Comparing ocean model output with measurements. What is a reasonably well fit?
Dag Slagstad

Ocean simulation models is supposed to mimic the system they are supposed to represent. On the physical side the hydrodynamic equations are well known. The challenge here is to parameterize the processes that is not resolved in the model grid and defining the driving forces at the boundaries. For the biological system the equations are not known, although some relationships are well established. We select a few players (species) based on or ecological knowledge, purpose of the model and computational capacity to represent the dynamics of our system. Output from an established model need always to be compared with the data from the system that is represented. But what is a good agreement? And what can be learned from disagreement between the model and measurements? This will to a large degree depend on purpose of the model and will be discussed in the presentation.