Controlled Lagrangian particle tracking error under biased flow prediction

In this paper we model the controlled Lagrangian particle tracking (CLPT) error for marine vehicles moving in an ocean flow field, with guidance from ocean models. We linearize the error about the nominal modeled trajectory of the system and derive an exact expression for the linearized error in the case of constant modeled ocean flow. We show that this simple error model can be used to estimate error in predicted positions of autonomous vehicles, using data from a field deployment of autonomous underwater gliders in Long Bay, SC, in winter 2012.