01-05 December 2025
INCOIS, Hyderabad, India.
| Abstract Submission No. | ABS-04-0166 |
| Title of Abstract | Towards an integrated MOM6 framework for seamless Regional & Global Forecasting at INCOIS |
| Authors | Prerna Singh*, Dhage Laxmikant, Abhisek Chatterjee, Alan Wallcraft, Soumya Mukhopadhyay, Remya R, A G Nidheesh, P A Francis, Alexandra Bozec, Eric Chassignet |
| Organisation | Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services |
| Address | INCOIS Hyderabad, Telangana, India Pincode: 500090 E-mail: prerna.s@incois.gov.in |
| Country | India |
| Presentation | Oral |
| Abstract | Accurate operational ocean forecasting demands dynamically consistent simulations across scales to capture basin-scale circulation, mesoscale variability, and coastal processes. In the northern Indian Ocean (NIO), where monsoon-driven currents interact with energetic eddies and narrow boundary flows, high-resolution modeling is critical. We present a new integrated Modular Ocean Model version 6 (MOM6) framework developed at the Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) to provide seamless global-to-regional prediction capabilities for the Indian Ocean. The system couples a global 1/12° tripolar MOM6 configuration with a nested 1/36° (~3 km) high-resolution regional NIO model spanning 32°E⿿108°E and 8°S⿿30°N, with open boundaries to the south and east. The MOM6 core employs the Arbitrary-Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE) method for hybrid vertical coordinates, enabling improved representation of fine-scale processes and non-linear regions such as the western Arabian Sea. Validation against satellite observations, in situ measurements, and reanalyses demonstrates that both the global and regional configurations realistically represent seasonal SST, salinity, SLA, and major current systems, including the Somali Current, East India Coastal Current, and Equatorial Jets. Across the tropical basin, mean SST bias is less than 0.5 °C, with correlation coefficients exceeding 0.85 for SST and SLA. The high-resolution (1/36°) regional configuration significantly enhances the simulation of coastal currents along the east and west coasts of India, particularly at sub-inertial and intraseasonal timescales, and improves the depiction of intraseasonal eddy variability in the western Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal. Enhanced open-boundary formulations reduce systematic biases along the southwestern boundary, improving dynamical coherence across the basin. This framework establishes the basis for a next-generation operational ocean prediction system for the Indian Ocean, supporting applications from short-term forecasts to climate-scale projections. |
| Are you part of IIOE-2 endorsed project | no |
| Keywords | MOM6, High-resolution ocean circulation modeling, mesoscale dynamics |
| For Awards | no |