Accuracy Improvement of Particle Tracking Model Using 2-D Current Measurement (HF-Radar) Data

Abstract

The accuracy of the particle tracking model (PTM), which is widely used for predicting spilled oil diffusion and supporting search and rescue in the ocean, is significantly affected by current and wind, which necessitates the development of suitable accuracy improvement techniques to increase human safety and preserve the environment. To address this issue, we herein established a method of improving PTM accuracy by comparing high-frequency radar (HFR) current data with those of the coastal model. Particle tracking was simulated using a similar to 300-m-resolution current field of the Korea Operational Oceanographic System (KOOS) coastal circulation forecasting system, a similar to 3-km-resolution current field of the HFR system installed on Jeju Island, and a 4-km-resolution KOOS weather forecasting system (wind data). To compare the effects of two currents on PTM accuracy, drifters were dropped from the center of the HFR-system grid, and performance was evaluated by comparing the actual drifter moving path with that predicted by PTM. PTM accuracy was calculated by comparing the acceptable duration and accuracy (drifting object located within 1 km) with 10-day moving path data, and the application of two-dimensional current measurement data and wind data was shown to significantly increase prediction accuracy.