Why Trust ECCO?
Eliminates Unrealistic "Jumps" in Data
ECCO state estimates share similarities with conventional ocean reanalyses but differ in key respects. Both reconstruct the evolution of the ocean over time by combining models and observations. The resulting estimates are better and more complete than either alone. However, conventional ocean reanalyses contain discontinuities or "jumps" (i.e., analysis increments), shifts of the model state towards observations through time. In contrast, ECCO state estimates are both kinematically consistent and dynamically consistent. Thus, ECCO's model circulation reproduces observations and strictly obeys physical laws.
Can Be Run Forward & Backwards
Applying adjustments such as "jumps" in data violate physical principles, thus making it impossible to trace back the physical origins of ocean changes. ECCO estimates, on the other hand, are constructed by identifying a set of ocean model initial conditions, model parameters, and atmospheric boundary conditions to make free-running simulations that reproduce observed ocean variability.
Because ECCO state estimates perfectly satisfy the laws of physics and thermodynamics, they can be used to propagate information contained in the data "forward in time" or "backward in time" to when and where the observations were made. This unique capability allows scientists to identify underlying physical causes and mechanisms of regional sea level rise, strategically plan optimal locations for ocean sensors deployment, and much more!
Is Constrained by Billions of Data Points
ECCO reconstructs global ocean and sea-ice variability since 1992. How? By combining billions of satellite and in-water measurements – for example, vertical temperature/salinity profiles from the Argo global array – with a cutting-edge ocean and sea-ice general circulation model. ECCO state estimates are "digital replicas" of our Earth system because they replicate its state and evolution over time as constrained by available observations and the laws of physics.
Fills in the Gaps of Sparse Ocean Database
Satellite observations, although global in coverage, are sparse in both time and space relative to the ocean's inherent scales of variability. In situ data, such as Argo, help to fill in satellite blind spots below the sea surface. Nevertheless, a vast majority of our ocean's volume remains unmeasured. That's why ECCO combines a diverse set of observations and physical models for a more complete representation of our changing ocean.
Provides a "Climate Change Assessment" Toolkit
The ocean is our planet's largest "carbon sink" – a vital buffer against the impacts of climate change. ECCO researchers are on a quest to build the world's best ocean carbon computer model by combining observations with realistic computer models that predict the ocean's uptake, storage, and transport of carbon. ECCO has been paired with the Darwin Project's ecosystem model, which includes key species of phytoplankton and factors that affect their population: nutrients, temperature, light, and predatory zooplankton. ECCO-Darwin also includes components that affect the ocean's carbon chemistry such as oxygen and alkalinity.
Helps Understand Impacts on Ocean Ecosystems
Moving up the food web from phytoplankton, ECCO is being used to understand how ocean change impacts marine organisms. ECCO-derived datasets can be used to examine environmental drivers that affect the populations of diverse marine species. By capturing the ocean's physical and chemical state, it can simulate where species could thrive under various climate scenarios. Thus, ECCO is helping scientists pinpoint locations with favorable conditions for species' survival in the face of climate change.
Reveals Coastal Transformation in Our Warming Climate
One of the biggest uncertainties in sea level rise prediction is quantifying interactions at the ice-sea interface. Of particular interest are coastal glaciers where ice melt is accelerated by warm seawater, known as dynamic ice loss. To help tackle this issue, ECCO's model framework can be "zoomed in" to connect and quantify coastal glacier impacts – including dynamic ice loss – at the scale of fjords.
Increased melting of another type of land-based ice, permafrost, brings another climate concern: changes in how carbon fluxes between the ocean and atmosphere. Shifts in land-to-sea fluxes of nutrients and organic matter can bring dramatic changes in carbon flux at river mouths, driving carbon dioxide (CO2) outgassing rather than CO2 uptake. In other words, ECCO has shown that a previously reliable sink can instead become a CO2 source!
Check Out These Publications! Join our Mailing List!
Heimbach, P. et al. (2022) Putting It All Together: Adding Value to the Global Ocean and Climate Observing Systems With Complete Self-Consistent Ocean State and Parameter EstimatesWunsch, C. and Heimbach, P. (2007) Practical Global Oceanic State Estimation.