In this thesis, we conduct research toward understanding coupled physics-biology processes in ocean straits. Our focus is on new analytical studies and higher-order simulations of idealized dynamics that are relevant to generic biological processes. The details of coupled physics-biology models are reviewed and an in-depth global equilibrium and local stability analysis of a Nutrient-Phytoplankton-Zooplankton (NPZ) model is performed. This analysis includes parameter studies and methods to evaluate parameter sensitivity, especially in the case where some system parameters are unknown. As an initial step toward investigating the interaction between physics and biology in ocean straits, we develop and verify a new coupled physics-biology model for two-dimensional idealized physical processes including tides and apply it to the San Bernardino Strait in the Philippine Archipelago. This two-dimensional numerical model is created on a structured grid using operator splitting and masking. This model is able to accurately represent biology for various physical flows, including advection-dominated flows over discontinuities, by using the Weighted Essentially Non-Oscillatory (WENO) scheme. The numerical model is verified against a Discontinuous-Galerkin (DG) numerical scheme on an unstructured grid. Several simulations of tidal flow are completed using bathymetry and flow magnitudes com- parable to those found in the San Bernardino Strait with different sets of parameters, tidal periods, and levels of diffusion. Results are discussed and compared to those of a three-dimensional modeling system. New results include: new methods for analyzing stability, the robust two-dimensional model designed to best represent advection-dominant flows with minimal numerical diffusion and computational time, and a novel technique to initialize three-dimensional biology fields using satellite data. Additionally, application of the two-dimensional model with tidal forcing to the San Bernardino Strait reveals that flow frequencies have strong influence on biology, as very fast oscillations act to stabilize biology in the water column, while slower frequencies provide sufficient transport for increased biological activity.

In this work, we explore the different methods for parameter estimation in straightforward diffusion problems and develop ideas and distributed computational schemes for the automated evaluation of physical and numerical parameters of ocean models. This is one step of “adaptive modeling”. Adaptive modeling consists of the automated adjustment of self-evaluating models in order to best represent an observed system. In the case of dynamic parameterizations, self-modifying schemes are used to learn the correct model for a particular regime as the physics change and evolve in time.

The parameter estimation methods are tested and evaluated on one-dimensional tracer diffusion problems. Existing state estimation methods and new filters, such as the unscented transform Kalman filter, are utilized in carrying out parameter estimation. These include the popular Extended Kalman Filter (EKF), the Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) and other ensemble methods such as Error Subspace Statistical Estimation (ESSE) and Ensemble Adjustment Kalman Filter (EAKF), and the Unscented Kalman Filter (UKF). Among the aforementioned recursive state estimation methods, the so-called “adjoint method” is also applied to this simple study.

Finally, real data is examined for the applicability of such schemes in real-time fore- casting using the MIT Multidisciplinary Simulation, Estimation, and Assimilation System (MSEAS). The MSEAS model currently contains the free surface hydrostatic primitive equation model from the Harvard Ocean Prediction System (HOPS), a barotropic tidal prediction scheme, and an objective analysis scheme, among other models and developing routines. The experiment chosen for this study is one which involved the Monterey Bay region off the coast of California in 2006 (MB06). Accurate vertical mixing parameterizations are essential in this well known upwelling region of the Pacific. In this realistic case, parallel computing will be utilized by scripting code runs in C-shell. The performance of the simulations with different parameters is evaluated quantitatively using Pattern Correlation Coefficient, Root Mean Squared error, and bias error. Comparisons quantitatively determined the most adequate model setup.

MSEAS research on the development of methodologies to determine and optimize path planning for automated underwater vehicles (AUVs) was highlighted on the front page of the MIT web site on Thursday 8 March 2012. The system can provide paths optimized either for the shortest travel time or for the minimum use of energy, or to maximize the collection of data that is considered most important. The development team included mechanical engineering graduate students Tapovan Lolla and Mattheus Ueckermann SM ’09, Konuralp Yigit SM ’11, and research scientists Patrick Haley and Wayne Leslie. The work was funded by the Office of Naval Research and by the MIT Sea Grant College Program. The full article can be found here.