Structure-preserving stochastic parameterization of a barotropic coupled ocean-atmosphere model with Ornstein--Uhlenbeck noise

Abstract: We present the first application of the stochastic advection by Lie transport (SALT) framework to an idealized coupled ocean-atmosphere system. SALT derives stochastic fluid equations from Hamilton's variational principle under a stochastic Lagrangian kinematic assumption, thereby preserving the geometric structure -- Kelvin circulation theorem, Lie-derivative advection operators, and local conservation laws -- of the underlying deterministic equations. The atmospheric component is rendered stochastic while the ocean remains deterministic, following Hasselmann's paradigm of a fast stochastic atmosphere driving a slow climate. The spatial correlation vectors encoding unresolved subgrid transport are estimated from high-resolution simulations via EOF analysis of Lagrangian trajectory differences. A central contribution is the replacement of the standard white-noise temporal model with Ornstein--Uhlenbeck (OU) processes, motivated by strong autocorrelation (decorrelation times of 50--150 time steps) in the dominant EOF modes; the OU process is the unique stationary Gaussian Markov process capable of capturing this temporal memory with a single parameter. Ensemble forecasts exhibit good spread--error agreement over 10--15 time units. Evaluated via the Continuous Ranked Probability Score -- a strictly proper scoring rule measuring discrepancy between the forecast measure and the true conditional distribution -- the stochastic ensemble consistently outperforms a size-matched deterministic ensemble, despite carrying higher RMSE. Well-posedness of the coupled stochastic system is identified as an important open problem.