376 Nadia Pinardi et al.
ables have started and are now weekly available. High resolution models of the
Northem Adriatic are then nested within this forecasting system to arrive at 1.5-krn
resolution, that is, the minimum resolution required to capture hydrodynamic processes in this area. The initialization of coastal high resolution models from coarser
information is done with a tangent linear modeling approach that is capable of
dynamicalIy extrapolate information in data void regions. In the future this methodology should be integrated with more traditional data assimilation schemes to
merge the in situ and satellite data with the coarser model fields. The one dimensional ecosystem model implemented in the coastal area shows a potential predictability of few days after initialization from observations of temperature, salinity,
nutrients, dissolved and particulate organic matter concentrations and some phytoplankton groups biomass.
Major technological and scientific developments are still required before we can
advance toward operational environmental forecasting in the coastal areas even if
the major tools are ready to be assembled. The future challenges are: 1) the development of sensors which could sample in near real time several dynamical ecosystem state variables, 2) the extension of the data assimilation techniques to the
coastal areas for both physical and biochemical variables, 3) the improvement of
the atmospheric forcing resolution at the scale of the coastal areas air-sea interaction processes.
Acknowledgment
The first author has been partialIy supported by the EU-MFSPP (Mediterranean
Forecasting System Pilot Project) contract MAS3-CT98-0171 and MAS3-CT980189 (MEDNET). The MURST-ENEA Progetto 'Ambiente Mediterraneo' sponsored the second author during his visit in Italy. This work would not have been
possible without the continuos support and work of alI the MFSPP partners who
made operational the MFS large-scale system in the Mediterranean. Particular
thanks are for Dr. ManzelIa, responsible for the VOS network, Dr. P.Yves Le Traon,
responsible for the satellite data network, Dr. D.Antoine responsible for the SeaWiFS data, Dr. R. Santoleri for the Sea WiFS data in the Adriatic, Dr. P. De Mey
responsible for the data assimilation system, Dr. C Tziavos responsible for the
M3A buoy system, Prof. A. Lascaratos for the regional modeling, Dr. 1. Allen for
the ecosystem modeling and Dr. C.Maillard for the data management in MFSPP.
ables have started and are now weekly available. High resolution models of the
Northem Adriatic are then nested within this forecasting system to arrive at 1.5-krn
resolution, that is, the minimum resolution required to capture hydrodynamic processes in this area. The initialization of coastal high resolution models from coarser
information is done with a tangent linear modeling approach that is capable of
dynamicalIy extrapolate information in data void regions. In the future this methodology should be integrated with more traditional data assimilation schemes to
merge the in situ and satellite data with the coarser model fields. The one dimensional ecosystem model implemented in the coastal area shows a potential predictability of few days after initialization from observations of temperature, salinity,
nutrients, dissolved and particulate organic matter concentrations and some phytoplankton groups biomass.
Major technological and scientific developments are still required before we can
advance toward operational environmental forecasting in the coastal areas even if
the major tools are ready to be assembled. The future challenges are: 1) the development of sensors which could sample in near real time several dynamical ecosystem state variables, 2) the extension of the data assimilation techniques to the
coastal areas for both physical and biochemical variables, 3) the improvement of
the atmospheric forcing resolution at the scale of the coastal areas air-sea interaction processes.
Acknowledgment
The first author has been partialIy supported by the EU-MFSPP (Mediterranean
Forecasting System Pilot Project) contract MAS3-CT98-0171 and MAS3-CT980189 (MEDNET). The MURST-ENEA Progetto 'Ambiente Mediterraneo' sponsored the second author during his visit in Italy. This work would not have been
possible without the continuos support and work of alI the MFSPP partners who
made operational the MFS large-scale system in the Mediterranean. Particular
thanks are for Dr. ManzelIa, responsible for the VOS network, Dr. P.Yves Le Traon,
responsible for the satellite data network, Dr. D.Antoine responsible for the SeaWiFS data, Dr. R. Santoleri for the Sea WiFS data in the Adriatic, Dr. P. De Mey
responsible for the data assimilation system, Dr. C Tziavos responsible for the
M3A buoy system, Prof. A. Lascaratos for the regional modeling, Dr. 1. Allen for
the ecosystem modeling and Dr. C.Maillard for the data management in MFSPP.