Download Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS

Copernicus Marine
Environment Monitoring
Service (CMEMS) Service
Evolution Strategy:
R&D priorities
Version 2
20 September 2016
Document prepared by the CMEMS Scientific and
Technical Advisory Committee (STAC) and
reviewed/endorsed by Mercator Ocean
CMEMS SERVICE EVOLUTION STRATEGY: R&D PRIORITIES
20 September 2016
Table of content
1
Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 1
2
Scientific and technical backbone of CMEMS ..................................................................... 3
3
Key drivers of the Service Evolution and related R&D priorities ........................................ 4
4
R&D areas and required developments.............................................................................. 7
4.1 Observation infrastructure and related developments ................................................... 7
4.2 From big data streams to high-level data products ......................................................... 9
4.3 Advanced assimilation for large-dimensional systems .................................................. 10
4.4 Observing systems: impact studies and optimal design ................................................ 11
4.5 Circulation models for global ocean, regional and shelf seas ........................................ 13
4.6 Sub-mesoscale - mesoscale interactions and processes................................................ 14
4.7 Coupled ocean-marine weather information, surface currents and waves .................. 16
4.8 New generation of sea-ice modelling ............................................................................ 17
4.9 Data assimilative modelling of marine ecosystems and biogeochemistry .................... 18
4.10 Seamless interactions between CMEMS and coastal systems .................................... 20
4.11 Coupled ocean-atmosphere models with assimilative capability................................ 21
4.12 Ocean climate variability: reanalysis, forecasts and scenarios for future changes ..... 22
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The service evolution roadmap until 2021 ....................................................................... 24
5.1 The targeted CMEMS service in 2021 ............................................................................ 24
5.2 Tier-3 R&D marine projects of interest to CMEMS ........................................................ 25
5.3 Tier-2 R&D marine projects selected by CMEMS ........................................................... 27
5.4 Service evolution roadmap and milestones until 2021 ................................................. 28
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INTRODUCTION
The Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service (CMEMS) provides regular and
systematic reference information on the physical state, variability and dynamics of the ocean
and marine ecosystems for the global ocean and the European regional seas. This capacity
encompasses the description of the current situation (analysis), the variability at different
spatial and temporal scales, the prediction of the situation a few days ahead (forecast), and
the provision of consistent retrospective data records for recent years (re-analysis). CMEMS
provides a sustainable response to European user needs in four areas of benefits: (i)
maritime safety, (ii) marine resources, (iii) coastal and marine environment, (iv) weather,
seasonal forecast and climate. A major objective of the CMEMS is to deliver and maintain a
competitive and state-of-the-art European service responding to public and private
intermediate user needs, and thus involving explicitly and transparently these users in the
service delivery definition.
A Delegation Agreement 1 has been signed between the European Commission and Mercator
Ocean for the CMEMS implementation; it mandates the development and maintenance of a
Service Evolution Strategy in order to respond to new needs and also improved
methodologies. This strategy is the mechanism by which lessons and knowledge derived
during the first phase, as well as new research results are used to guide change and/or a
potential service upgrade in the subsequent phases.
The Service Evolution Strategy will be maintained on the basis of feedback from users
together with scientific and technical gap analysis of emerging and existing user
requirements as well as the potential to improve the Core Service elements. At the same
time, the Service Evolution Strategy can identify potential research needs that can guide
external (e.g. H2020) and internal (CMEMS) R&D priorities. Consistent updates of the Service
Evolution Strategy and its R&D priorities are made on an annual basis.
A first R&D roadmap was defined in 2010 in the MyOcean framework, with four key
challenges identified that shaped the R&D effort during the period 2010-2015: Challenge #1:
seamless modelling from open ocean to regional seas; Challenge #2: coupling with sea-ice,
rivers, atmosphere & waves, biology; Challenge #3: intertwining models with observations;
and Challenge #4: verification, validation, uncertainty estimates. The MyOcean projects
enabled very significant progress and successful achievements that were necessary to
establish the scientific basis for the operational service which is in place today. In order to
ensure the long-term sustainability of the CMEMS during the next years, a new and adaptive
strategy based on key R&D activities is required for the evolution of the service.
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See http://www.copernicus.eu/sites/default/files/library/CMEM_TechnicalAnnex_PUBLIC.docx.pdf
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This document is intended to identify the essential Science and Technological (S&T)
developments that are needed to ensure optimal evolution of CMEMS during the next 3-6
years. Different categories of activities will have to be conducted, with different time
horizons, players and objectives:
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•
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long-term objectives (Tier-3, beyond 2 years up to ~10 years) corresponding to the
long-term evolution of the CMEMS framework;
mid-term objectives (Tier-2, 1 – 2 year cycle) addressed by dedicated R&D working
groups, for implementing and assessing major scientific upgrades of the service
during Phase-I (2015-2018) and mostly Phase-II (2018-2021) (see technical annex of
the Delegation Agreement);
short-term activities (Tier-1, several months to 1 year cycle) for addressing issues
requiring fast responses for rapid implementation within the existing phases of
CMEMS.
The short and mid-term activities will be addressed both through internal CMEMS activities
and open R&D calls, while long-term activities will be promoted in the framework of external
projects (e.g. Horizon 2020 or other European and national R&D programs). It should be
emphasized that long-term R&D activities, although implemented in a different framework,
are as crucial as short and mid-term activities for the sustainable evolution of the Service.
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SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNICAL
BACKBONE OF CMEMS
The backbone of the CMEMS relies on an architecture of production centres inherited from
the MyOcean projects both for observations (Thematic Assembly Centres – TACs) and
modelling/assimilation (Monitoring and Forecasting Centres – MFCs) and a Central
Information System (CIS).
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Four Thematic Assembly Centres (TACs), including three “space” TACs organized by
ocean variables (sea surface topography, ocean colour, and sea surface temperature
plus sea ice and winds) and one for in-situ observations, gathering observational data
and generating elaborated products, e.g. multi-sensor data products, derived from
these observations. The TACs are fed by operators of space and in-situ observation
infrastructures; the detailed operational requirements for space and in-situ
observation data were initially specified in the Marine Core Service Strategic
Implementation Plan (Ryder, 2007).
Seven Monitoring and Forecasting Centres (MFCs), distributed according to the
marine area covered (including Global Ocean, Arctic Ocean, Baltic Sea, North Atlantic
West Shelf, North Atlantic Iberia-Biscay-Ireland area, Mediterranean Sea and Black
Sea), and generating model-based products on the ocean physical state and
biogeochemical characteristics, including forecasts, hindcasts and reanalyses.
A Central Information System (CIS), encompassing the management and
organization of the CMEMS information and products, as well as a unique User
Interface.
A very similar architecture for the service production has been implemented for the first
phase (up to 2018 at least) of CMEMS operations, including for the Black Sea MFC which has
been implemented with some delay because of the political situation in Ukraine. However, it
might be appropriate to explore in the future the possibility of some adjustments of the
present architecture in order to better respond to user needs.
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KEY DRIVERS OF THE SERVICE
EVOLUTION AND RELATED R&D
PRIORITIES
The guidelines to identify the R&D activities to be organized within Copernicus or in
coordination with the service are motivated by several key drivers:
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Requirements from core users in the four main areas of benefit as recalled in the
Introduction, accounting for both existing needs and needs likely to emerge in the
future;
Requirements from the CMEMS production centres based, in particular, on their 3-6
year R&D plans, considering the limitations in the daily service due to knowledge or
technological gaps identified to elaborate the products;
Requirements motivated by the development of Copernicus downstream services;
Requirements from European and international programmes dealing with EO,
Operational Oceanography and Copernicus; noticeably GODAE OceanView, the
Copernicus Integrated Ground Segment (IGS), GEOSS (Global Earth Observation
System of Systems) and UN SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals);
Outcomes of EU projects implemented under the Space theme (R&D to enhance
future GMES applications in the Marine and Atmosphere areas), such as MyWave,
OSS2015, E-AIMS, OPEC and SANGOMA or under FP7 and H2020 projects (e.g.
