New Report from Marine Board - ESF Highlights Need for Globally-Competitive European Modelling Capabilities

European challenges for hydrodynamic modelling in coastal and shelf seas is the focus of the latest report from the European Science Foundation (ESF) Marine Board, released on 6 June at the fourth annual EuroGOOS (Global Ocean Observing System) conference in Brest, France.

Produced by a Marine Board Working Group, chaired by Dr. David Prandle of the Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory in Liverpool, England, the report presents the latest findings from this Group which concentrates its analysis on operational oceanography and its implications in terms of modelling and data assimilation.

The 32-page report illustrates the development effort needed to transform research tools into services for the many users of ocean space and resources – a subject crucial to the future of coastal oceanography.

The report discusses the diverse applications of models, ranging from ‘nowcasting’ (observations at the present time, without forecasting) of waves, tides and storm surges to coupled ocean-atmosphere-sea-river scenario forecasting of the effects of global climate change on terrestrial, fluvial and marine ecology over millennia.

Modelling is at a stage where major investments are required in infrastructure and organisation (for example, access to supercomputers, software maintenance and data exchange), the report says. Europe needs to develop a strategic vision and translate this into internationally-competitive modelling capabilities to address issues of both local and global governance of the marine environment.

A few major European marine modelling centres are likely to emerge in the next five years, according to the report, collaborating closely with existing meteorological institutions, with an associated network of centres addressing local applications.

The ESF Marine Board is a non-governmental body whose institutional membership is composed of 25 major national marine scientific institutes and funding organisations in 17 European countries. The Board was formed in 1995 in order to improve co-ordination between European marine science organisations and to develop strategies for marine science in Europe. It regularly establishes Working Groups of experts on marine topics which facilitate scientists to get together, reinforce their relations, create new opportunities and establish common approaches on projects, while also heightening awareness and visibility.

The latest Working Group report is available on free download from the  Marine Board - ESF section

Contact

Niamh Connolly
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Fax: +33 (0)3 88 25 19 54

Category: Media Centre, Press Releases 2005