Initialization Approach
Goal: Provide global land surface initialization
states for the retrospective period of 1979 to
present.
A two-tiered approach.
Tier 1: Spin-up the land surface model off-line
from the GCM using the best atmospheric forcing
data available. Minimizes forcing bias!
Tier 2:Assimilate passive microwave remote
sensing observations of near-surface soil moisture
from SMMR and SSM/I. Minimizes model and
forcing bias!