Lagrangian Analysis and Prediction of Coastal and Ocean Dynamics

Written by a group of international experts in their field, this book is a review of Lagrangian observation, analysis and assimilation methods in physical and biological oceanography. This multidisciplinary text presents new results on nonlinear analysis of Lagrangian dynamics, the prediction of particle trajectories, and Lagrangian stochastic models. It includes historical information, up-to-date developments, and speculation on future developments in Lagrangian-based observations, analysis, and modeling of physical and biological systems. Containing contributions from experimentalists, theoreticians, and modelers in the fields of physical oceanography, marine biology, mathematics, and meteorology, this book will be of great interest to researchers and graduate students looking for both practical applications and information on the theory of transport and dispersion in physical systems, biological modeling, and data assimilation.

Preface; 1. Evolution of Lagrangian methods in oceanography H. Thomas Rossby; 2. Measuring surface currents with Surface Velocity Program drifters: the instrument, its data, and some recent results R. Lumpkin and M. Pazos; 3. Favourite trajectories A. S. Bower, H. Furey, S. Grodsky, J. Carton, L. R. Centurioni, P. P. Niiler, Y. Kim, D.-K. Lee, V.A. Sheremet, N. Garfield, C. A. Collins, T. A. Rago, R. Paquette, V. Kourafalou, E. Williams, T. Lee, M. Lankhorst, W. Zenk, Arthur J. Mariano, E. H. Ryan, P.-N. Poulain, H. Valdimarsson and S.-A. Malmberg; 4. Particle motion in a sea of eddies C. Pasquero, A. Bracco, A. Provenzale and J. B. Weiss; 5. Inertial particle dynamics on the rotating Earth N. Paldor; 6. Predictability of Lagrangian motion in the upper ocean L. I. Piterbarg, T. M. Ozgokmen, Annalisa Griffa and Arthur J. Mariano; 7. Lagrangian data assimilation in ocean general circulation models A. Molcard, Tamay Ozgokmen, Annalisa Griffa, L. I. Piterbarg and T. M. Chin; 8. Dynamic consistency and Lagrangian data in oceanography: mapping, assimilation and optimization schemes T. M. Chin, K. Ide, C. K. R. T. Jones, L. Kuznetsov and Arthur J. Mariano; 9. Observing turbulence regimes and Lagrangian dispersal properties in the ocean V. Rupolo; 10. Lagrangian biophysical dynamics D. B. Olson; 11. Plankton: Lagrangian inhabitants of the sea G. L. Hitchcock and R. K. Cowen; 12. A Lagrangian stochastic model for the dynamics of a stage structured population. Application to a copepod population G. Buffoni, M. G. Mazzocchi and S. Pasquali; 13. Lagrangian analysis and prediction of coastal and ocean dynamics (LAPCOD) Arthur J. Mariano and E. H. Ryan.

Annalisa Griffa is Full Research Professor at the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami, and Senior Researcher at the Consiglio Nazionale Ricerche (CNR), La Spezia, Italy.
A. D. Kirwan, Jr is Mary A. S. Lighthipe Professor of Marine Studies at the University of Delaware.
Arthur J. Mariano is Full Professor of Oceanography at the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami.
Tamay M. Özgökmen is Associate Professor at the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, University of Miami.
H. Thomas Rossby is Professor of Oceanography at the University of Rhode Island.