vii
Preface
Atmospheric forecasting reached maturity in the late 20th century. Oceanic forecasting will do so early in the 21st century. Much has been learnt from the techniques of weather forecasting, but the ocean presents its own scientific and
technical problems, which are being vigorously addressed. The World Ocean Circulation Experiment in the 1990s opened the way to the new strategy of collecting
data to be exploited in numerical models. Operational Forecasting and Nowcasting
spring from those advances. A new generation of oceanographers growing up in
this post-WOCE era is studying the modem typos of monitoring, model ing and
assimilation. This book provides the new generation with an up-to date account of
these powerful techniques, showing what they contribute to ocean forecasting. The
chapters are updated versions oflectures given at the Ocean Forecasting Advanced
Study Course, held at the International Marine Centre, Oristano (Italy) in 1997 and
funded by the European Union's Fourth Framework Programme.
Ocean Forecasting has an ancient history, but it has developed rapidly in the last
two decades of the 20th century, spurred on by the Rio Conference Earth Summit
in 1992, and the publication of Agenda 21, with its important chapters on the
ocean. The Conference realized and recommended that ocean would be monitored
and predicted in the way as the atmosphere in order to study the impact of anthropogenic change on the earth ecosystems. The Global Ocean Observing System
(GOOS) was launched by the Inter-Governmental Commission of Unesco in 1990
to coordinate and focus efforts to monitor and forecast the ocean. The aim is to provide a worldwide observing system that supports the monitoring ofthe state ofthe
oceans, distributes the information, and uses the observations to forecast the future
evolution in support of actions planned to deal with problems of climate, fisheries,
pollution, ship safety, offshore operations and coastal protection.
Since 1994, EuroGOOS (http://www.eurogoos.org) has provided a focus for its
members (30 national research and operational agencies) to foster ocean forecasting in Europe. The main activity of EuroGOOS focused in the European regional
Seas, from the Arctic region to the Mediterranean and Black Sea. Many of the
EuroGOOS regional projects are discussed in this volume and have been a substantial component of the operational oceanography activities in Europe in the last five
years.
Ocean forecasting is helping to answer urgent societal questions such as the efficient exploitation of marine resources, the sustainable deve10pment of coastal areas
and the mitigation of adverse effects due to pollution on marine ecosystems and
human health. Ocean forecasting will in addition give a revolutionary view of the
ocean and its dynamics at unprecedented accuracy and resolution to advance our
basic knowledge of the earth climate system. The design and implementation of
ocean nowcasting and forecasting activities will in addition create public awareness of marine environmental problems and will create new public services and
private industry sectors.
Preface
Atmospheric forecasting reached maturity in the late 20th century. Oceanic forecasting will do so early in the 21st century. Much has been learnt from the techniques of weather forecasting, but the ocean presents its own scientific and
technical problems, which are being vigorously addressed. The World Ocean Circulation Experiment in the 1990s opened the way to the new strategy of collecting
data to be exploited in numerical models. Operational Forecasting and Nowcasting
spring from those advances. A new generation of oceanographers growing up in
this post-WOCE era is studying the modem typos of monitoring, model ing and
assimilation. This book provides the new generation with an up-to date account of
these powerful techniques, showing what they contribute to ocean forecasting. The
chapters are updated versions oflectures given at the Ocean Forecasting Advanced
Study Course, held at the International Marine Centre, Oristano (Italy) in 1997 and
funded by the European Union's Fourth Framework Programme.
Ocean Forecasting has an ancient history, but it has developed rapidly in the last
two decades of the 20th century, spurred on by the Rio Conference Earth Summit
in 1992, and the publication of Agenda 21, with its important chapters on the
ocean. The Conference realized and recommended that ocean would be monitored
and predicted in the way as the atmosphere in order to study the impact of anthropogenic change on the earth ecosystems. The Global Ocean Observing System
(GOOS) was launched by the Inter-Governmental Commission of Unesco in 1990
to coordinate and focus efforts to monitor and forecast the ocean. The aim is to provide a worldwide observing system that supports the monitoring ofthe state ofthe
oceans, distributes the information, and uses the observations to forecast the future
evolution in support of actions planned to deal with problems of climate, fisheries,
pollution, ship safety, offshore operations and coastal protection.
Since 1994, EuroGOOS (http://www.eurogoos.org) has provided a focus for its
members (30 national research and operational agencies) to foster ocean forecasting in Europe. The main activity of EuroGOOS focused in the European regional
Seas, from the Arctic region to the Mediterranean and Black Sea. Many of the
EuroGOOS regional projects are discussed in this volume and have been a substantial component of the operational oceanography activities in Europe in the last five
years.
Ocean forecasting is helping to answer urgent societal questions such as the efficient exploitation of marine resources, the sustainable deve10pment of coastal areas
and the mitigation of adverse effects due to pollution on marine ecosystems and
human health. Ocean forecasting will in addition give a revolutionary view of the
ocean and its dynamics at unprecedented accuracy and resolution to advance our
basic knowledge of the earth climate system. The design and implementation of
ocean nowcasting and forecasting activities will in addition create public awareness of marine environmental problems and will create new public services and
private industry sectors.