The Ocean Circulation Inverse Problem

by Carl Wunsch

Overview

This book addresses the problem of inferring the state of ocean circulation, understanding it dynamically, and forecasting it through a quantitative combination of theory and observation. It focuses on so-called inverse methods and related methods of statistical inference. The author considers both time-independent and time-dependent problems, including Gauss-Markov estimation, sequential estimators and adjoint/Pontryagin principle methods. This book is intended for use as a graduate level text for students of oceanography and related fields. It will also be of interest to working physical oceanographers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521480901
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	06/13/1996
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	458
Product dimensions:	7.48(w) x 10.31(h) x 1.06(d)

Table of Contents

Preface; Notation; 1. Introduction; 2. Physics of the ocean circulation; 3. Basic machinery; 4. The steady ocean circulation inverse problem; 5. Additional useful methods; 6. The time-dependent inverse problem; References.

Editorial Reviews

"...should be a standard part of the tool kit taught to graduate students in physical oceanography, and Ocean Circulation Inverse Problem should be an excellent source for a course on inverse methods." G.Z. Forristall, Applied Mechanics Review

"Wunsch has been a pioneeer in adapting statistical methods from other scientific fields to oceanography...A tremendous amount of experience is distilled in this book, with emphasis on pitfalls in the application of inverse methods...The book has a very complete set of literature citations, making it a useful reference book as well as textbook." Kirk Bryan, Science

"Carl Wunsch has pioneered the application of formal methods of linear algebra and statistics to large bodies of oceanographic data..." American Scientist

"Wunsch has nicely met his objectives of producing an extensive discussion of finite-dimensional inverse methods applied to the ocean circulation inverse problem. Practitioners of inverse methods will find it an important contribution to their bookshelves because of the range of topics and the extensive bibliography. Researchers and graduate students in physical oceanography will find it a unique introduction to inverse methods with a healthy dose of critical scientific method." Philip Bogden, American Meteorological Society Bulletin

From the Publisher