The resolution of regional numerical weather prediction (NWP) models has continuously been increased over the past decades, in part, thanks to the improved computational capabilities. At such small scales, the fast weather evolution is driven by wind rather than by temperature and pressure. Over the ocean, where global NWP models are not able to resolve wind scales below 150 km, regional models provide wind dynamics and variance equivalent to 25 km or lower. However, although this variance is realistic, it often results in spurious circulation (e.g., moist convection systems), thus misleading weather forecasts and interpretation. An accurate and consistent initialization of the evolution of the 3-dimensional (3-D) wind structure is therefore essential in regional weather analysis. The research fellow would focus on a comprehensive characterization of the spatial scales and measurement errors for the different operational space-borne wind products currently used and/or planned to be used in regional models. In addition, the fellow would thoroughly investigate and improve the 4-D (including time) consistency between the different horizontal and/or vertical satellite wind products under study. Such products include OSI SAF scatterometer-derived sea-surface wind fields, NWC SAF Atmospheric Motion Vectors (AMVs), the upcoming ADM-Aeolus and/or IASI wind profiles. Densely sampled aircraft wind profiles (Mode-S) will be used to verify and characterize the satellite products. To this end, the experience of the NWC, OSI, and NWP SAFs will be exploited. Moreover, data assimilation experiments of the consistent datasets into the Harmonie-AROME regional model will be carried out in two different regions, i.e., the Netherlands and the Iberian Peninsula regional configurations.
Marine ecosystems are exposed to the impact of a number of multiple stressors, resulting from multiple drivers, also acting in different areas. A non-exhaustive list of co-existing pressures includes climate change (e.g. warming and acidification), pollution (litter, NHS), maritime traffic, exploitation of living and non living resources, oligo/eutrophication, invasive species. The need to assess and address the increasing presence of coexisting environmental threats, which propagate in space and time across political boundaries, calls for transactional coordinated actions based on evidence-rooted common understanding. There is a clear need for sharing of data, procedures, information and knowledge, in order to support multilevel governance and shared spatial planning. At the same time there is a need to improve observation and assessment capabilities, by integration of existing systems, development of short term forecast systems, and incorporation of emerging technologies.
SHAREMED will increase the capability of managing authorities and scientific community to assess and address hazards related to environmental threats by:
1) Providing frameworks for collection, comparison, integration, harmonisation of existing experiences and increasing the possibility to find, access and use existing information.
2) Studying and testing procedures, multilevel agreements, protocols to standardise and produce a shared database and products to be used to assess environmental health and environmental hazards.
3) Improve observation and assessment capabilities by: defining cooperation practises, integration of existing infrastructure in joint transnational systems; defining and implementing a relocatable forecast system; and incorporation of emerging technologies, with particular reference to operational systems and biological properties.
The project will capitalise on knowledge provided by previous projects and ongoing programs, and will contribute to the definition of gap analysis, best practises, long term strategies and an action plan for assessing and addressing environmental threats in the Mediterranean Sea. The approach towards reaching the project goals will be applied throughout the duration of the project through active participation of all Project Partners in all Work Packages.
Project title: Sharing and enhancing capabilities to address environmental threats in Mediterranean sea
Total budget: 3,100,000.00 €
ERDF funding: 2,575,50.00 €
IPA funding: 59,500.00
Project duration: 01.10.2019 – 30.06.2022
Lead partner: Istituto Nazionele di Oceanografia e di Geofisica Sperimentale