JERICO, PERSEUS, AtlantOS).
Additional drivers that reflect a more strategic view for the service evolution are also taken
into account, such as:
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EU directives implemented to regulate activities in the Marine sector (e.g., Marine
Strategy Framework Directive, Maritime Spatial Planning);
New scientific and technological opportunities in the next 5-10 years, regarding both
satellite and in situ observations (e.g. plans for the global Bio-Argo extension),
modelling and assimilation capabilities, new communication and data processing
technologies, etc.
The need to maintain competitiveness w.r.t. international players in operational
oceanography, as keeping a high-level know-how and innovation capacity will be
strategic to attract new users;
The outcome of major international conferences such as COP21;
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Forthcoming activities involving Copernicus developments in the framework of other
European (e.g. EMODnet, EuroGOOS, EOOS) and global initiatives or programs (e.g.
the Global Ocean Observing System in the context of GEOSS, GEO Blue Planet,
GODAE OceanView).
The constant dialogue with user communities as outlined above helped in identifying
overarching priorities for the Service Evolution. Referring to the Technical Annex of the EUMercator Ocean Delegation Agreement, it is anticipated that a response of the Marine
Service to identified user needs through the integration of current and future R&D
developments should focus on:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.
better description of biogeochemical ocean parameters in particular to support
reporting on marine environmental status in the regional European seas, as
required by the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD);
service evolution enabling the incorporation of wave information/products
consistent with the ocean state of the CMEMS products;
better interface between the CMEMS and coastal monitoring services operated
by Member States or private groups: this will require the provision of suitable
connectivity and boundary conditions for an efficient nesting between the Marine
Service and the national coastal systems, where adaptations at the level of
regional seas benefit from user experience and practices;
better monitoring and description of the ocean state and its variability,
requiring the preparation and release of annual Ocean State Reports describing
the state of the global ocean and the European regional seas, in particular for
supporting the Member States in their assessment obligation.
better assessment of quality products, which requires continuous expansion
and upgrade of in situ infrastructures.
Moreover, it is identified that one overarching driver for service evolution remains a
continuous enhancement of modelling, data assimilation and forcing techniques at both
air-sea interfaces and lateral boundaries (coasts, open boundaries), in order to optimally
exploit the considerable investment in observation infrastructure and to generate products
with improved quality and error characterization.
These priorities provide guidelines to the short, medium and longer term developments
outlined in section 4 below. The proposed R&D roadmap was identified following an
incremental approach based on the outcome of several consultation processes: (i) the
MyOcean User workshop organized in Lisbon in June 2014, (ii) the MyOcean Science Days
organized in Toulouse in September 2014, (iii) the scientific reports prepared by the
production centres at the end of MyOcean-2, including their recommendations for further
R&D priorities, (iv) the meeting of the MyOcean-FO Executive Committee held in Helsinki in
January 2015, (v) the review of an earlier version of the present document by experts from
the MyOcean Scientific Advisory Committee, and (vi) analysis of R&D priorities by the
CMEMS Scientific and Technical advisory committee (STAC) that was set up to assist
Mercator-Ocean for the organization of the CMEMS service evolution activities. This
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roadmap was revised after the CMEMS user uptake and service evolution workshop that
took place in Brussels, September 7-8, 2015.
This new version (V2) released in September 2016 provides a general update on R&D
priorities and elaborates on the Service Evolution roadmap and plans for the coming years. It
takes into account, in particular, revised 3-year and 6-year evolution plans from the present
CMEMS TACs and MFCs, outcomes of the first call for tenders for CMEMS Service Evolution,
and the H2020 Copernicus project (service evolution, downstream) selection process.
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R&D AREAS AND REQUIRED
DEVELOPMENTS
In this section are described the 12 R&D areas required to support the service evolution
guided by user needs, the required developments that are categorized in terms of time
horizons (short- to mid-term, and long –term) and expected objectives. The developments
with short- to mid-term objectives refer to R&D activities that are expected to deliver
significant results in less than 2 years, while longer-term activities are thought to need more
than 2 years to bear results that will impact the service. Sections 4.1 to 4.4 correspond to
cross-cutting developments, while the following sections address R&D priorities of the 4
over-arching themes that emerged from the strategic analysis made by the STAC: ocean,
ocean-wave and ocean-ice coupling (sections 4.5 to 4.8), biogeochemistry and ecosystems in
the marine environment (section 4.9), coastal (section 4.10) and ocean-atmosphere and
climate (section 4.11 and 4.12).
4.1 OBSERVATION INFRASTRUCTURE AND RELATED DEVELOPMENTS
Expected evolution
The observation infrastructure which today provides regular and systematic data on the
physical state and dynamics of the ocean and marine ecosystems is expected to evolve in
several directions during the next years:
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The in situ component is expected to collect more systematically data on new
chemical and biogeochemical state variables (oxygen, bio-optical properties,
nutrient, pH) and benthos variables, in addition to conventional temperature and
salinity profiles, and increase the sampling of the deep (below 2000 m) and icecovered seas (using dedicated versions of Argo profiling floats and gliders);
New capabilities are expanded to sample a variety of scales through multi-platform
observing systems that include more and more autonomous platforms with multidisciplinary sensors;
The space component will rely on a mixture of operational (e.g. the Sentinel suite)
and exploratory missions, providing sea-level (both along-track and wide-swath), SST,
ocean color, surface salinity, surface wind and currents, waves properties and sea-ice
parameters;
The capacity to capture observations collected from Copernicus or in cooperation
with other initiatives will increase, especially those dedicated to validation
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measurements following agreed protocols (e.g. ESA protocols, quality assurance
framework for earth observation guidance);
The coastal ocean will be monitored through more coordinated, multi-sensors and
multi-parameter networks including HF radar, cabled structures, fixed platforms,
ferry box, surface drifters, gliders, and other new technologies, e.g. undertaken
under EuroGOOS, EMODnet, the EOOS (European Ocean Observing System) initiative
and other projects (e.g. JERICO-Next, AtlantOS);
Ocean observing systems will become more integrated, observing the ocean at
multiple scales and from the coastal to the open ocean, delivering quality controlled
data to science and society.
New multi-platform and multi-disciplinary approaches combining both in situ (e.g. gliders,
Argo, ships, drifters, fixed platforms) and satellite observations at high resolution will be
needed to resolve a wide range of temporal and spatial scales (from basin to meso- and
submeso- scale) and to fill gaps in our knowledge connecting physical processes to
ecosystem response. In addition, there is a huge potential to more efficiently access/use
data from different industrial platforms, including off shore power stations.
The data assimilated in CMEMS real-time models or multi-year reanalysis systems include
SST and sea-level and T/S profiles (almost systematically), sea-ice concentration (whenever
possible), and chlorophyll concentration (occasionally). In addition to consolidating these
assimilations, a broader list of parameters should be integrated into monitoring and
forecasting systems within the next 3-10 years.
