Ensemble Data Assimilation Using a Unified Representation of Model Error

A natural way to set up an ensemble forecasting system is to use a model with additional stochastic forcing representing the model error and to derive the initial uncertainty by using an ensemble of analyses generated with this model. Current operational practice has tended to separate the problems of generating initial uncertainty and forecast uncertainty. Thus, in ensemble forecasts, it is normal to use physically based stochastic forcing terms to represent model errors, while in generating analysis uncertainties, artificial inflation methods are used to ensure that the analysis spread is sufficient given the observations. In this paper a more unified approach is tested that uses the same stochastic forcing in the analyses and forecasts and estimates the model error forcing from data assimilation diagnostics. This is shown to be successful if there are sufficient observations. Ensembles used in data assimilation have to be reliable in a broader sense than the usual forecast verification methods; in particular, they need to have the correct covariance structure, which is demonstrated.