observations. Since the number of BT observations is insufficient for truiy 

 synoptic oceanographic analysis (except perhaps in limited areas), we are 

 forced to derive the maximum information from meteorological reports at 

 the ocean surface. The basic approach at FNWF has been to obtain the 

 first estimate of oceanic thermal structure from purely exchange consider- 

 ations and then to modify this 'guess' with BT data where available. 



The various computations involved in this method of oceanographic 

 analysis and prediction are summarized in the middle of Figure 1 under 

 the column headed Computed Quantities and Processes . The flow diagram 

 leading to and resulting from these computations serves to emphasize the 

 entire concept of sea/air exchange utilized in the FNWF oceanographic 

 scheme. 



Table 1 summarizes the principal environmental inputs to Submarine 

 Warfare programs; there are others, such as bottom effects, but those 

 listed here are the problem areas under attack at Monterey. Besides these 

 inputs there are other oceanographic programs produced and under develop- 

 ment at FNWF for support of surface and amphibious operations . 



EXAMPLES OF FNWF OCEANOGRAPHIC ANALYSES AND FORECASTS 



Figure 2 shows an example of hemispheric sea surface temperature 

 analysis, and Figures 3 and 4 present the large- and small-scale pattern 

 separations respectively. These pattern separations indicate the anomalies 

 (in meteorological sense) and in addition the small-scale pattern can be 

 used to determine the positions of oceanic fronts (see Fig 15B). The 

 methods and procedures of these analyses have been described in other 

 FNWF publications (Wolff, 1964; Wolff, Carstensen and Laevastu, 1965; 

 Wolff, Laevastu and Hubert, 1964; and Holl, 1963), 



An example of an FNWF wind wave analysis is given in Figure 5. 

 The following wave parameters are analyzed and/or forecast: wind wave 

 significant height, swell height, combined sea height and significant 

 periods. These forecasts are based on surface wind forecasts from which 

 are computed wind duration, fetch length, stability, decay distance and 

 time . 



The detailed description of the method is given by Hubert (1964 and 

 1965). The forecasts have been verified by direct wave observations and 

 reports . 



Figure 6 is an example of an ocean current chart (in nautical miles 

 per day) obtained at FNWF on a synoptic basis. As can be seen from 

 this figure, well-known features such as the Gulf Stream, Kuroshio, 

 Equatorial Counter Current, etc., are quite well defined by this procedure. 

 Since the computations are carried out in component (u, v) form, dir- 

 ectional fields are also available. 



In order to obtain a single continuous field displaying both direction 



88 



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