Required developments with short- to mid-term objectives
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Adaptation of existing quality-control methods to new observing system components
(including for instance new biogeochemical parameters, Sentinel-2 observations for
coastal waters applications); advancement and adoption of international calibration
and quality-control procedures;
Developments of advanced protocols for real-time quality checking and automated
flagging procedures that are more consistent with nowcast/forecast information
delivered by MFCs;
More consistent processing and assembly of data from different, heterogeneous
observation platforms and sensors (e.g. for deriving surface current or sea-ice
products);
Incremental development of assembly centers to include more observations relevant
to coastal waters but also of interest to the monitoring of regional seas.
Required developments with longer-term objectives
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Adaptation of assembly centers procedures to take advantage of new sensors,
communication technologies and unification of procedures, protocols, access and
download systems across assembly centers;
New observing network simulators that will simulate realistic space-time coverage
and observation error estimates, as required to perform design studies, Observing
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System Simulation Experiments (OSSEs) or Observing System Experiments (OSEs)
using methodologies explored in the GODAE OceanView program.
4.2 FROM BIG DATA STREAMS TO HIGH-LEVEL DATA PRODUCTS
Expected evolutions
CMEMS needs to enrich its offer with free, open and quality controlled data, in adherence to
scientific community standards. In the future, users will be requesting advanced data
products that will rely on more complex processing and assembling of measurements of
essential ocean variables (sea surface temperature, sea level anomaly, currents, ocean color,
sea-ice, surface winds, sea surface salinity …) at higher resolution, including the provision of
composite products and their uncertainty estimates. Those data products will be essential
elements to feed monitoring and forecasting systems, or validate model outputs. The ESA
Climate Change Initiative, for instance, will deliver advanced data products that should
benefit CMEMS reanalysis production.
The methodologies in place today for merging, filtering, compressing and interpolating
observations (until now mostly based on statistical interpolation methods) will need to be
adapted to face the challenges of observing systems that are heterogeneous in terms of
space-time sampling and resolution, accuracy and big data streams. An additional issue to
address is how to take advantage of the high quality delayed mode data in order to get an
improved ‘reanalysis’ of the ocean state for change assessment and ‘climatology’ products.
Required developments with short- to mid-term objectives
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Specific processing and mapping of product uncertainties for direct use and for
assimilation;
Reprocessing of existing data sets with more advanced quality control methods, to
facilitate the continuous ocean reanalysis activities;
Evaluation of relative importance of steric and non-steric components in sea level
anomaly data products;
Preparation of composite data products and derivation of quantities that can be used
to infer transport from tracer information, or vice versa;
Development of interfaces with the EMODnet system for long term archives of
multidisciplinary data;
Development of advanced data products merging different type of observations
through multivariate analysis (e.g. for chlorophyll, surface currents, ice drift and ice
thickness).
Required developments with longer-term objectives
•
Data mining and image processing techniques needed to facilitate the automatic
extraction and analysis of patterns from big data sets (produced by observing and/or
modelling systems) and to better respond to user’s needs;
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Inverse methods that will incorporate simplified balance relationships (e.g.
geostrophic and vorticity balance, omega equation) to ensure physically consistent
products;
New bathymetric data with high resolution and possibly information about changes
in ocean bottom.
4.3 ADVANCED ASSIMILATION FOR LARGE-DIMENSIONAL SYSTEMS
Expected evolutions
The operational suites implemented in the CMEMS MFCs essentially rely on traditional
assimilation methods inherited from the Kalman filter or the 3DVAR approach including
simplifications and adaptations to make them tractable with large-dimensional systems.
Only the Arctic MFC has explicitly implemented the EnKF to propagate the spread of an
ensemble of likely states between successive updating steps, though several other MFCs
intend to implement ensemble approaches in the future (GLO, MED, BAL). The current
assimilation systems need to be revisited in order to (i) improve the physical consistency of
ocean state estimations, ensuring for instance that the small-scale dynamics simulated by
ocean models is in balance with the larger scales captured by the observing systems, (ii)
further develop the assimilation methods to enable implementation into systems involving
different components (coupling with atmosphere, biology, biogeochemistry, cryosphere …),
(iii) implement effective production of probabilistic information as needed by users to
support decision-making, and (iv) improve coupling between assimilative systems with
different target resolutions and different assimilation parameterizations.
In 2012, the FP7 SANGOMA project was funded under the GMES/Copernicus umbrella to
explore advanced stochastic assimilation methods and prepare the new generation of
operational model applications. A major outcome of the SANGOMA project is the benefit of
transitioning towards non-gaussian assimilation methods, especially for coupled applications
(ocean-ice, ocean-biology). In parallel, the NEMO team implemented a new assimilation
component in the reference NEMO version that includes several modules (observation
operators, linear-tangent and adjoint of the circulation model, incremental updating
schemes) to facilitate the coupling with various assimilation systems. NEMO also plans to
include an ensemble simulation mode in the near future. Independently of SANGOMA, other
efforts on modular software development have also been initiated at other European
institutions, such as the OOPs project at ECMWF. A convergence between these parallel
efforts is expected in the next years, in order to ensure effective implementation of these
developments into the large-scale systems based on NEMO.
Required developments with short- to mid-term objectives
•
Common developments on assimilation modules to connect models and assimilation
kernels shared between different MFCs;
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Development of new techniques to increase the amount of observations assimilated
into MFCs (ocean currents, ice thickness, ocean colour) and make best use of
Copernicus satellite components (Sentinel missions);
Extension of conventional assimilation schemes to include image data information
(SST, Ocean Colour) in addition to pixel data;
Efficient methods to account for complex observation and modelling error structures
in assimilation algorithms, including the treatment of correlated errors and bias in
observations;
Adaptations of conventional analysis schemes to preserve the consistency of nonobserved quantities at small scale such as vorticity, diffusion, vertical velocity, passive
tracers etc.;
Adaptations of advanced assimilation methods developed to address non Gaussian
error statistics to large-dimensional systems and coupled systems;
Adaptation of ensemble-based assimilation systems to new in situ sensors and
platforms, including those which can be remotely guided;
Verification methods and intercomparison protocols (rank histograms, CRPS, …)
suitable to probabilistic assimilation systems;
Developments of software infrastructure that can accommodate different
assimilation methods and facilitate the sharing of algorithms and optimization of
computer codes (models, assimilation schemes) on HPC;
Development of ensemble and super-ensemble techniques for future probabilistic
forecasting.
Required developments with longer-term objectives
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Combinations of 4DVAR and ensemble methods in ocean data assimilation such as
EnVAR, with focus on reanalyses applications and the treatment of model biases and
forcing errors;
Development of data assimilation tools for coupled models (ocean-atmosphere
including waves, physics-biogeochemistry, ocean-shelf models), including consistent
coupled initialization approaches and flux correction schemes to account for model
biases;
Development of standardized validation method/system for quantifying the
improvements of assimilation products (particularly related to non-assimilated
observations/variables) based on different assimilation methods.
4.4 OBSERVING SYSTEMS: IMPACT STUDIES AND OPTIMAL DESIGN
Expected evolutions
Regarding future observing systems (from space or in situ), the best possible rationality is
required in the design and exploitation of observation networks and satellite constellations.
This goal can be ideally achieved using observing system impact (Observing System
Experiments - OSEs) and design studies (Observing System Simulation Experiments - OSSEs)
type experiments. OSEs and OSSEs are scientifically and technically feasible; they represent a
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useful investment when expanding an existing observing system, defining a new one, or
preparing the assimilation of new data types or data with improved resolution/accuracy
from space; they are also required for design studies to re-assess the sampling of the
present in situ networks, define the required extensions or optimizations and prepare the
assimilation of new in-situ data types taking into account the synergies with satellite
observations. Such approaches enable to ensure a consistent assessment of observation
data, assimilation techniques and forecast and analysis models upstream and downstream
the definition and operation of space missions and complementary in-situ networks.
