thus major oceanic variables are hard to distinguish from the data.
Giovanni Coppini, Palmalisa Marra, Rita Lecci, Nadia Pinardi, Sergio Cretì, Mario Scalas, Luca Tedesco, Alessandro D'Anca, Leopoldo Fazioli, Antonio Olita, Giuseppe Turrisi, Cosimo Palazzo, Giovanni Aloisio, Sandro Fiore, Antonio Bonaduce, Yogesh Vittal Kumkar, Stefania Angela Ciliberti, Ivan Federico, Gianandrea Mannarini, Paola Agostini, Roberto Bonarelli, Sara Martinelli, Giorgia Verri, Letizia Lusito, Davide Rollo, Arturo Cavallo, Antonio Tumolo, Tony Monacizzo, Marco Spagnulo, Rorberto Sorgente, Andrea Cucco, Giovanni Quattrocchi, Marina Tonani, Massimiliano Drudi, Paola Nassisi, Laura Conte, Laura Panzera, Antonio Navarra, and Giancarlo Negro
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 17, 533–547, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-17-533-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-17-533-2017, 2017
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SeaConditions aims to support the users by providing the environmental information in due time and with adequate accuracy in the marine and coastal environments, enforcing users' sea situational awareness. SeaConditions consists of a web and mobile application for the provision of meteorological and oceanographic observation and forecasting products. The iOS/Android apps were downloaded by more than 105 000 users and more than 100 000 users have visited the web version (www.sea-conditions.com).
Nadia Pinardi, Vladyslav Lyubartsev, Nicola Cardellicchio, Claudio Caporale, Stefania Ciliberti, Giovanni Coppini, Francesca De Pascalis, Lorenzo Dialti, Ivan Federico, Marco Filippone, Alessandro Grandi, Matteo Guideri, Rita Lecci, Lamberto Lamberti, Giuliano Lorenzetti, Paolo Lusiani, Cosimo Damiano Macripo, Francesco Maicu, Michele Mossa, Diego Tartarini, Francesco Trotta, Georg Umgiesser, and Luca Zaggia
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 16, 2623–2639, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-16-2623-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-16-2623-2016, 2016
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A multiscale sampling experiment was carried out in the Gulf of Taranto (eastern Mediterranean) providing the first synoptic evidence of the large-scale circulation structure and associated mesoscale variability. The circulation is shown to be dominated by an anticyclonic gyre and upwelling areas at the gyre periphery.
Cited articles
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Ciliberti, S. A., Alvarez Fanjul, E., Pearlman, J., Wilmer-Becker, K., Bahurel, P., Ardhuin, F., Arnaud, A., Bell, M., Berthou, S., Bertino, L., Capet, A., Chassignet, E., Ciavatta, S., Cirano, M., Clementi, E., Cossarini, G., Coro, G., Corney, S., Davidson, F., Drevillon, M., Drillet, Y., Dussurget, R., El Serafy, G., Fennel, K., Garcia Sotillo, M., Heimbach, P., Hernandez, F., Hogan, P., Hoteit, I., Joseph, S., Josey, S., Le Traon, P.-Y., Libralato, S., Mancini, M., Matte, P., Melet, A., Miyazawa, Y., Moore, A. M., Novellino, A., Porter, A., Regan, H., Romero, L., Schiller, A., Siddorn, J., Staneva, J., Thomas-Courcoux, C., Tonani, M., Garcia-Valdecasas, J. M., Veitch, J., von Schuckmann, K., Wan, L., Wilkin, J., and Zufic, R.: Evaluation of operational ocean forecasting systems from the perspective of the users and the experts, in: 7th edition of the Copernicus Ocean State Report (OSR7), edited by: von Schuckmann, K., Moreira, L., Le Traon, P.-Y., Grégoire, M., Marcos, M., Staneva, J., Brasseur, P., Garric, G., Lionello, P., Karstensen, J., and Neukermans, G., Copernicus Publications, State Planet, 1-osr7, 2, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-1-osr7-2-2023, 2023.
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Short summary
Operating the ocean value chain requires the implementation of steps that must work systematically and automatically to generate ocean predictions and deliver this information. The paper illustrates the main challenges foreseen by operational chains in integrating complex numerical frameworks from the global to coastal scale and discusses existing tools that facilitate orchestration, including examples of existing systems and their capacity to provide high-quality and timely ocean forecasts.
Operating the ocean value chain requires the implementation of steps that must work...
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