OBJECTIVES

MERSEA aims to develop a European system for operational monitoring and forecasting on global and regional scales of the ocean physics, biogeochemistry and ecosystems. The prediction time scales of interest extend from days to months. This integrated system will be the Ocean component of the future Gmes system.

At the core of the system is the collection, validation and assimilation of remote sensed and in situ data into ocean circulation models that allow for the self consistent merging of the data types, interpolation in time and space for uniform coverage, nowcasting (i.e. data synthesis in real-time), forecasting, and hind-casting, and delivery of information products.

The project will develop marine applications addressing the needs of both intermediate and end-users, whether institutional or from the private sector, with the objective to: Improve the safety and efficiency of maritime transport and naval operations; Enable the sustainable exploitation and management of ocean resources (offshore oil and gas industry, fisheries); Mitigate the effects of environmental hazards and pollution crisis (oil spills, harmful algal blooms); Contribute to ocean climate variability studies and seasonal climate prediction; Improve national security and reduce risks, Advance marine research with the aim to better understand the global climate, the ocean and its ecosystems.

The project will lead to a single high-resolution global ocean forecasting system shared by European partners together with a co-ordinated network of regional systems for European waters which will provide the platform required for coastal forecasting systems. During the project the main pre-operational systems will be transitioned towards operational status and will converge on a single ocean model framework suitable for both the deep ocean and shelf-seas.

The development of such a system requires an unprecedented level of collaboration and coordination of multidisciplinary research, development and operational activities. The project will federate the resources and expertise of diverse institutes, agencies, and companies in the public and private sector, in the fields of satellite data processing, in situ ocean observing systems, data management, ocean and ecosystem modelling, and ocean, marine and weather forecasting.