The existing CMEMS building blocks provide an excellent opportunity to develop a new
functionality within the Service and conduct impact studies and observing system design
based on rigorous and objective methodologies. This functionality will consolidate the link
between CMEMS and the data providers by formalizing recommendations on future
observing systems. In return, improving the design of future observing systems will be of
great benefit to CMEMS itself given the likely impact on the products quality.
Required developments with short- to mid-term objectives
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Development of automatic observation evaluation tools that can eventually be
implemented in operational centers to monitor observation impact;
Development of more robust methodologies (i.e. to ensure results as independent as
possible from model and error assumptions) to conduct impact studies (including the
OSSE class);
Adaptation of assimilation interfaces (e.g., observation operators) to new satellite
sensors: wide-swath altimetry, ocean color, SST from Sentinels, surface currents, etc.
Network studies that will provide guidance to deployments: this includes identifying
critical ocean observation points and regions where the benefit to forecasting skill is
a maximum;
Impact studies of new observation data types or products for ocean analyzing and
forecasting (e.g. SSS from space, Sea Ice thickness from Cryosat and SMOS, surface
current data sets / globcurrent, Bio-Argo, HF Radars, etc.);
Adaptation of tools and diagnostic methods used in NWP (such as Degrees of
Freedom Signal (DFS) and Forecast System Observation Impact (FSOI)) to measure
the impact of observations into ocean monitoring and forecasting systems;
Methods for explicit estimation and treatment of bias and correlated observation
errors.
Required developments with longer-term objectives
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Design studies to re-assess the sampling of the present-day in situ T/S network (Argo
including Bio-Argo, ships, buoys, moorings; guidance and leadership to the in situ
observing communities on how to optimize observing strategies to improve the MFC
data products (integrated model-remote sensing-in situ products) and the
complementarity with Sentinel missions and future wide-swath altimetry missions
(SWOT).
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4.5 CIRCULATION MODELS FOR GLOBAL OCEAN, REGIONAL AND SHELF SEAS
Expected evolutions
To support Copernicus marine users and decision-makers there will be an increasing demand
for model information on fine spatial scales, higher frequencies and with a more complete
representation of dynamical processes of the turbulent ocean. This is relevant to all areas
from the open ocean where the dynamics are significantly impacted by mesoscale to submesoscale dynamics, to transition areas connecting coastal and shelf seas and to critical
regions (e.g. straits, boundary layers) requiring high topographic resolution. Numerical
models with resolutions aligned with the spatial scales that will be captured from space by
future Earth Observation platforms (e.g. high-resolution wide-swath altimetry, geostationary
sensors, direct estimations of surface currents, high resolution SST, etc) and with improved
estimates of fluxes of freshwater and suspended matter from the coast.
In addition, future operational circulation models implemented in the open ocean
(essentially those using the community NEMO code) should enable more flexible coupling
with a variety of model codes and regional configurations specifically customized for coastal
dynamics, including those interfaced with near-shore, estuary models and hydrological
models. Specific developments are expected to ensure more flexible and efficient coupling
with downstream systems with limited geographic coverage and potentially unstructured
grid models in areas that require very high resolution with good representation of
topographic features.
Required developments with short- to mid-term objectives
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Development of advanced numerical schemes and parameterizations required for
numerical codes implemented with a target effective resolution in the kilometric
range;
Better resolution of surface currents (0-20 m depth) and higher-frequency processes
(e.g. tides) including their effects (rectification) and associated uncertainties on the
circulation and transport of tracers;
Adaptation of multi-scale and seamless downscaling/nesting capabilities to achieve
kilometric to sub-kilometric resolution locally;
Development of advanced physical parameterizations, numerical schemes and
alternative grids to improve the performance of the medium-resolution ocean
models;
Adaptation of atmospheric forcing methods with consistent physical
parameterizations that benefit the fine scales (fronts, filaments) of surface ocean
patterns;
New strategies and algorithms to solve the model equations efficiently on next
generation computing systems: this should result in code performance
improvements on most intensive HPC applications, which is crucial to sustain
operational production;
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New strategies to incorporate atmospheric pressure data, tidal forcing and river
outflow data into 3-D storm surge forecasting.
Required developments with longer-term objectives
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Development of non-hydrostatic ocean models to represent the full evolution of finescale oceanic structures in the three spatial dimensions;
Improved capability in storm surge forecasting for global and regional models;
Development of current-wave-atmosphere-sea-ice ocean boundary layer models
which can be run without dynamical feedback between the ocean and the
atmosphere;
Development of more general interfaces between models and assimilation platforms.
4.6 SUB-MESOSCALE - MESOSCALE INTERACTIONS AND PROCESSES
Expected evolutions
Our knowledge on the relationship between the physical, chemical and biological processes
in the upper ocean will improve over the next years. This is essential for understanding and
predicting how the ocean and the marine ecosystems respond to ocean dynamics and
changes in atmospheric forcing. Advection, mixing and enhanced vertical velocities
associated with mesoscale and sub-mesoscale oceanic features such as fronts, meanders,
eddies and filaments are of fundamental importance for the exchanges of heat, fresh water
and biogeochemical tracers between the surface and the ocean interior, but also exchanges
between the open oceans and shelf seas, and between the pelagic ocean and the benthos.
The challenges associated with mesoscale (20-300 km, Rossby numbers < 1, and time scales
from weeks to a few months) and sub-mesoscale variability (between 1-20 km, Rossby and
Richardson numbers O(1), and time scales from minutes to a few days) imply therefore highresolution observations (both in situ and satellite) and multi-sensor approaches. Accordingly,
multi-platform synoptic experiments have to be designed in areas characterized by intense
density gradients and strong mesoscale activity to monitor and establish the vertical
exchanges associated with mesoscale and sub-mesoscale structures and their contribution
to upper-ocean interior exchanges. In situ systems, including ships, gliders and drifters
should be coordinated with satellite data to provide a full description of the physical and
biogeochemical variability and will be combined with both routine ad hoc high resolution
numerical simulations.
Focus should be made on a range of scales (15-100 km) traditionally not resolved by
conventional altimeters but in which the wide swath altimeter SWOT will make an
unprecedented contribution. At the same time, the realistic generation and evolution of
such processes stills remains very challenging due to the chaotic nature of the oceanic flow,
making direct model-data comparisons at the smallest scales problematic.
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Required developments with short- to mid-term objectives
•
•
•
•
•
•
Numerical studies aimed at (i) understanding and characterizing the predictability
limit associated with dynamical structures of the sub-mesoscale regime in open
ocean and regional seas; (ii) exploring ocean-bathymetric interactions, which need
further investigations at small-scales; and (iii) intercomparing characteristic spatial
scales (Rossby radius of deformation) in different parts of the ocean;
Lagrangian techniques and numerical modules to simulate and predict 3D dispersion
of particles and pollutants;
Develop the use of recent field experiments based on a large number of drifters to
validate and improve Lagrangian numerical simulations;
Development of new statistical metrics adapted to the increased resolution in both
observations/products and models to be able to quantify the impact of meso and
sub-mesoscale structures on the general/regional circulation, its variability, both
physical and biogeochemical;
Proposals to aggregate results from multidisciplinary field experiments and numerical
studies with the objective to improve our understanding of fine-scale processes for (i)
ocean modelling and prediction, particularly those that would alleviate the levels of
systematic error in ocean models, (ii) establish the vertical exchanges associated with
mesoscale and sub-mesoscale structures, and (iii) enable verification, validation and
assessment of operational products in specific areas.
