# Data-driven global ocean model resolving ocean-atmosphere coupling dynamics

arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.10908 · HTML: https://mlsanity.com/paper/2508.10908/

## Key facts

- No citing papers in the map yet (data through 14 Oct 2026).
- Builds on 16 of its 65 references that are in the map.
- First posted on arXiv 31 Jul 2025.

## Builds on (most cited first, 16 of 16)

- [U-Net: Convolutional Networks for Biomedical Image Segmentation](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1505.04597/) (2015)
- [Image-to-Image Translation with Conditional Adversarial Networks](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1611.07004/) (2016)
- [How transferable are features in deep neural networks?](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1411.1792/) (2014)
- [FourCastNet: A Global Data-driven High-resolution Weather Model using Adaptive Fourier Neural Operators](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2202.11214/) (2022)
- [Image Inpainting for Irregular Holes Using Partial Convolutions](https://mlsanity.com/paper/1804.07723/) (2018)
- [Adaptive Fourier Neural Operators: Efficient Token Mixers for Transformers](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2111.13587/) (2021)
- [FuXi: A cascade machine learning forecasting system for 15-day global weather forecast](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2306.12873/) (2023)
- [WeatherBench 2: A benchmark for the next generation of data-driven global weather models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2308.15560/) (2023)
- [Visual Attention Network](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2202.09741/) (2022)
- [FourCastNet: Accelerating Global High-Resolution Weather Forecasting using Adaptive Fourier Neural Operators](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2208.05419/) (2022)
- [FengWu: Pushing the Skillful Global Medium-range Weather Forecast beyond 10 Days Lead](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2304.02948/) (2023)
- [AI-GOMS: Large AI-Driven Global Ocean Modeling System](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2308.03152/) (2023)
- [Coupled Ocean-Atmosphere Dynamics in a Machine Learning Earth System Model](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2406.08632/) (2024)
- [Data-driven Global Ocean Modeling for Seasonal to Decadal Prediction](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2405.15412/) (2024)
- [Evaluation of Tropical Cyclone Track and Intensity Forecasts from Artificial Intelligence Weather Prediction (AIWP) Models](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2409.06735/) (2024)
- [FengWu-W2S: A deep learning model for seamless weather-to-subseasonal forecast of global atmosphere](https://mlsanity.com/paper/2411.10191/) (2024)

## Abstract (arXiv)

Artificial intelligence has advanced global weather forecasting, outperforming traditional numerical models in both accuracy and computational efficiency. Nevertheless, extending predictions beyond subseasonal timescales requires the development of deep learning (DL)-based ocean-atmosphere coupled models that can realistically simulate complex oceanic responses to atmospheric forcing. This study presents KIST-Ocean, a DL-based global three-dimensional ocean general circulation model using a U-shaped visual attention adversarial network architecture. KIST-Ocean integrates partial convolution, adversarial training, and transfer learning to address coastal complexity and predictive distribution drift in auto-regressive models. Comprehensive evaluations confirmed the model's robust ocean predictive skill and efficiency. Moreover, it accurately captures realistic ocean response, such as Kelvin and Rossby wave propagation in the tropical Pacific, and vertical motions induced by cyclonic and anticyclonic wind stress, demonstrating its ability to represent key ocean-atmosphere coupling mechanisms underlying climate phenomena, including the El Nino-Southern Oscillation. These findings reinforce confidence in DL-based global weather and climate models and their extending DL-based approaches to broader Earth system modeling, offering potential for enhancing climate prediction capabilities.
