Articles | Volume 5-opsr
https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-5-opsr-8-2025
© 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-8-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Merging and serving ocean observations: a description of marine data aggregators
Antonio Novellino
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
ETT SpA, Genoa, Italy
Pierre-Yves Le Traon
Mercator Ocean International, Toulouse, France
Andy Moore
Physical & Biological Sciences Division, Ocean Sciences Department Institute of Marine Sciences, Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California, USA
Related authors
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
Short summary
Short summary
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.
Gianpiero Cossarini, Andrew Moore, Stefano Ciavatta, and Katja Fennel
State Planet, 5-opsr, 12, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-5-opsr-12-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-5-opsr-12-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Marine biogeochemistry refers to the cycling of chemical elements resulting from physical transport, chemical reaction, uptake, and processing by living organisms. Biogeochemical models can have a wide range of complexity, from a single nutrient to fully explicit representations of multiple nutrients, trophic levels, and functional groups. Uncertainty sources are the lack of knowledge about the parameterizations, the initial and boundary conditions, and the lack of observations.
Matthew J. Martin, Ibrahim Hoteit, Laurent Bertino, and Andrew M. Moore
State Planet, 5-opsr, 9, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-5-opsr-9-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-5-opsr-9-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Observations of the ocean from satellites and platforms in the ocean are combined with information from computer models to produce predictions of how the ocean temperature, salinity, and currents will evolve over the coming days and weeks and to describe how the ocean has evolved in the past. This paper summarises the methods used to produce these ocean forecasts at various centres around the world and outlines the practical considerations for implementing such forecasting systems.
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
Short summary
Short summary
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.
Ségolène Berthou, John Siddorn, Vivian Fraser-Leonhardt, Pierre-Yves Le Traon, and Ibrahim Hoteit
State Planet, 5-opsr, 20, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-5-opsr-20-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-5-opsr-20-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Ocean forecasting is traditionally done independently from atmospheric, wave, or river modelling. We discuss the benefits and challenges of bringing all these modelling systems together for ocean forecasting.
Pierre-Yves Le Traon, Antonio Novellino, and Andrew M. Moore
State Planet, 5-opsr, 7, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-5-opsr-7-2025, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-5-opsr-7-2025, 2025
Short summary
Short summary
Ocean prediction relies on the integration between models and satellite and in situ observations through data assimilation techniques. The authors discuss the role of observations in operational ocean forecasting systems, describing the state of the art of satellite and in situ observing networks and defining the paths for addressing multi-scale monitoring and forecasting.
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
Short summary
Short summary
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.
Aliette Chenal, Gilles Garric, Charles-Emmanuel Testut, Mathieu Hamon, Giovanni Ruggiero, Florent Garnier, and Pierre-Yves Le Traon
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3633, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3633, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study proposes to improve the representation of ice and snow volumes in the Arctic and Antarctic based on a novel multivariate assimilation method using freeboard radar and snow depth satellite data. The approach leads to an improved sea ice and snow volume representation, even during summer when satellite data is limited. The performance of the assimilated system is better in the Arctic than in Antarctica, where ocean/ice interactions play a key role.
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
Short summary
Short summary
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.
Karina von Schuckmann, Lorena Moreira, and Pierre-Yves Le Traon
State Planet, 1-osr7, 1, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-1-osr7-1-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-1-osr7-1-2023, 2023
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
Mounir Benkiran, Pierre-Yves Le Traon, and Gérald Dibarboure
Ocean Sci., 18, 609–625, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-18-609-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-18-609-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The SSH analysis and 7 d forecast error will be globally reduced by almost 50 %. Surface current forecast errors should be equivalent to today’s surface current analysis errors or alternatively will be improved (variance error reduction) by 30 % at the surface and 50 % for 300 m depth.
The resolution capabilities will be drastically improved and will be closer to 100 km wavelength as opposed to today where they are above 250 km (on average).
