paper an operational european global ocean observing system...

Nations Conference on Environment andDevelopment (1992), the establishment of aGlobal Ocean Observing System (GOOS) wasaddressed. Responsibility for the design, pro-motion, and implementation of GOOS world-wide was assigned to the IntergovernmentalOceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO.Marine monitoring and forecasting systems onglobal, regional (e.g., European), and local (e.g.,Cyprus) scales will play key roles in balancingthe relationship between development and theenvironment. The development of an opera-tional oceanographic monitoring and forecast-ing system certainly will support better man-agement of the marine environment, reducingenvironmental problems that arise from the var-ious economic activities in the marine sector.The research and development of these systemswill enable a continued sustainable improve-ment, potentially helping to mitigate the effectsof industrial accidents, thus further benefitingthe economy.

GOOS consists of the following mainoperational modules: a) a network of remotesensing, both in situ and satellite oceanograph-ic systems, b) an integrated set of oceanograph-ic models to provide coastal and ocean fore-casts, and c) a data network that connects themonitoring systems and the models, and pro-vides updated information to oceanographicdatabases and to end users (IOC, 1998).

Following the GOOS initiation, theEuropean Global Ocean Observing System(EuroGOOS) and the Mediterranean GlobalOcean Observing System (MedGOOS) initia-tives were established respectively in 1994 and1999. EuroGOOS supports the objectives ofGOOS at the European level. In EuroGOOSthere is a strong emphasis on the developmentand application of new and existing technology,which will allow more efficient use of forecast-ing, observing, and other related tools, withminimal cost and human resources(EuroGOOS, 1997).

Similarly, the objectives of MedGOOSare to link existing operational systems in theMediterranean and to extend the area of opera-tional oceanographic systems to the entireregion (MAMA group, 2002). MedGOOS mod-ules will be based upon principles similar tothose of EuroGOOS. The development of aregional operational forecasting and observingsystem for the Mediterranean will benefit localusers in all aspects of the marine sector (IOC,1998). In MedGOOS there are 16 participating

ABSTRACT The countries surrounding the MediterraneanSea have joined together in several multina-tional initiatives to conduct long-term, inte-grated, operational oceanographic observa-tions and modelling of this important region.Some of these initiatives and the countrymembers involved are discussed in this paper.Particular emphasis is given to long-termobserving systems and modelling conducted inthe Eastern Mediterranean Levantine Basinand the region around the island of Cyprus. Acomplete operational oceanographic forecast-ing and observing system has been developedin Cyprus, and has been operational sinceearly 2002. The system is called CYCOFOS—Cyprus Coastal Ocean Forecasting andObserving System—and is a component of theGlobal Ocean Observing System (GOOS), andits European (EuroGOOS) and Mediterranean(MedGOOS) modules. CYCOFOS is the resultof several years of research activities all car-ried out within the framework of EuropeanUnion-funded projects including: (1)Mediterranean forecasting system, both pilotproject and towards environmental predic-tions (MFSPP and MFSTEP), (2)Mediterranean network to Access and upgradeMonitoring and forecasts Activities in theregion (MAMA), (3) European Sea levelService Research Infrastructure (ESEAS-RI),(4) Mediterranean network of Global sea LevelObserving System (MedGLOSS), and (5)Marine Environment and Security in theEuropean Areas (MERSEA strand 1). CYCO-FOS at present consists of several operationalmodules, including flow and offshore wavesforecasts, satellite remote sensing, coastalmonitoring stations and end user-derivedapplications. All these operational modulesprovide regular near-real-time information,both to local and sub-regional end users in theEastern Mediterranean Levantine Basin. Thispaper discusses these as well as additionalocean observation stations and features soonto be added to CYCOFOS.

PREFACE

The sustainable development of the coastaland offshore regions of the Mediterraneanand the region’s marine economic activitiesdepend crucially on the scientific knowledge ofthe marine system variability, particularly onour capability to monitor and forecast at therelevant space and time scales in near-real-time.These challenges have been addressed in sever-al international fora. In Agenda 21 of the United

MTS Journal • Vol. 37, No. 3 • 115

George Zodiatis1,2, RobinLardner1,2, GeorgiosGeorgiou2, Encho Demirov3 ,Giuseppe Manzella4 andNadia Pinardi31Oceanography Centre,

Department of Fisheries& Marine Research,Nicosia, Cyprus

2ComputationalOceanography Group,MAS, University ofCyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus

