OceanUQ Summer School Lecture: A Brief Introduction to Data Assimilation

Data assimilation is a powerful technique that merges available information with numerical models while accounting for uncertainties. It plays a crucial role in various applications, including weather forecasting, ocean state reconstruction, and sunspot cycle prediction. This lecture is designed for researchers who are new to data assimilation. Familiarize yourself with key terminology and notation. Explore one-dimensional examples to grasp basic principles and discover how to tackle more complex applications by expanding knowledge to mult-dimensional frameworks. Explore advanced techniques such as sequential methods and variational (smoother) methods.