Ocean Forecasting Demonstration
“Ocean Forecast Demonstration” is intended to develop ocean forecast system and provide products and applications for the South East Asia Seas through the utilization and comparison of the wave-tide-circulation coupled model (MASNUM), BLUElink or other global ocean forecasting systems in the region.
The forecast system, including ocean circulation, surface wave, Typhoon and surge, ocean temperature, front and sediment transport etc is under construction through collaboration among member states of WESTPAC. BlueLink is one of ocean forecasting model which has been developed and implemented in Australian waters.
With a view to using an existing operational ocean forecast model in the region to support SEAGOOS, the development and implementation of BlueLink in SEAGOOS region was proposed to the seventh intergovernmental session of IOC/WESTPAC with considerations that BlueLink is one of the existing model and has their own plan to cover SEA region.
First consultative meeting
The first consultative side meeting of implement of BlueLink in SEA region was carried out in Paris during the Forty-first Session of the IOC Executive Council, June 2008, among Mr. Wenxi Zhu (IOC/WESTPAC Secretariat), Dr. Somkiat Khokiattiwong (SEAGOOS Coordinator), Dr. Nick D’Adamo (IOC Perth Office), Dr.Peter Dexter (Australian-BlueLink Programme), and Dr. Dr.Shailesh Nayak (Chairman of IOGOOS).
There was principal agreement that BlueLink team would support to develop and implement the operation of BluLink in the IOGOOS and SEAGOOS region, subject to the willingness of participating member states.
The follow up activity of BlueLink for IOGOOS and SEAGOOS was discussed again during the working group on capacity development and the application of operational ocean forecasting systems in the IOGOOS/SEAGOOS regions using regional and basin scale systems such as Australia’s Bluelink during the GOOS SSC XII workshop, 23-24 February 2009. The representative from member state of SEAGOOS recognized that it may be an opportunity to take advantage of existing ocean forecasting knowledge/outputs to address questions from regional users who have access to high resolution regional models, which would benefit from boundary condition information.
The follow up of ocean forecasting model from GOOS SSC XII workshop was presented to the first expert meeting of Monsoon Onset Monitoring and its Social and Ecosystem Impacts (MOMSEI) for further discussion.
Second consultative meeting
The second consultative meeting of implementation of BlueLink in SEAGOOS was carried out in Paris during the 25th Assembly of UNESCO IOC, June 2009, among Mr. Wenxi Zhu (IOC/WESTPAC Secretariat), Dr. Somkiat Khokiattiwong (SEAGOOS Coordinator), Dr. Nick D’Adamo (IOC Perth Office), Dr.Peter Dexter (BlueLink Programme), and Dr. Dr.Shailesh Nayak (Chairman of IOGOOS).
The meeting suggested that BlueLink project provide ocean forecasting information in SEA region through the website to the public in the region to learn more about the BlueLink. It will provide basic information and knowledge for future development of project in the region.The meeting also accepted the kind offer of IOC Perth Office to host the first workshop on Ocean Forecasting Demonstration Project for IOGOOS and SEAGOOS, which will take place in July 2010 in Perth, Western Australia.
MASNUM (wave-tide circulation coupling model) is developed by First Institute of Oceanography, China. The system can provide high resolution (about 15 km) 3D forecast results for the whole South East Asia seas and more higher resolution (<5 km) 3D forecast results for special identified areas by member states of WESTPAC. The pilot project was developed based on existing cooperation on ocean modeling among Phuket Marine Biological Center (PMBC), National University of Malaysia, and the First Institute of Oceanography.
All three institutes do agree with IOC/WESTPAC that this project could be upgraded to regional level under SEAGOOS programm of IOC/WESTPAC. The utmost goal for this project is to enhance the ocean forecast capability in each participating country through transfer of technology, and knowledge exchange of existing ocean models. Since the level of R&D activities in numerical ocean modeling and physical oceanography in this region is still in its infancy stage, this project would provide an impetus to efforts in establishing ocean modeling groups in the region. This project would also be much beneficial to SEAGOOS since its establishment would encourage future establishment of regional ocean observing system in the region.