NEAR-SURFACE OCEAN THERMAL STRUCTURE (NOTS)

LEARNING OBJECTIVES Identify applications, limitations, and assumptions of the NOTS program. Interpret NOTS program outputs.

The NOTS program is used to forecast changes in the upper ocean thermal structure due to mixing by surface winds, heating and cooling by surface heat, precipitation, and evaporation. Program output consists of profiles of temperature with respect to depth at operator-specified forecast intervals; forecast profiles may be run through the SSP program and then routed to the OEF for use in various oceanographic and acoustic programs.

The NOTS program uses initial temperature profiles and observed or forecasted surface meteorological data to predict changes in the upper ocean thermal structure with respect to time. The forecast NOTS temperature profiles can be input to SSP and then used by the RAY, PPL, and Sensor Performance Prediction (SPP) programs to predict acoustic propagation conditions and to predict environmental effects on fleet ASW sensors and operations.

The restrictions as well as the principles taken for granted in using the NOTS program areas follows: . This program operates under the assumption that oceanic conditions are horizontally homogeneous. (Horizontal changes in the ocean thermal structure are not considered.) This program should not be used in the vicinity of strong currents, ocean fronts, or eddies. l Since the quality of meteorological forecasts can degrade significantly with respect to time, NOTS forecasts more than 24 hours long should be used with caution.

. The operator should use caution when specifying cloud cover and precipitation rate information for a given forecast time. The program linearly interpolates these values for model forecast times between the meteorological forecast times.

The NOTS model is used to forecast changes in the upper ocean density structure due to mixing by surface winds, heating and cooling by surface heat fluxes, and evaporation and precipitation. Input to the model consists of date, time, and position information; initial temperature and salinity profiles; turbidity information; and forecasts (or observations) of surface meteorological conditions such as wind speed, wind direction, air temperature, humidity, atmospheric pressure, cloud cover, and precipitation rate. The date, time, and position information, as well as the initial temperature salinity profiles, are retrieved for the operator-selected data set in the OEF. The surface meteorological data are entered by the operator by way of the keyboard. Optical water-type (turbidity) information for location of interest is retrieved from the permanent data base (PDB) file.

Performing an upper ocean thermal structure forecast involves three processing steps:

Output from the NOTS program consists of forecast profiles of temperature with respect to depth for operator-selected forecast times. These profiles are routed to the NOTS forecast file. Operator-selected forecast profiles are displayed, both in tabular and graphical formats. Output from this program is classified and should be labeled as required.

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