Conduct mesoscale/sub-mesoscale predictability studies to assess the feasibility of
developing longer time (e.g. one month) ocean forecasts for CMEMS.
Required developments with longer-term objectives
•
•
•
•
•
Process studies focused on turbulence-submesoscale interactions; air-sea coupling
and boundary layers dynamics including Langmuir circulation; interaction of internal
waves and submesoscale eddies; impact of internal waves on sea surface height
observations; dynamics of frontal and mixed-layer instabilities and their implications;
mesoscale-submesoscale interactions, energy cascades; interaction with topography
and the bottom boundary;
Process studies focused on physical-biological interactions, implications for
biogeochemistry, productivity, export, ecosystem structure and diversity;
implications for sea ice, river plumes and freshwater dispersal; coastal submesoscale
dynamics;
Modelling issues related to multi-scale and multi-physics and in particular model
nesting and unstructured grids;
High-resolution operational model forecasts that will be used to support sea-going
experiments;
Alternate observational approaches integrated with numerical simulations
supporting both realistic and process oriented studies of the mesoscale – submesoscale regime and their impact on ecosystem dynamics of this regime;
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Quantified and improved understanding of vertical exchanges associated with
oceanic mesoscale and sub-mesoscale features (e.g. fronts, meanders, eddies and
filaments) through the combined use of, in-situ and satellite data in synergy with
numerical models. The ultimate goal is to enhance our understanding of fine scale
processes on biochemical and associated ecosystem variables.
4.7 COUPLED OCEAN-MARINE WEATHER INFORMATION, SURFACE CURRENTS
AND WAVES
Expected evolutions
The most important ocean weather parameters delivered by CMEMS are ocean currents,
temperature, (in particular in the near-surface layer of the ocean), sea ice, sea level and
ocean color. Currently the CMEMS parameter list does not include ocean waves. For a
number of marine and coastal applications, information on surface parameters (total and
non-tidal currents and waves) is of great importance and in great demand. One example is
the off-shore industry, where information on wave height and period are fundamental in the
decision making e.g. when ocean platforms need to be demanned during violent storms.
Everyday activities along the coasts depend heavily on wave information. Information on
surface waves is also an essential input to the risk analysis in storm flood events.
Scientifically waves are a bridge between the ocean and the atmosphere, and there should
be consistency between the surface fluxes and winds used to drive the wave and ocean
models. The quality of wave prediction and analyses is strongly linked with the quality of the
wind forcing. Waves are also an important mixing agent with an active role in erosion and
resuspension processes. In 2012 the EU funded project MyWave was established to lay the
foundation for a future Service that also includes ocean waves. MyWave has achieved
important R&D toward a unified system for providing wave forecasts and wave products. It
is expected that these advances will be connected to those achieved in CMEMS in order to
eventually support the production of more consistent ocean-marine weather information
including on surface waves, as often requested by users.
Required developments with short- to mid-term objectives
•
•
•
•
Improved processing methods to retrieve wave and surface currents (total and nontidal) information from the relevant satellite data, such as wave height based on
altimeters (e.g. Sentinel 3) and wave information from SAR (e.g. Sentinel 1);
Improved processing methods to retrieve wave information (including integrated
parameters such as significant wave height) from in situ platforms (buoys, moorings,
HF radars, etc.);
Investigations of wave model errors dependence on swell parameters (usually source
of the largest errors) and improved parameterizations;
Ocean model forcing that will explicitly include the effect of waves from wave models
on the upper ocean dynamics;
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•
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Co-location methods and related metrics to generate model-observation match-up
data for wave verification;
The interaction of waves and currents at small scales both in the open ocean and
near the shoreline.
Required developments with longer-term objectives
•
•
•
•
•
Improved wave modeling near the ice edge and in ice-infested waters.
Improved modeling of extreme and rough waves based on coupled wave-currentstratification interactions.
Developments to implement fully coupled ocean-wave models in which both
components will exchange information at high frequency, and development of
coupling parameterizations (bulk parameterizations for instance);
Implementation of advanced techniques to assimilate data into coupled ocean-waveatmosphere model systems;
Use of probabilistic methods to improve the prediction of coupled ocean-wave
models and their uncertainties.
4.8 NEW GENERATION OF SEA-ICE MODELLING
Expected evolutions
There is evidence of a number of shortcomings in modelling the coupled ocean-sea-iceatmosphere system at high latitudes that continue to limit the quality of operational
products delivered to users (both real-time as well as reanalyses). The 10 km to 100 km wide
Marginal Ice Zone where ocean waves and sea ice processes are coupled is expected to
widen in a warmer Arctic, but is still not well represented, neither in data nor in operational
models. Additionally, products for fisheries (having a very strong economic value) depend on
several qualities of both physical models (mixing, horizontal and vertical advection of larvae)
and primary and secondary production models.
Some shortcomings are inherent in the traditional viscous-plastic sea-ice rheology (and
elastic-viscous-plastic as well) in the sea-ice models in use today, the deformations of sea ice
being not correctly represented and in turn the velocity of sea ice drift being also incorrect.
The ability to assimilate sea ice drift is also impaired by such model bias. In addition, the
inclusion of more non-linear, chaotic processes are expected to become increasingly
challenging for assimilation methods, in a context where more observations will be delivered
from space, especially through the Sentinel suite.
Required developments with short- to mid-term objectives
•
Sea-ice models based on more realistic rheology (for instance rheological models
based on solid mechanics rather than fluid mechanics and their inclusion into
operational models) and coupling between ocean waves and sea-ice processes;
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CMEMS SERVICE EVOLUTION STRATEGY: R&D PRIORITIES
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•
•
•
•
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Improved physical modeling of mixing below sea ice, in particular the cold halocline
layer, which is still a serious issue for the Arctic Ocean modeling community and the
climate modeling community at large;
Improved sea ice thermodynamics that will include effects of surface melt ponds;
Coupling with snow models to account for ageing of snow and blowing snow;
Development of a new generation of sub-kilometer scale dynamic sea ice models
able to resolve ice floes;
New data assimilation methods designed to handle strongly nonlinear dynamics and
semi-qualitative information from satellites such as the type of sea ice, the thickness
of thin and detailed information available from SAR imagery.
Required developments with longer-term objectives
•
•
•
Representation of biological cycles in sea ice, including optical properties of sea ice
and vertical migration of nutrients in sea ice;
Specific development for modeling of the Marginal Ice Zone, taking into account the
heterogeneity in sea ice coverage and coupling effects with ocean and atmosphere
and waves at fine scales;
Developments on sea-ice models and data assimilation targeted to initialize coupled
ocean-atmosphere and sea-ice forecasts for a wide range of time scales. The coupling
with ocean waves should be taken into account in the development of models and
associated data assimilation methods.
4.9 DATA ASSIMILATIVE MODELLING OF MARINE ECOSYSTEMS AND
BIOGEOCHEMISTRY
Expected evolutions
Our capacity to assess the state of the marine environment regularly and accurately will
have to be consolidated in the future. Users of the future CMEMS will benefit from the
gradual improvement of models and tools to monitor the biogeochemical state of ocean and
marine ecosystems in ocean basins and marginal seas, using model-data integration and
assimilation methodologies. This will require very significant strengthening of the
observation system of the “green” ocean component at a range of scales, including in
regional and coastal seas. The potential of future satellite sensors (e.g. imagers from
geostationary satellites) in particular should induce a breakthrough in the monitoring of
coastal areas and the land-ocean interface. Monitoring also the concentration and
distribution of pollution and its overlap in time and space with effects on biological species
will be essential for predicting ecosystem responses to pollution. Other challenges on the
marine component of the carbon/greenhouse gas cycle will also require significant R&D
effort as significant gaps in monitoring tools also exist in this area.
