Gulf Consortium for Offshore Risk Reduction Engaging Stakeholders (GulfCORES)

The project, “Gulf Consortium for Offshore Risk Reduction Engaging Stakeholders” or GulfCORES, led by Steve DiMarco (Texas A&M University), is designed to improve forecasts using multiple federal and industry operational modeling centers, utilizing data assimilation (DA) of available real-time data and project-funded observations of HFR covering three key regions (Yucatan Straits inflow, the northern eddy-shedding region, and Florida Straits outflow), LC pressure point mooring, and adaptive sampling with gliders and APEX-EM floats. Critical to GulfCORES’ approach is collecting and assimilating near real-time vertical profiles (from gliders and floats) of co-located temperature, salinity, and direct current velocity observations down to 2000m. Glider missions will include both Mexican and US waters. The project will also secure proprietary drifter data and results from its industry-accepted frontal analysis. In addition, the review, quality control, and curation of data collected by drillships and rigs (BSEE/NTL) and current profiles collected along LC/LCE tracks will be performed. GulfCORES will have direct access to historical data resources and web services through GulfHub and GCOOS (and through GRIIDC GRP funding) for model validation and assessment.