Mersea IP aims to develop a single European system for global operational monitoring and forecasting of the ocean. Supported by the European Commission under the 6th Framework Programme, this project will form the ocean component of the future GMES (Global Monitoring for Environment and Security) system.
To achieve this goal, MERSEA system is structured into three main modules:
- Observing systems and provision of data.
- Implementation and evaluation of a co-ordinated set of monitoring and forecast systems covering the global ocean and European seas.
- Development and demonstration of information products, applications and services in partnership with intermediate users.
CLS tasks:
CLS will lead the work package 2, "Remote Sensing". The aim of this work package is to deliver in real time to the MERSEA consortium state-of-art remotely sensed global and regional products in the form required by MERSEA modelling and data assimilation systems. Near-real time products will be processed, quality-controlled and delivered over 2004-2008.
More precisely, CLS will:
- Manage the remote sensing data activities which include integrating the work of each partner. Within this task, clear management interfaces and links to other international and European remote sensing projects and activities will be developed and maintained.
- Provide altimeter data to MERSEA, by Ssalto/Duacs system which is already serving MERCATOR, FOAM, TOPAZ and MFS models.
- Conduct studies to assess the value of new remote sensing data sets and products: sea Surface Salinity via SMOS /AQUARIUS mission and gravimetry and geoid via GOCE mission.
- Deliver remote sensing data via a WWW site. A portal will be developed to present the different independent systems and to facilitate the visibility and exchange of the data in a reliable and coherent manner.
- CLS also participate to the definition, specification and development of the MIM system (Mersea Information Management) through task 5 and 6. The MIM will provide an operational management of Mersea data exchanges via a www portal (satellites, in situ data, models). This portal is dedicated to the project members as well as to users. Finally, CLS will contribute to set up indicators in order to monitor the Mersea system activity.
- CLS, through MERCATOR, will also be strongly involved in the development of MERSEA monitoring and forecasting systems.
Users:
The project is expected to develop service marine applications, addressing the needs of professional, institutional as well as from the private sector. (Maritime transport, off shore, coastal applications, climate variability).
More:
