Observing System Simulation Experiments for the assessment of temperature sampling strategies in the Mediterranean Sea
Résumé
The data impact is quantified by the error reduction relative to the free run. The most effective sampling strategies determine 25?40% error reduction, depending on the season, the geographic area and the depth range. A qualitative relationship can be recognized in terms of the spread of information from the data positions, between basin circulation features and spatial patterns of the error reduction fields, as a function of different spatial and seasonal characteristics of the dynamics. The largest error reductions are observed when samplings are characterized by extensive spatial coverages, as in the cases of AXBTs and the combination of XBTs and surface temperatures. The sampling strategy adopted during the TOP is characterized by little impact, as a consequence of a sampling frequency that is too low.
Key words. Oceanography: general (marginal and semi-enclosed seas; numerical modelling)