Global assimilation applied to modelling of European shelf seas

Objective

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE
To apply the techniques of ocean data assimilation to Earth Observation (EO) data and thereby to improve the ability to model and forecast currents and water properties in European coastal and shelf sea regions.
SECONDARY OBJECTIVES
To produce a temporally varying analysis from 1993-97 of ocean currents and water properties on a global scale using EO data, and to make these data accessible in an archive.
To apply model nesting techniques to allow European coastal and shelf sea models to utilise the archived data sets as boundary conditions and thereby to improve prediction of coastal flows.
To encourage the wider use of EO data by the shelf sea modelling community by transfering data assimilation techniques from the open ocean modelling community.
1.1 The need for EO data for coastal prediction
There is now increasing interest in off shore oil exploration along the edge of the European Continental Shelf, and in the interaction between shelf edge flows and the circulation of limited sea regions such as the Irish Sea or the Baltic, for purposes such as water quality and fisheries and fish-farm management. Therefore there is a need for models which extend beyond the shelf edge and span both a part of the open ocean, the shelf edge and the shallow sea regions, which can be used to predict ocean currents and temperatures.
Boundary conditions constrain limited area models of this type because climatological conditions of T, S and currents which may be very different to the real flows, are normally used. These boundary conditions will influence all parts of the shelf domain within a short period of time.
Satellite data assimilated into larger domain open ocean models is probably the only way to provide better boundary conditions which will permit better and longer prediction of coastal and shelf flows.
The objective of this proposal is to apply this approach using the best available open ocean models, along with shelf sea models which are being tested for pre-operational use in several countries across the EU.

Fields of science

• agricultural sciences › agriculture, forestry, and fisheries › fisheries
• natural sciences › earth and related environmental sciences › hydrology
• engineering and technology › mechanical engineering › vehicle engineering › aerospace engineering › satellite technology

Programme(s)

• FP4-ENV 2C - Specific programme of research and technological development in the field of environment and climate, 1994-1998

Topic(s)

• 0303 - Centre for earth observation

Call for proposal

Data not available

Funding Scheme

CSC - Cost-sharing contracts

Coordinator

University of Edinburgh

Address

Mayfield Road
EH9 3JZ Edinburgh
United Kingdom

Participants (10)

COLLECTE LOCALISATION SATELLITES SA

France

Address

8-10,rue Hermes 8-10, Parc Technologique De Canal
31526 Ramonville St.agne

CONSORZIO INTERUNIVERSITARIO PER LA GESTIONE DEL CENTRO DI CALCOLO ELETTRONICO DELL'ITALIA NORD ORIENTALE

Italy

Address

Via Magnanelli 6/3
Cantagallo

Links

Dansk Hydraulisk Institut

Denmark

Address

5,agern Allé 5
2970 Hørsholm

NANSEN ENVIRONMENTAL AND REMOTE SENSING CENTER

Norway

Address

3a,edvard Griegsvej 3a
5059 Bergen

NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL OF ITALY

Italy

Address

Via P. Gobetti 101
40129 Bologna

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH COUNCIL

United Kingdom

Address

Bidston Observatory
L43 7RA Birkenhead

NATURAL ENVIRONMENT RESEARCH COUNCIL

United Kingdom

Address

Empress Dock, European Way
SO14 3ZH Southampton

UNIVERSITE PAUL SABATIER DE TOULOUSE III

France

Address

18,avenue Edouard Belin 14,
31400 Toulouse

UNIVERSITY OF EAST ANGLIA

United Kingdom

Address

University Plain
Norwich

Links

Universidad de Alcalá de Henares

Spain

Address

Km 33,6,carretera De Barcelona Km 33,6
28801 Camp Madrid