Modeling CalCOFI observations during El Nino: Fitting physics and biology

Surveys of temperature, salinity, and velocity from CalCOFI, altimetric mea surements of sea level, and drifter observations of temperature and velocit y during the 1997-98 El Nino are now being fit with an eddy-resolving ocean model of the Southern California Eight region to obtain dynamically consis tent estimates of eddy variability. Skill is evaluated by the model-data mi smatch (rms error) during the fitting interval and eventually by forecastin g independent data. Preliminary results of fitting July 1997 physical field s are discussed. The physical fields are used to drive a three-dimensional NPZD-type model to be fit to subsurface chlorophyll a (chl a), nitrate, and bulk zooplankton from CalCOFI surveys, and surface chi a from SeaWiFS. Pre liminary results of testing the ecosystem model in one-dimensional and thre e-dimensional form are discussed.