3Istituto Nazionale diGeofisica e Vulcanologia,Rome, Italy

4ENEA CRAM, La Spezia, Italy

An Operational European Global Ocean Observing Systemfor the Eastern Mediterranean Levantine Basin: TheCyprus Coastal Ocean Forecasting and Observing System

PAPER

Mediterranean following the MFSPP.Additionally, MFSTEP is intended todemonstrate to end users the usefulnessand benefits of the operational oceano-graphic forecasting products (Pinardi etal., 2002a). MFSTEP benefits from itsforty-eight participating institutions, rep-resenting 15 countries: Belgium, Cyprus,Czech Republic, France, Germany,Greece, Israel, Italy, Malta, Netherlands,Slovenia, Spain, Turkey, and Ukraine.Since 1999 the Mediterranean ForecastingSystem (including both phases: MFSPPand MFSTEP) has been providing weeklyforecasts of currents, sea temperature,salinity, and sea level throughout theMediterranean Sea. To produce thesenear-real-time forecasts, a tremendousamount of data is collected and assimilat-ed from in situ observations, buoys,XBTs, remote sensing, etc.

4) Marine Environment and Security for theEuropean Area strand 1 (MERSEA strand1), is a Global Monitoring forEnvironment and Security (GMES) activi-ty that ultimately aims to develop a pan-European capacity for operational moni-toring and forecasting of ocean physics,biogeochemistry, and ecosystems onglobal and regional scales. The objectiveof MERSEA strand 1 is to integrate exist-ing satellite observations with data fromin situ monitoring networks and performocean modelling and data assimilation(Johannessen et al., 2002). MERSEAstrand 1 will create the operationalframework for the real-time provision ofproducts to European marine environ-mental agencies from sectors including:1) marine transportation, naval opera-tions, and tourism; 2) exploitation andmanagement of ocean resources (off-shore oil and gas industry, fisheries, andaquaculture); 3) environmental issuesfrom local (pollution crises, impact stud-ies) to global (ocean climate variabilityand change, contribution to seasonal cli-mate prediction); and 4) research withthe goal of better understanding theocean.

5) European Sea level Service ResearchInfrastructure (ESEAS-RI) (Plag, 2002) isan ESEAS activity including theMediterranean network of Global seaLevel Observing System (MedGLOSS)activities (Rosen, 2001), whose mainobjectives are to support the ESEASresearch infrastructure, to facilitate pan-European coordination, and to upgradeand standardize the network of sea level

institutions, representing thirteen countries:Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Cyprus, Egypt,France, Greece, Israel, Italy, Malta, Morocco,Slovenia, Spain, and Turkey.

TOWARD A SUSTAINED FORE-CASTING & OBSERVING SYSTEMFOR THE MEDITERRANEAN SEA

The development and promotion of the oper-ational coastal/ocean monitoring and fore-casting activities in the Mediterranean andEuropean seas are carried out in the frameworkof several European Union-funded researchprojects, which include:

1) The Mediterranean Forecasting SystemPilot Project (MFSPP) is a EuroGOOSactivity, aiming to model and quantify thepotential predictability of the ecosystemfluctuations at the level of primary pro-ducers from the overall basin scale to thecoastal/shelf areas, through the develop-ment and implementation of an opera-tional monitoring and forecasting systemin the region. The modules of this projectinclude in situ monitoring from volun-teer observing ships and multi-variablebuoy stations, remote sensing, dataassimilation tools, a basin general circula-tion model, several intermediate andshelf/coastal models, as well as ecosys-tem models (Pinardi et al., 1999; Pinardiet al., 2003).

2) The Mediterranean network to Assessand upgrade Monitoring and forecastsActivities in the region (MAMA), is aMedGOOS concerted action to promotethe coastal monitoring and forecasting inall the Mediterranean countries, followingMFSPP and MFSTEP achievements. Thegeneral scope of MAMA includes the aimto establish a regional network to identifythe gaps in existing capacity for systemat-ic monitoring and forecasting activities,upgrading the competencies of personnelin less developed regions at technical andscientific levels, preparatory design of theinitial observing and forecasting networkcovering the entire Mediterranean basin,and to disseminate knowledge on theimportance of oceanographic monitoringand forecasting to policy makers in orderto promote national and internationalaction for the Mediterranean (MAMAgroup, 2002).