Oriol Tintó Prims, Mario C. Acosta, Andrew M. Moore, Miguel Castrillo, Kim Serradell, Ana Cortés, and Francisco J. Doblas-Reyes
Geosci. Model Dev., 12, 3135–3148, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-12-3135-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-12-3135-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Mixed-precision approaches can provide substantial speed-ups for both computing- and memory-bound codes, requiring little effort. A novel method to enable modern and legacy codes to benefit from a reduction of precision without sacrificing accuracy is presented. Using a precision emulator and a divide-and-conquer algorithm it identifies the parts that cannot handle reduced precision and the ones that can. The method has been proved using two ocean models, NEMO and ROMS, with promising results.
Antonio Bonaduce, Mounir Benkiran, Elisabeth Remy, Pierre Yves Le Traon, and Gilles Garric
Ocean Sci., 14, 1405–1421, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-14-1405-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-14-1405-2018, 2018
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
Short summary
Short summary
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.
Simon Verrier, Pierre-Yves Le Traon, and Elisabeth Remy
Ocean Sci., 13, 1077–1092, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-13-1077-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-13-1077-2017, 2017
William J. Crawford, Polly J. Smith, Ralph F. Milliff, Jerome Fiechter, Christopher K. Wikle, Christopher A. Edwards, and Andrew M. Moore
Adv. Stat. Clim. Meteorol. Oceanogr., 2, 171–192, https://doi.org/10.5194/ascmo-2-171-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/ascmo-2-171-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
We present a method for estimating intrinsic model error in a model of the California Current System. The estimated model error covariance matrix is used in the weak constraint formulation of the Regional Ocean Modeling System, four-dimensional variational data assimilation system, and comparison of the circulation estimates computed in this way show demonstrable improvement to those computed in the strong constraint formulation, where intrinsic model error is not taken into account.
V. Turpin, E. Remy, and P. Y. Le Traon
Ocean Sci., 12, 257–274, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-12-257-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-12-257-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
Argo profiling floats are continuously sampling the world ocean, providing temperature and salinity profiles of up to 2000 m depths. This article addresses the impact of the current Argo array on real-time ocean analyses and forecasts. One-year observing system experiments were carried out with the 0.25° global Mercator Ocean monitoring and forecasting system. The improvement due to the assimilation of the Argo profiles is estimated globally and regionally, showing a significant positive impact.
F. Ninove, P.-Y. Le Traon, E. Remy, and S. Guinehut
Ocean Sci., 12, 1–7, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-12-1-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-12-1-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
Argo floats are one of the main components of the in situ observation network in the ocean. Nowadays, more than 3500 profiling floats are sampling the world ocean. In this study, they are used to characterize spatial scales of temperature and salinity variations from the surface down to 1500m. The scales appear to be anisotropic and vary from about 100km at high latitudes to 700km in the Indian and Pacific equatorial and tropical regions.
K. von Schuckmann, J.-B. Sallée, D. Chambers, P.-Y. Le Traon, C. Cabanes, F. Gaillard, S. Speich, and M. Hamon
Ocean Sci., 10, 547–557, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-10-547-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-10-547-2014, 2014
P. Y. Le Traon
Ocean Sci., 9, 901–915, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-9-901-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/os-9-901-2013, 2013
Cited articles
Belbéoch, M., Jiang, L., Kramp, M., Krieger, M., Lizé, A., Rusciano, E., and Turpin, V.: International coordination of the in situ met-ocean observing networks, 9th EuroGOOS International conference, Shom, Ifremer, EuroGOOS AISBL, 3–5 May 2021, Brest, France, https://hal.science/hal-03328358v1/file/EuroGOOS2021_extended_abstract_Belbeoch.pdf (last access: 27 July 2024), 2022.
Corredor, J. E.: Coastal Ocean Observing – Platforms, Sensors and Systems, Springer Cham, XIV, 159, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-78352-9, 2018.
Martín Míguez, B., Novellino, A., Vinci, M., Claus, S., Calewaert, J. B., Vallius, H., Schmitt, T., Pititto, A., Giorgetti, A., Askew, N., Iona, S., Schaap, D., Pinardi, N., Harpham, Q., Kater, B., Populus, J., She, J., Palazov, A. V., McMeel, O., Oset, P., Lear, D., Manzella, G. M. R., Gorringe, P., Simoncelli, S., Larkin, K., Holdsworth, N., Arvanitidis, C. D., Molina, J. M. E., Chaves Montero, M., Herman, P. M. J., and Hernandez, F.: The European Marine Observation and Data Network (EMODnet): Visions and Roles of the Gateway to Marine Data in Europe, Front. Mar. Sci., 6, 313, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2019.00313, 2019.