During the past 3 years, the FP7 OPEC project has developed and evaluated ecosystem
monitoring tools to help assess and manage the risks posed by human activities on the
marine environment, thus improving the ability to predict the “health” of European marine
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ecosystems. OPEC developed prototype ecological marine forecast systems for European
seas (North-East Atlantic, Baltic, Mediterranean and Black Seas), which include
hydrodynamics, lower and higher trophic levels (plankton to fish) and biological data
assimilation and made demonstration reanalysis simulations, assessed the effectiveness of
current operational ecosystem monitoring systems and demonstrated the potential to make
robust seasonal ecosystem forecasts. Simultaneously, the FP7 OSS2015 project has
developed R&D activities with the objective to derive representations of biogeochemical
variables from the integration of gliders and floats with Earth Observation satellite data into
cutting-edge numerical biogeochemical and bio-optical models. There is an expectation that
the integrated Atlantic Ocean observing system (AtlantOS) will increase the number and
quality of in-situ observations on chemistry, biology and ecology over the next decade. A coevolution of the data use in assessment and predictive models holds great potential for new
products and users.
It is required that results from these projects as well as similar advances in the field be
transferred to CMEMS in order to consolidate the core ecosystem component of the service.
Required developments with short- to mid-term objectives
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Improved marine ecosystem models including uncertainty estimation capabilities;
Extension of existing monitoring capabilities for primary production to ecosystem
variables describing higher trophic levels (plankton to fish) and ecological products;
Improved ocean color products in regional seas;
Tailored provision of operational products in addition to standard (T, S, Chl, – oxygen,
pH, nutrients, light, plankton biomass) in support of predictive habitat forecasts, for
ecological status and fisheries modelling and risk assessment (e.g. invasive species,
HABs);
Multi-data assimilation capabilities (combining state and parameter estimation),
combining ocean color and sub-surface data from Bio-Argo, gliders and other
relevant ecological observations especially in regional seas; joint assimilation of
physical/biological data;
New modules linking optical properties in the near-surface ocean to biomass;
improved representation of key processes such as primary production, nutrient
uptake, grazing etc. in models resolving the diurnal variability;
Demonstration of consistent interfacing (nesting, downscaling) between open ocean
biogeochemical models and regional/coastal ecosystem models and downstream
applications;
Develop a standardized validation method/system for ecosystem model
products/variables (particularly related to non-assimilated observations/variables).
Required developments with longer-term objectives
•
Improved description of benthic-pelagic coupling on short-term (seasonal) and longterm (decadal) scales; identification of the impact of good initial conditions;
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•
•
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Improved methodologies for supplying operational information on sources of
nutrients and pollution/chemicals to the oceans;
Develop a system for routine model estimates of the dose and direct and indirect
effects of pollution on communities of algae, zooplankton and fish larvae (based on
dose/effect laboratory studies on individuals);
New capabilities for ecosystem projections at seasonal (to decadal) scales.
4.10 SEAMLESS INTERACTIONS BETWEEN CMEMS AND COASTAL SYSTEMS
The coastal monitoring services operated by Member States or private groups will form an
important and strategic group of users of the CMEMS. These activities will enhance the
socio-economic value of CMEMS by contributing to the MSFD, spatial planning and other
downstream applications (offshore operations, coastal engineering, habitat monitoring,
aquaculture, HAB monitoring, adaptation and mitigation to climate change). Downscaling
also includes the integration with coastal observatories and the role of CMEMS regional
products is also to fill gaps in the coastal observatories.
However, the “one-way” vision of a core service delivering information to downstream users
without feedback to upstream providers has a number of limitations since the coastal strip
should also be considered as an “active” boundary layer that also influences the open ocean
region connected to coastal areas. We are now at the stage to include the local scale into the
regional scale. It is therefore needed to develop the CMEMS in such a way as to enable more
efficient interfacing with a large variety of coastal systems describing the physical,
biogeochemical and ecosystem. This will require the provision of suitable connectivity
between the systems operated by the CMEMS and the national coastal systems, where
adaptations at the level of regional seas benefit from user experience and practices.
Scientifically, interactions between littoral, shelf, regional and abyssal seas are still a major
unknown, poorly characterized and modelled, yet vital to ecosystems and the health of a
high percentage of ocean productivity and coastal ocean science based management. In FP6,
the ECOOP project was developed with the objective to consolidate, integrate and further
develop existing European coastal and regional seas operational observing and forecasting
systems into an integrated pan-European system targeted at detecting environmental and
climate changes, predicting their evolution, producing timely and quality assured forecasts,
and providing marine information services (including data, information products, knowledge
and scientific advices). The objectives and progress made in the framework of ECOOP and
other similar projects should be reconsidered within the context of CMEMS now in
operation. Such initiative should rely on the coordination role of EuroGOOS with regard to
operational oceanography and its contribution to define and implement a marine monitoring
system in Europe.
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Required developments with short- to mid-term objectives
•
•
•
•
•
•
Comprehensive impact studies of CMEMS boundary conditions on coastal systems
(physics, biology) and their applications (e.g. MSFD); Approaches to enable
incorporation of river inputs from observatories or services;
Development of consistent wave-current-atmosphere coupling in regional seas with
assimilative capabilities;
Data assimilation and ensemble forecasting improvements to better serve the coastal
applications;
Development of flexible interfaces between regional and coastal models, including
near-shore and estuarine models and with the capability to connect structured and
unstructured grids;
Identification of key common components of the regional/coastal observing system
(space and in situ) needed for sustained operations;
Interface with the GODAE COSS Task Team to incorporate lessons learned from
regional-coastal coupling and intercomparison exercises at international level.
Required developments with longer-term objectives
•
•
•
Development of efficient two-way nesting/coupling methods with assimilative
capabilities, to ensure exchange of information between coastal monitoring and
modelling systems and CMEMS;
Adoption of robust standards to ensure compatibility between CMEMS and
downstream systems;
Connection and coupling with land hydrology models.
4.11 COUPLED
CAPABILITY
OCEAN-ATMOSPHERE
MODELS
WITH
ASSIMILATIVE
Expected evolutions
While coupled ocean-atmosphere models have been developed for a while in the context of
climate research and weather forecasting, the MFC systems in CMEMS are currently based
on a “forcing mode” approach in which the ocean dynamics is driven by surface momentum,
heat and freshwater fluxes computed using specified atmospheric information at fairly
coarse space-time resolution, independent of the actual state of the ocean at higher
resolution. This could be an issue due to the different scales of variability in the atmosphere
and ocean systems. In particular, the lack of feedback at fine scales between ocean and
atmospheric models leads to inconsistencies and has implications for the practical prediction
of regional and coastal environments. Further, the existence of observations at the oceanatmosphere interface is an opportunity to introduce assimilation constraints into coupled
models, especially for regional/coastal applications of interest to Copernicus users.
In MyOcean2, global and regional coupled modelling systems have been used for this
purpose. This work needs to be consolidated in order to respond to the more generic needs
of the CMEMS.
