An application framework for the rapid deployment of ocean models in support of emergency services: Application to the MH370 search

Abstract

Ocean models are beneficial to many different applications, including industry, public-good, and defence. Many applications use high-resolution models to produce detailed maps of the ocean circulation. High-resolution models are historically time-consuming to configure – often taking weeks to months to properly prepare. A system for automatically configuring and executing a model to predict the past, present, or future state of the ocean – named TRIKE – has been developed. TRIKE includes a sophisticated user interface allowing a user to easily set a model in minutes, control data management and execute the model run on a supercomputer almost instantly. TRIKE makes it feasible to configure and execute high-resolution regional models anywhere in the world at a moments notice. TRIKE was used to support the recent search for MH370 that is thought to have crashed somewhere in the South Indian Ocean.