Moltmann, T., Turton, J., Zhang, H.-M., Nolan, G., Gouldman, C., Griesbauer, L., Willis, Z., Piniella, Á. M., Barrell, S., Andersson, E., Gallage, C., Charpentier, E., Belbeoch, M., Poli, P., Rea, A., Burger, E. F., Legler, D. M., Lumpkin, R., Meinig, C., O'Brien, K., Saha, K., Sutton, A., Zhang, D., and Zhang, Y.: A Global Ocean Observing System (GOOS), Delivered Through Enhanced Collaboration Across Regions, Communities, and New Technologies, Front. Mar. Sci., 6, 291, https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2019.00291, 2019.
Novellino, A., Arnaud, A., Schiller, A., and Wan, L.: End User Applications for Ocean Forecasting: present status description, in: Ocean prediction: present status and state of the art (OPSR), edited by: Álvarez Fanjul, E., Ciliberti, S. A., Pearlman, J., Wilmer-Becker, K., and Behera, S., Copernicus Publications, State Planet, 5-opsr, 25, https://doi.org/10.5194/sp-5-opsr-25-2025, 2025.
O'Brien, K., Heslop, E., and Belbeoch, M.: Observations Coordination Group (OCG) Data Implementation Strategy (2024), GOOS Report No. 296, https://goosocean.org/document/33970 (last access: 19 March 2025), 2024.
Schaap, D. M. A. and Lowry, R. K.: SeaDataNet – Pan-European infrastructure for marine and ocean data management: unified access to distributed data sets, Int. J. Digit. Earth, 3, 50–69, https://doi.org/10.1080/17538941003660974, 2010.
Schaap, D. M. A., Novellino, A., Fichaut, M., and Manzella, G. M. R.: Chapter Three – Data management infrastructures and their practices in Europe, in: Ocean Science Data, Elsevier, 131–193, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-823427-3.00007-4, 2022.
Shepherd, I.: European efforts to make marine data more accessible, Ethics in Science and Environmental Politics, 18, 75–81, https://doi.org/10.3354/esep00181, 2018.
Simoncelli, S., Manzella, G. M. R., Storto, A., Pisano, A., Lipizer, M., Barth, A., Myroshnychenko, V., Boyer, T., Troupin, C., Coatanoan, C., Pititto, A., Schlitzer, R., Schaap, D. M. A., and Diggs, S.: Chapter Four – A collaborative framework among data producers, managers, and users, in: Ocean Science Data, Elsevier, 197–280, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-823427-3.00001-3, 2022.
Wilkinson, M., Dumontier, M., Aalbersberg, I., Appleton, G., Axton, M., Baak, A., Blomberg, N., Boiten, J., Bonino da Silva Santos, L., Bourne, P., Bouwman, J., Brookes, A., Clark, T., Crosas, M., Dillo, I., Dumon, O., Edmunds, S., Evelo, C., Finkers, R., Gonzalez-Beltran, A., Gray, A., Groth, P., Goble, C., Grethe, J., Heringa, J., 't Hoen, P., Hooft, R., Kuhn, T., Kok, R., Kok, J., Lusher, S., Martone, M., Mons, A., Packer, A., Persson, B., Rocca-Serra, P., Roos, M., van Schaik, R., Sansone, S., Schultes, E., Sengstag, T., Slater, T., Strawn, G., Swertz, M., Thompson, M., van der Lei, J., van Mulligen, E., Velterop, J., Waagmeester, A., Wittenburg, P., Wolstencroft, K., Zhao, J., and Mons, B.: The FAIR Guiding Principles for scientific data management and stewardship, Sci. Data 3, 160018, https://doi.org/10.1038/sdata.2016.18, 2016.
Short summary
This paper discusses the vital role of observations in ocean predictions and forecasting, highlighting the need for effective access, management, and integration of data to improve models and decision-making. The paper also explores opportunities for standardizing protocols and the potential of citizen-based, cost-effective data collection methods.
This paper discusses the vital role of observations in ocean predictions and forecasting,...
Altmetrics
Final-revised paper
Preprint