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MICHAEL J. BELL ET AL.
information needed to formulate and monitor policies for sustainable
management of the environment. In the oceans there is a particular emphasis
on coastal regions, management of pollution and the health of biological
ecosystems.
Freely distributed “community” ocean models (such as MOM, HYCOM
and ROMS) have been developed in the USA for two decades. In the last 5
years, flexible software tools (such as PRISM) for generating complex earth
system models from component models (e.g. of the atmosphere, ocean and
sea-ice) have started to gain maturity. Within Europe collaborative projects
(e.g. EnAct) have started to compare data assimilation methods for ocean
models.
4.3
Response to Changing Priorities
The Met Office is adapting its program for ocean forecasting in response
to these changing priorities and the improved climate for collaboration and
coordination.
First, it is starting to transition all of its ocean modelling activities
(including seasonal forecasting and climate prediction) to use the NEMO
(Nucleus for European Modelling of the Ocean) code. NEMO will be jointly
owned by a consortium (including CNRS, Mercator-Ocean and the Met
Office) who undertake to maintain and develop it. It will be freeware, the
aim being to encourage a wide range of ocean modellers to use it and to
contribute to its development. NEMO will be based on the OPA code and
developed for use in shelf and coastal waters in addition to the deep ocean. It
will be coupled to other models at the Met Office through a Flexible Unified
Model Environment (FLUME) which will build on experience gained within
PRISM.
Second, the Met Office is actively engaged in the Mersea (Marine
Environment and Security in the European Area) project, which is building
the open ocean component of the monitoring and forecasting system
required for GMES. Mersea aims to improve the collaboration and
coordination between European ocean forecasting systems and the Met
Office is actively supporting this aim.
Third, a National Centre for Ocean Forecasting is being established at the
Met Office in association with four of the NERC (Natural Environment
Research Council) institutes (namely Proudman Oceanography Laboratory
(POL), Plymouth Marine Laboratory (POL), Southampton Oceanography
Centre (SOC) and Environmental Systems Science Centre (ESSC)).
The fourth initiative aims to strengthen the awareness within relevant UK
government departments and the offshore industry of our growing
capabilities in ocean forecasting and to work together to assess their needs
and to develop the capabilities to meet them. The Ocean Customer Group
formed to do this includes government departments with responsibilities for
MICHAEL J. BELL ET AL.
information needed to formulate and monitor policies for sustainable
management of the environment. In the oceans there is a particular emphasis
on coastal regions, management of pollution and the health of biological
ecosystems.
Freely distributed “community” ocean models (such as MOM, HYCOM
and ROMS) have been developed in the USA for two decades. In the last 5
years, flexible software tools (such as PRISM) for generating complex earth
system models from component models (e.g. of the atmosphere, ocean and
sea-ice) have started to gain maturity. Within Europe collaborative projects
(e.g. EnAct) have started to compare data assimilation methods for ocean
models.
4.3
Response to Changing Priorities
The Met Office is adapting its program for ocean forecasting in response
to these changing priorities and the improved climate for collaboration and
coordination.
First, it is starting to transition all of its ocean modelling activities
(including seasonal forecasting and climate prediction) to use the NEMO
(Nucleus for European Modelling of the Ocean) code. NEMO will be jointly
owned by a consortium (including CNRS, Mercator-Ocean and the Met
Office) who undertake to maintain and develop it. It will be freeware, the
aim being to encourage a wide range of ocean modellers to use it and to
contribute to its development. NEMO will be based on the OPA code and
developed for use in shelf and coastal waters in addition to the deep ocean. It
will be coupled to other models at the Met Office through a Flexible Unified
Model Environment (FLUME) which will build on experience gained within
PRISM.
Second, the Met Office is actively engaged in the Mersea (Marine
Environment and Security in the European Area) project, which is building
the open ocean component of the monitoring and forecasting system
required for GMES. Mersea aims to improve the collaboration and
coordination between European ocean forecasting systems and the Met
Office is actively supporting this aim.
Third, a National Centre for Ocean Forecasting is being established at the
Met Office in association with four of the NERC (Natural Environment
Research Council) institutes (namely Proudman Oceanography Laboratory
(POL), Plymouth Marine Laboratory (POL), Southampton Oceanography
Centre (SOC) and Environmental Systems Science Centre (ESSC)).
The fourth initiative aims to strengthen the awareness within relevant UK
government departments and the offshore industry of our growing
capabilities in ocean forecasting and to work together to assess their needs
and to develop the capabilities to meet them. The Ocean Customer Group
formed to do this includes government departments with responsibilities for