Workshop on surface process coupling and its interactions with the atmosphere

Part of ECMWF's 50th anniversary celebrations

Overview

Surface interactions with the overlying atmosphere are essential for numerical weather predictions, from short-term near-surface weather predictions to enhanced predictability for slowly evolving timescales up to decades, and they become ever more important as resolution is increasing and as more processes are resolved. 

In this workshop, we will consider how to improve the representation of coupled processes to enhance future implementations of our global numerical weather prediction models between the ocean, waves, sea ice, the land surface and the atmosphere. This will include coupling strategies and tools, conservation and consistency of the coupling, and differences in coupling strategies between physics-based and machine-learned models. 

We will split the time between presentations and breakout groups and prioritise discussions around future development targets. The expected outcomes from the meeting are a knowledge exchange between operational centres about current performance and future plans, and recommendations for future development work, including resolution, complexity and data driven solutions.

Format

To derive the final agenda of the workshop, we invite abstracts that provide an outline how coupling is performed at the various modelling centres and for state-of-the-art forecast models. We invite contributions on general coupling strategies, and in particular progress in the development of coupling tools and new approaches via enhanced timestepping schemes or machine learning. We will try to divide talks on the more physical challenge of coupling into two large sessions in the wider areas of the water and the energy cycle. 

Abstracts will be considered for either oral presentations or posters. We will leave plenty of room for discussions in breakout groups that will target current challenges and future opportunities and will summarise the results in a plenary discussion at the end of the workshop.

Attendance information

If you would like to attend this workshop, please complete the registration form before 13 December 2024. If you are interested in giving a presentation at the workshop, please also complete an abstract submission form.

Workshop participants will also have an opportunity to attend the opening plenary on Monday 7 April (p.m.) and a common day with the Annual Seminar on Tuesday 8 April.