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.