3) Mediterranean Forecasting SystemTowards Environmental Predictions(MFSTEP) is a EuroGOOS activity, aim-ing, among other objectives, at the fur-ther development of an operational fore-casting and observing system in the

116 • MTS Journal • Vol. 37, No. 3

pilot project (ADRICOSM) is a multi-national sub-regional forecasting andobserving system involving relevant agen-cies from Italy, Croatia, Slovenia, andFrance. The aim of ADRICOSM is todemonstrate the feasibility of near-real-time shelf current forecasts and to devel-op the integration of the river systemmodelling with the shelf scale currentforecasting in the Adriatic Sea (Pinardi etal., 2002b). The activities of ADRICOSMinclude modelling and implementation ofin situ and remote sensing monitoring.The ADRICOSM flow modelling is nestedwithin the operational model of theMFSPP and MFSTEP.

11) ISRAMAR is an Israel Oceanographic andLimnological Research Institute forecast-ing system that provides operational off-shore sea state forecasts for the entireMediterranean and the EasternMediterranean (Gertman et al., 2002),using the wind fields from the previouslymentioned SKIRON weather forecastingsystem. Moreover, near-real-time coastalsea level monitoring and other relatedparameters are provided within the frameof the MedGLOSS activities (Rosen, 2001)at selected coastal stations of Israel.

SCIENTIFIC AND OPERATIONALMODULES FOR THE EASTERNMEDITERRANEAN LEVANTINEBASIN

Promotion of GOOS, EuroGOOS, andMedGOOS requires the establishment ofinfrastructure for operational oceanography,participation in international and Europeanactivities for the development of commonmethodologies and tools to be used and appliedby all the regional partners, and, finally, thedevelopment of derived applications to assistdecision makers and other end users. In theEastern Mediterranean Levantine Basin, theinstitutions developing and applying the scien-tific modules for operational oceanography inCyprus are: a) the Oceanography Centre at theDepartment of Fisheries and Marine Research(DFMR) and, b) the ComputationalOceanography Group of the University ofCyprus. The DFMR is a member of IOC, CIESM(International Commission for the ScientificExploration of the Mediterranean sea), UNEP(United Nations Environmental Program), andESEAS; is associated with EuroGOOS and is afounding member of MedGOOS.

At present, the oceanographic initia-tives related to coastal and open deep sea mon-itoring and forecasting activities in Cyprus con-sist of: 1) the Cyprus Basin Oceanography

observing sites in the European seaareas.

6) The regional Greek operational POSEI-DON system provides near-real-time fore-casts and in situ observations from 11multi-variable buoys in the Aegean Sea.The development of this multi-moduleoperational system was completed in late1999 by Greece and Norway and ispresently operated by the National Centrefor Marine Research of Greece(Soukissian et al., 1999; Nittis et al.,2001).

7) SKIRON is a weather and sea state fore-casting system in Greece (Kallos et al.,1998) providing near-real-time forecastsin the entire Mediterranean and otherEuropean areas. Recently SKIRON wasexpanded to also provide oceanographicforecasts in the Aegean and EasternMediterranean seas. Unlike POSEIDON,SKIRON does not provide in situ oceanobservations. SKIRON is operated by theUniversity of Athens within severalEuropean Union projects, such as theMFSTEP, for which it is tasked to provideoperationally surface atmospheric bound-ary layer variables for various operationalocean modelling applications in theMediterranean Sea.

8) MERCATOR is France’s contribution tooperational oceanography, and is also aEuroGOOS pilot project of the Atlantictask team (Bahurel et al., 2002). While theextent of MERCATOR’s range is essential-ly global, the near-real-time operationalforecasts it provides of the MediterraneanSea are particularly germane to thiseffort. MERCATOR, whose mission wasdefined by various French organizations(IFREMER and Météo-France), becamefully operational in January, 2001. MER-CATOR participates in the EuropeanUnion MERSEA strand 1 project, as oneof the project’s four regional forecastingflow models in the European seas and theNorth Atlantic.

9) The Forecasting Ocean AssimilationModel (FOAM) is a near-real-time fore-casting system operated by the UnitedKingdom’s MetOffice (Bell, 2002). Whileits major focus is the North Atlantic andArctic oceans, FOAM also provides fore-casts in the Mediterranean Sea. FOAM,together with MFSTEP and MERCATOR,participates in the European UnionMERSEA strand 1 project, in order toprovide near-real-time ocean forecasts forall the European seas.