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Required developments with short- to mid-term objectives
•
•
•
•
Representation of diurnal variability and cool skin layer in forced ocean and coupled
ocean-atmosphere models;
Consistent numerical schemes to improve the representation of ocean-atmosphere
interactions for regional oceanic applications;
Adaptation of assimilation methods to observations of air-sea interface properties
(e.g., sea surface temperature, sea surface salinity, surface currents, ocean colour)
consistent with estimates of air-sea fluxes and the turbulent nature of oceanic and
atmospheric boundary layers;
Use of ocean wave spectra to determine contributions to boundary layer momentum
fluxes.
Required developments with longer-term objectives
•
•
•
•
Novel ocean forcing approaches that may include simplified atmospheric boundary
layer dynamics and ocean feedbacks at high spatial resolution;
Analyses of impacts and feedbacks resulting from coupling between ocean,
atmosphere and waves on the surface ocean biology, including in the case of
extreme events;
Facilitate collaboration with the atmospheric community for exploitation of the
surface observations common to the coupled ocean-sea-ice-atmosphere interface,
such as surface winds, surface currents, SST, waves, sea-ice concentration, sea-ice
thickness and sea-ice temperature;
Focused research on the observational control of systems with different time scales,
which can be extrapolated to the application of coupled reanalyses of the Earth
system.
4.12 OCEAN CLIMATE VARIABILITY: REANALYSIS, FORECASTS AND SCENARIOS
FOR FUTURE CHANGES
Data assimilative modelling systems are used to produce ocean reanalyses that describe the
ocean variability and are suitable for detection of climate changes during the past, observed
decades. However many users are interested in the knowledge of future trends, ocean
evolutions under different climate conditions including different greenhouse gases emission
scenarios, likely modifications of the marine environment variability, and probability of
extreme or harmful events that will occur during the future, unobserved period. Earth
system simulations provide a relevant framework to project the present oceanic state in the
future through seasonal to decadal predictions, which could be used together with ocean
reanalyses to infer likely changes in the ocean physics, biogeochemistry and the marine
environment. In the field of ecology, our scientific understanding of ecosystems has
matured to a point that our capacity to produce probabilistic ecological forecasts is
becoming viable for a variety of critical coastal environment, health and safety issues (e.g.
harmful algal blooms, dissolved oxygen, water quality, coral bleaching).
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Methodologies to derive meaningful information about the ocean climate variability and
evolution using a combination of Earth System models with assimilative components to
produce ocean forecasts, reanalyses and long-term predictions from several months to
decades should be developed. This will also require the production of improved ocean
reanalyses, with reduced systematic errors and improved dynamical consistency. The
progress in reanalysis product quality delivered by the CMEMS will have to be monitored on
a continuous basis, using proven, verifiable and robust methodologies that can be shared
with external partners from the operational oceanography community. This activity can rely
on standard metrics (e.g. as defined in the international GOV framework) or on new
approaches to be developed by CMEMS in coordination with other relevant groups at the
international level. These activities will contribute to the consolidation of Ocean State
Reports delivered by CMEMS, and to the development of the Copernicus Climate Change
Service (C3S) line.
Required developments with short- to mid-term objectives
•
•
•
•
•
•
Reduction of systematic errors in the modelling and assimilation components of
reanalysis systems, including improved methods to account for representativity and
sampling observation errors;
Probabilistic framework and metrics for ocean reanalysis using ensemble techniques;
Framework for coordination / intercomparisons with international community efforts
(EuroGOOS, GODAE OceanView, CLIVAR, CMIP activities …);
Developments to prepare the extension forecasting capabilities of ocean circulation
and marine environment at ranges from several weeks to years;
Development of spatial verification methods based on those used by the NWP
community;
Development of a user feedback mechanism that ensures that the new products are
addressing users’ requirements, are delivering at the highest possible standards and
are designed to be flexible and adaptive.
Required developments with longer-term objectives
•
•
•
New methods and diagnostics to evaluate the predictability and chaoticity of the
turbulent ocean circulation, biogeochemistry and marine ecosystems at global, basin
scale or regional scale;
Methodologies to project information about the present ocean state and variability
into future, based on a combination of reanalysis and climate models;
Methods to ensure quality, homogeneity and robust uncertainty measures in longterm time-series reconstructed from data or model reanalyses.
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5
THE SERVICE EVOLUTION ROADMAP
UNTIL 2021
The 12 R&D areas developed in the previous section should be covered in such a way as to
ensure that CMEMS can evolve towards the targeted service lines foreseen for 2021 and
after. While the 12 R&D areas are all relevant and essential at present to reach the
objectives initially defined for the CMEMS, priorities should be re-adjusted periodically
according to updates of user requirements, the status of scientific developments achieved
within and outside the CMEMS community, and to new service lines especially those
emerging from the high level CMEMS evolution strategy.
In this section are described the outline of the service lines anticipated in 2021, the new R&D
developments to be taken into account for the definition of R&D priorities in future calls,
and the main scheduling of service evolution projects until the end of the CMEMS
implementation period.
5.1 THE TARGETED CMEMS SERVICE IN 2021
The CMEMS is currently designed to deliver products to users in four main domains of
application:
i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
marine safety, which requires information at very high resolution in focused areas all
over the globe to support marine operations, marine weather forecasting, sea ice
forecasting, combating oil spill, informing ship routing and search and rescue
operations, and all activities requesting offshore operations;
marine resources, with applications to the sustainable management of living marine
resources, through fisheries and mariculture;
coastal and marine environment, with applications that require good knowledge of
environmental status in coastal areas in terms of physical, chemical and biological
components and their variability, and
weather, seasonal forecasting and climate, with needs for accurate information near
the surface and sub-surface ocean, on a daily or shorter time basis, in real time and
delayed mode during the last 20-40 years.
The CMEMS technical annex provides the framework for the implementation of the CMEMS
in terms of functionalities and operational tasks.
With respect to the existing CMEMS offer, the evolution of the service will be focused on
improving product consistency (especially of reprocessed time series and reanalyses), quality
assessment, increasing resolution in space and time, improving assimilation schemes, in
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CMEMS SERVICE EVOLUTION STRATEGY: R&D PRIORITIES
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particular, for biogeochemical data, developing new surface wave products for all MFCs and
coupling the ocean circulation with waves to produce consistent estimates. These objectives
will have to be covered by CMEMS Tier-2 projects (see below) and 3-6 years R&D plans of
the TACs/MFCs. The technical annex identifies additional service lines more specifically
motivated by Member States’ requirements. Service evolution priorities should be oriented
to improve:
•
•
•
The data assimilation techniques needed to optimally exploit the considerable
investment in observation infrastructure and increase of data flow, especially
through the Sentinel constellation that will be in place in 2021 in tandem with the in
situ component; these techniques should also take into account new HPC
architectures and computing facilities available in 2021;
Ocean climate monitoring (physics and biogeochemistry including O2 and pH),
supported by the release of annual Ocean State Reports, informed by annual
analyses of the state of the global ocean and the European regional seas, in particular
for supporting the Member States in their assessment obligation;
The support to coastal area monitoring by Member States through the provision of
suitable interfaces and boundary conditions for efficient operation between the
CMEMS and the national coastal systems, where adaptations at the level of regional
seas benefit from user experience and practices.
The CMEMS service is operated today in an overarching framework that includes other
Copernicus services, such as the Atmosphere service (ECMWF), Land service (EEA, JRC),
Emergency service (JRC), Security service (EMSA, FRONTEX, SATCEN) and Climate Change
service (C3S, ECMWF), as well as a community of new users consolidated through dedicated
user uptake calls. This landscape will smoothly modify the profile of capabilities and users
and service needs, including new users at the intersection between different Copernicus
services. However at present, existing R&D projects and service priorities largely align with
the Marine Service overarching objectives.
