Patent ID: 8032314

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for estimating profiled characteristics in a synthetic profile of a body of water at a depth of interest, comprising: receiving data of an observed surface temperature of the water, an observed surface height of the water, and an observed mixed layer depth of the water; receiving data of a profiled mixed layer depth of the water; receiving data of a climatological average temperature of the water at the depth of interest; comparing by the computer the profiled mixed layer depth to the observed mixed layer depth to determine a reference mixed layer depth, the reference mixed layer depth being the deeper of the profiled mixed layer depth and the observed mixed layer depth; comparing by the computer the depth of interest to the reference mixed layer depth; setting by the computer a value of a synthetic temperature of the water at the depth of interest as a function of the climatological average temperature, the observed surface temperature, and the observed surface height if the depth of interest is greater than the reference mixed layer depth; and setting by the computer the value of the synthetic temperature of the water at the depth of interest to the observed surface temperature of the water if the depth of interest is not greater than the reference mixed layer depth, wherein the water is represented as isothermal at depths equal to and above the reference mixed layer depth.