An operational ocean forecast system incorporating NEMO and SST data assimilation for the tidally driven European North-West shelf

A new operational ocean forecast system, the Atlantic Margin Model implementation of the Forecast Ocean Assimilation Model (FOAM-AMM), has been developed for the European North West Shelf (NWS). An overview of the system is presented including shelf specific developments of the physical model, the Nucleus for European Modelling of the Ocean (NEMO), and the Sea Surface Temperature (SST) data assimilation scheme. Initial validation is presented of the tides and model SST. The SST skill of the system is significantly improved by the data assimilation scheme. Finally, an analysis of the seasonal tidal mixing fronts shows that these, in general, agree well with observation, but data assimilation does not significantly alter their positions.