Data assimilation is considered a key component of numerical ocean model development and new data acquisition strategies. The basic concept of data assimilation is to combine real observations via estimation theory with dynamic models. Related methodologies exist in meteorology, geophysics and engineering. Of growing importance in physical oceanography, data assimilation can also be exploited in biological and chemical oceanography. Such techniques are now recognized as essential to understand the role of the ocean in a global change perspective. The book focuses on data processing algorithms for assimilation, current methods for the assimilation of biogeochemical data, strategy of model development, and the design of observational data for assimilation. 30 Illustrations, black and white; VII, 253 p. 30 illus.