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Data Assimilation System Testbed

The Data Assimilation Testbed Center (DATC) is a joint program between ESSL's MMM division and RAL's Joint Numerical Testbed (JNT). Headed by Dr. Dale Barker of MMM, the DATC is a new entity (formed August 2006).

The DATC's role is to provide an environment for the objective testing of state-of-the-art data assimilation techniques, as applied in real-work NWP applications. The scope of the DTC includes:

  1. Testing/evaluation/comparison of alternative techniques, e.g. three/four-dimensional variational data assimilation (3/4D-Var), Ensemble Kalman Filters (EnKF), and Newtonian Relaxation ("nudging").
  2. Intercomparison of data assimilation systems, e.g. MMM's "WRF-Var" 3/4D-Var system, the Joint Center for Satellite Data Assimilation's (JCSDA's) "Gridpoint Statistical Interpolation - GSI" 3D-Var system, etc.
  3. Observation System Experiments (OSEs) - Designed to study the impact of particular observation types.
  4. Contributing to NWP system pre-release testing: Extended period cycling of the assimilation and forecast components of NWP models, e.g. WRF, to assess the performance of model upgrades is essential prior to the public release of these codes.

The scope of the DATC will evolve, as new applications appear.