Physical and Biophysical Modeling
The EcoFOCI Program supports a large effort to apply the Regional Ocean Model System (ROMS) to identify and quantify the major physical and biological processes influencing Gulf of Alaska, Bering Sea, Aleutian, and Arctic (Chukchi) ecosystem productivity. One avenue to research uses biophysical-coupled models to quantify the variability in timing, strength, and direction of along-shelf and cross-shelf currents, as well as to demonstrate their seasonal and interannual variability, and relate patterns in physical forcing to connectivity of gadids (arctic cod, saffron cod, walleye pollock) and flatfishes (Pacific halibut, Greenland halibut, northern rock sole, Bering flounder, yellowfin sole) spawning to nursery areas. In addition, this work is identifying seasonality in frontal structuring (Inner Front, Pribilof domain) that influences fish habitat use and, ultimately, year class strength. The EcoFOCI Program has a long history of using coupled biophysical models to understand single and multi-species recruitment dynamics, and inform management of future trends in fisheries yield.
We also have an active program using mathematical modeling approaches to synthesize ecosystem data (physical, biological) to better understand factors that strongly influence regional recruitment variability and ecosystem productivity.
EcoFOCI Modelers
- Albert Hermann, NOAA/PMEL, JISAO
- Wei Cheng, NOAA/PMEL, JISAO
- Muyin Wang, NOAA/PMEL, JISAO
- Sarah Hinkley, NOAA/AFSC/RACE (retired)
- Elizabeth Dobbins, UAF, SFOS (formerly UW/JISAO)
Modeling
- Bering Sea regional model output hosted on the AOOS model explorer
- Gulf of Alaska 3km resolution model animation
- Nested NE Pacific ROMS Model Results '97-'04 (swf), 2008 PMEL Lab Review - Hermann
- Images from animation
- ROMS-based Bering Sea Ice Hindcast Model with animations 1960-69
- Seasonal evolution of nutrients in the Coastal Gulf of Alaska, US GLOBEC Site - Hermann, et al.
Walleye Pollock (Hermann, et al)
- Gulf of Alaska multi-decadal simulations of circulation and walleye pollock
- Hindcasting early life history of walleye pollock in Shelikof Strait. Animations and VRML