5.2 TIER-3 R&D MARINE PROJECTS OF INTEREST TO CMEMS
This section provides a status of Tier-3 (i.e., long-term objectives) R&D projects that are
identified in 2016 as relevant for the CMEMS service evolution.
Completed projects
A number of projects, including those implemented under the Space theme in 2012, have
been completed in 2014/2015:
•
•
E-AIMS: improved European contribution to the international Argo observing system
in support to scientific and operational challenges for in-situ monitoring of the world
ocean.
MyWave: preparation of the scientific grounds for a wave component of the marine
service.
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CMEMS SERVICE EVOLUTION STRATEGY: R&D PRIORITIES
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•
•
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OSS2015: consolidation of biogeochemical products, information and services based
on models, in situ and satellite observations.
OPEC: improvement of operational services for biochemistry and ecological
parameters at time scales from days to decades, with a focus on ecological status of
coastal and shelf seas.
SANGOMA: preparation of the new generation of stochastic data assimilation
methods for ocean physical and biological model applications.
Ongoing and newly decided EU projects
•
•
•
•
•
JERICO-NEXT: H2020 project (2015-2018), which aims at a solid and transparent
European network in providing operational services for delivering high quality
environmental data and information products related to marine environment in
European coastal seas;
AtlantOS: H2020 project (2015-2019), which aims at Optimising and Enhancing the
Integrated Observing Systems in the Atlantic Ocean (northern and southern basins),
with a focus on in situ platforms and considering European as well as non-European
projects (TPOS in the tropical Pacific, and SOOS in the southern ocean) and partners.
IntarOS: a new H2020 project (2016-2020) to build up an integrated and unified
holistic monitoring system for the different parts of the Arctic, including tools for
integration of data from atmosphere, ocean, cryosphere and terrestrial sciences.
SPICES: H2020 project (2015-2018) which aims at developing new methods to
retrieve sea ice parameters from existing satellite sensors to provide enhanced
products for polar operators and prediction systems.
CEASELESS: a newly selected project from the Space EO-3-2016 call that will
demonstrate how the new Sentinel measurements can support the development of a
coastal dimension in Copernicus.
Further, it is anticipated that new projects with similar objectives as AtlantOS and IntarOS
will be selected in the coming months to consolidate the in situ observation system,
infrastructures and data management capabilities in the Mediterranean Sea, Black Sea and
other regions.
A variety of new projects supporting mainly the development of downstream services are
also of potential interest to the evolution of the CMEMS (e.g., AQUA-USERS, SAFI, HIGHROC,
SWARP, BASE-platform, EO4life, Co-ReSyf, EONav, Copernicus App Lab, CYANOLAKES,
EOMORES, SPACE-O and MARINE-O EO-1 &2 projects) and should be monitored to some
extent by CMEMS experts.
R&D gaps for future H2020 calls
The guidance document published by the EC in 2015 (“Research needs of Copernicus
operational services”) identified 4 key actions needed to implement the CMEMS over the
period of 2014-2020, taking into account evolving user needs and technological
developments.
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These 4 key actions (that were based on the first version of this roadmap) are associated to
the following S&T challenges:
•
•
•
•
Solving ocean dynamics at kilometric resolution,
Designing future observing systems and related assimilation methods,
Developing seamless information chains linking dynamics, biogeochemistry and
ecosystem essential variables,
Seamless interactions between CMEMS and coastal monitoring systems.
The table below shows that a number of H2020 projects recently implemented or decided
will address some S&T challenges (mainly action 2 and 4), while other actions (1) and (3) are
still needed to meet the objectives.
1. Solving ocean dynamics at km resolution
2. Designing future observing systems and AtlantOS, Jerico-NEXT,
related assimilation methods
CEASELESS
3. Developing seamless chains linking
dynamics,
biogeochemistry
and
ecosystem
4. Seamless interactions between CMEMS CEASELESS
and coastal monitoring systems
IntarOS,
SPICES,
5.3 TIER-2 R&D MARINE PROJECTS SELECTED BY CMEMS
This section provides an overview of the Tier-2 (i.e., medium-term objectives) R&D projects
that were selected for the CMEMS Service Evolution call 21-SE-CALL1 released in autumn
2015. An outline of the 12 selected project including project participants and abstracts can
be found here: http://www.mercator-ocean.fr/en/mercator-ocean/copernicus/serviceevolution/
The 2015 CMEMS call included 5 lots:
•
•
•
Ocean circulation, ocean-wave and ocean-ice coupling (3 projects selected):
proposals funded under this theme are mainly addressing sub-mesoscale processes
(R&D area 4.6), ocean-wave coupling (R&D area 4.7) and ocean-sea ice coupling (R&D
area 4.7).
Marine ecosystems and biogeochemistry (3 projects selected): the funded projects
cover several R&D objectives identified under area 4.9, specifically modelling of
higher trophic levels in ecosystems and data assimilation capabilities.
Links with coastal environment (2 projects selected): one project addresses
upscaling issues under R&D area 10, while the other focuses on regional data
assimilation and ensemble forecasting;
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CMEMS SERVICE EVOLUTION STRATEGY: R&D PRIORITIES
•
•
20 September 2016
Ocean-Atmosphere coupling and climate (1 project selected): the project focuses on
momentum exchange across the ocean-atmosphere interface in regional ocean
prediction systems (R&D area 11);
Cross-cutting developments on observation, assimilation, and product quality
improvement (3 project selected): proposals funded under this theme address (i)
satellite SST assimilation with proper account of diurnal cycle, (ii) the integration of
existing European HFR operational systems into the CMEMS, and (iii) synergistic use
of satellite and in situ data to infer the state of the upper ocean and associated flux
of tracers and energy at fine scale.
A preliminary review of the projects will take place in early 2017 to identify if all projects are
on track and to assess in advance the range of results of potential interest for the Tier-1
workplan. For the next call for tenders to be released in autumn 2017, priorities should be
targeted towards the R&D areas and objectives not covered so far; they should also take into
account results and recommendations from on-going R&D projects.
5.4 SERVICE EVOLUTION ROADMAP AND MILESTONES UNTIL 2021
The CMEMS R&D roadmap until 2021 will be implemented as illustrated below. In addition
to programmatic aspects, a number of milestones relevant to the service evolution R&D will
complement the roadmap, e.g. the CMEMS Science Days/Marine Days to be likely organized
in September 2017.
At Tier-2 level, the 12 CMEMS R&D projects selected in early 2016 (from the fall 2015 call)
will terminate at the end of Phase 1, so as to provide guidance to the Tier-1 R&D workplans
that will have to be developed in the TACs/MFCs tenders covering phase 2. The second Tier2 CMEMS call for tenders, to be released after October 2017, will mainly impact the CMEMS
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after 2021: this will set a clear programmatic constraint on the definition of the long-term
CMEMS strategy for the post 2021 period.
At Tier-3 level, ongoing H2020 projects (e.g. AtlantOS) are expected to deliver results of
interest to CMEMS, but not before 2018. The newly EU-funded projects (e.g. under the
Space EO-3-2016) that will be kicked off in a few months are expected to provide elements
for the future CMEMS period starting in 2021.
It will be critical to make progress in 2017 on the design of CMEMS for the Post 2021 period
as it will be influential for R&D activities to be promoted and organized at both EU and
CMEMS level to ensure consistent articulation between the current CMEMS and the service
to be implemented in the post-2021 period.
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