10) The ADRIatic sea Integrated COaStalareas and river basin Management system


high-resolution, nested flow and offshore waveforecasting models in the Levantine; and 5) theMEDSLIK and MEDPOL oil spill and pollutant-dispersion models for the Levantine Basin.

CYCOFOS—CYPRUS COASTALOCEAN FORECASTING ANDOBSERVING SYSTEM

The Cyprus Coastal Ocean Forecasting andObserving System was developed within theframework of the previously mentionedEuropean Union research projects, to promoteoperational oceanography in the EasternMediterranean Levantine Basin and the sea areaaround Cyprus (Zodiatis et al., 2002; 2003b;2003c). At present, CYCOFOS provides near-real-time operational forecasts of sea currents,water temperature, salinity, sea level, signifi-cant wave height and direction, as well as oper-ational in situ observations of sea water tem-perature, sea level, and satellite remote sensingof sea surface temperature. CYCOFOS consistsof the following forecasting (flow and seastate), observing (in situ and remote sensing),and end-users modules :

MFS Cyprus Near Real Time OceanForecasts

The CYCOFOS uses the CYCOM flowmodel (Zodiatis et al., 2001; 2003a), which is aversion of the Princeton Ocean Model (POM)(Blumberg and Mellor, 1987) that is being usedin the MFSPP and MFSTEP projects for clima-tological and operational coastal and regionalflow simulations. The CYCOM model is a high-resolution flow model that was upgraded tooperational status in March of 2002. It has twoopen boundaries (Fig. 1a) and is nested opera-tionally into the coarse grid of the MFSPPMediterranean model (Fig. 1b). In CYCOFOS,data for the initial and boundary conditions,both lateral and atmospheric forcing from theEuropean Centre for Medium WeatherForecasts (ECMWF), are downloaded weeklyfrom the MFSPP operational system. CYCOMuses the atmospheric forcing provided by theMFSPP basin model. The latter is based on the6-hourly ECMWF analyses and forecasts provid-ed by Meteo-France. The air-sea physics used tocompute the boundary conditions of theMFSPP basin model are the surface solar radia-tion, net long wave flux, sensible and latentheat flux, wind stress, and water flux andinclude relaxation to monthly mean climatol-ogy. The MFSPP-provided basin model initialand boundary data used in CYCOM include theassimilation of weekly remote sensing SST andsea surface height (SSH) data. The CYCOFOSflow model provides a weekly forecast for theforthcoming week and daily forecasts of cur-

(CYBO), a long-term monitoring project con-ducted at coastal and deep sea areas of Cyprusand SE Levantine basins. CYBO contributes toupdating of the Mediterranean database(MEDAR/MEDATLAS), particularly for the SELevantine Basin in the framework of the newlyreleased Mediterranean oceanographic data-base (MEDATLAS, 2002); 2) the CyprusMedGLOSS coastal station for long-term moni-toring of sea level and water temperature, aspart of the MedGLOSS and ESEAS networks; 3)the CYCOFOS satellite ground receiving sta-tion, capable of providing regular, remote sens-ing of the sea surface temperature (SST) forany part of the Eastern Mediterranean Sea; 4)the Cyprus costal ocean flow model (CYCOM)and the Cyprus wave model (CYWAM), both


Figure.1a. CYCOFOS-CYCOM Fine Model Domain

Figure 1b. MFSPP Model Domains

Research Institute, which coordinates theMedGLOSS activities. Expansion of the CyprusMedGLOSS stations in the near future willinclude similar stations on the south and eastcoasts of Cyprus.

CYCOFOS Satellite Ocean RemoteSensing

The CYCOFOS satellite ground receiv-ing station has been providing regular (almostdaily, depending on the cloud cover) remotesensing SST images of the Levantine Basinsince 2001. An HRPT (High Resolution PictureTransmission) SmartTech ProfessionalResearcher model engine is operated by theCYCOFOS team. Depending upon the satellite’sorbit, it is capable of covering in one single cap-ture the Eastern Mediterranean and Black Seas2 to 3 times per day, with a spatial resolution ofabout 1 km. At present this CYCOFOS moduleis set up to provide near-real-time daily SSTimages only for the Levantine Basin. As part ofthe European Union MAMA/MedGOOS project,CYCOFOS was tasked in addition to providedaily remote sensing SST images for the entireEastern Mediterranean Sea, while a similarremote sensing system from Spain was taskedto provide SST for the entire WesternMediterranean Sea.

