Articles | Volume 22, issue 3
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-22-2083-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/os-22-2083-2026
© Author(s) 2026. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
A Digital Twin Ocean: can we improve coastal ocean forecasts using targeted marine autonomy?
Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Plymouth, PL1 2LP, UK
National Centre for Earth Observation, Leicester, LE4 5SP, UK
Deep Banerjee
Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Plymouth, PL1 2LP, UK
National Centre for Earth Observation, Leicester, LE4 5SP, UK
David Ford
Met Office, Exeter, EX1 3PB, UK
Ke Wang
Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200240, China
University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4PY, UK
Jozef Skákala
Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Plymouth, PL1 2LP, UK
National Centre for Earth Observation, Leicester, LE4 5SP, UK
Juliane Wihsgott
Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Plymouth, PL1 2LP, UK
Prathyush P. Menon
University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4PY, UK
Susan Kay
Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Plymouth, PL1 2LP, UK
Met Office, Exeter, EX1 3PB, UK
Daniel Clewley
Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Plymouth, PL1 2LP, UK
National Centre for Earth Observation, Leicester, LE4 5SP, UK
Andrea Rochner
Met Office, Exeter, EX1 3PB, UK
Emma Sullivan
Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Plymouth, PL1 2LP, UK
National Centre for Earth Observation, Leicester, LE4 5SP, UK
Matthew Palmer
Plymouth Marine Laboratory, Plymouth, PL1 2LP, UK
Model code and software
ERSEM (26.02) Marine Systems Modelling group https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18664914
Short summary
This study outlines the development and testing of a Digital Twin Ocean (DTO) framework, aimed at improving coastal ocean forecasts through the use of autonomous underwater gliders. A fleet of gliders were deployed in the western English Channel during August–September 2024 to collect measurements of temperature, salinity, chlorophyll and oxygen, aiming to track the movement of the harmful algal bloom Karenia mikimotoi.
This study outlines the development and testing of a Digital Twin Ocean (DTO) framework, aimed...