Application of collected data
Presentations at the DBCP Technical Workshop
Chennai, India, 18-19 October 2004

Theme 2: Operations

E-SURFMAR: A Surface Marine Observation Programme in the North Atlantic and Adjacent Seas 
Pierre Blouch (Meteo-France); Frank Grooters (KNMI) presenter

ABSTRACT: 

E-SURFMAR is an optional programme of the ground based EUMETNET Composite Observing System (EUCOS). In 2004, 15 European Meteorological Services out of the 19 EUMETNET members, are participating in this programme of which the objective is to co-ordinate, optimise and progressively integrate the activities for surface observations over the sea within the EUCOS Operational framework.

The initial programme started on 1st April 2003. It has been initially defined with a duration of 4 years divided into two stages of two years each : design study during stage 1, then implementation during stage 2. Météo-France is the EUMETNET responsible member for this programme.

E-SURFMAR includes Voluntary Observing Ships (VOS) operated by participating members as well as data buoys presently co-ordinated by the European Group on Ocean Stations (EGOS). Each of these components is fitted with a Technical Advisory Group who helps the Programme Manager to conduct the programme.

One of the main objectives of EUCOS is to optimise the ground observing system to improve short range forecast over Europe. In this context, a suitable network of surface marine observations has been proposed by E-SURFMAR to meet WMO requirements of surface marine data for regional Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) as complement of the data provided by satellite remote sensing.