CYCOFOS Ocean Observatory As part of the European Union

MAMA/MedGOOS initiative, and to promoteopen deep sea operational in situ data collec-tion and transmission in the Levantine Basin,the CYCOFOS Ocean Observatory is currentlyunder preparation for deployment in theEastern Mediterranean, off the southern coastof Cyprus. The CYCOFOS Ocean Observatory isscheduled for deployment jointly with HarrisMaritime Communication Services, USA, whichdeveloped this buoy-based observing system(Clark 2000, 2001). A similar OceanObservatory was previously deployed in theWestern Mediterranean, off the coast ofSardinia, jointly by the International Marine

rents, sea temperature, salinity, and sea level.Within the framework of the MFSTEP project,the CYCOFOS flow forecasting module will beupgraded, and its resolution will be increasedfrom 2.5 km to 1.5 km, providing more detailedinformation that is of particular value to thecoastal end users.

Cyprus Offshore Wave Forecasts in theLevantine Basin

CYCOFOS uses the CYWAM wavemodel, which is a version of the WAM-wavemodel (WAMDI group, 1988) for offshore waveforecasts in the entire Levantine Basin. TheWAM model in CYCOFOS was upgraded tooperational status in August, 2002. The fine res-olution Levantine WAM model (Fig. 2a) is nest-ed entirely in a coarse Mediterranean WAMmodel (Fig. 2b). The CYWAM provides opera-tionally high-resolution forecasts of significantwave height and wave direction. The CYWAMmodel initially used the ECMWF wind forcing,while at present it uses the 3-hourly winds fromthe 72-hour SKIRON weather forecasting system.

The MedGLOSS Paphos StationWithin the framework of

Mediterranean network of Global sea LevelObserving System, a sea level station was setup in September of 2001 at Paphos Harbor, onthe western coast of Cyprus. The station’s pri-mary aim is to collect long-term systematicmeasurements, monitoring the sea level rise,which may be caused by melting of polar ice asa result of global warming. The station’s equip-ment consists of sea level, water temperature,and atmospheric sensors; a GPS antenna; and aPC computer. The data are transmitted everyhour to the DFMR facilities for further process-ing and interpretation. The equipment for thePaphos MedGLOSS station was provided by theInternational Commission for the ScientificExploration for the Mediterranean sea(CIESM), and its installation was conducted byIsrael’s Oceanographic and Limnological


Figure 2b. CYCOFOS-CYWAM Coarse Model DomainFigure 2a. CYCOFOS-CYWAMFine Model Domain

Centre and Harris Maritime CommunicationServices. The sampling strategy of the CYCO-FOS Ocean Observatory includes data on seawater temperatures, salinity, pressure, oxygen,currents from selected depths, as well as airtemperature, wind speed, and direction. Thesystem’s satellite communication capability andsubstantial onboard power generation will pro-vide continuous transmission of real-time dataat high sampling rates. Figure 3 depicts theseafloor, water column, and sea surface compo-nents of the CYCOFOS Ocean Observatory.

The CYCOFOS Ocean Observatory isbeing deployed at a site of significant multidis-ciplinary oceanographic interest. Located offthe southwestern coast of Cyprus is theEratosthenes Seamount that extends from theseafloor to within 800 m of the sea surface. Thisfeature is named for the philosopherEratosthenes (276—194 B.C.) who, armed withonly his knowledge of geometry, astronomy,and the sun’s reflection in a well, predictedwith remarkable accuracy the circumference ofthe earth. Directly adjacent to the EratosthenesSeamount is a deep (approximately 2,750 m)depression, part of the Herodotus Basin.Herodotus was born in 484 B.C. and is thoughtto have lived until sometime around 430 B.C.He is considered the world’s first historian.Both these features are clearly evident in theoutput from a recent multibeam bathymetricsurvey depicted in Figure 4.


Figure 3. MCS Ocean Net Buoy Supporting CYCOFOS Ocean Observatory

Figure 4. Multibeam Survey CYCOFOS Ocean Observatory Deployment Location

for end-user-derived applications, employingthe MFSPP, MFSTEP, MERSEA strand 1,SKIRON and CYCOFOS forecasting and observing products.

MEDSLIK Oil Spill ModelThe MEDSLIK oil spill model, in its

pre-operational mode, was developed in 1997(Lardner et al., 1998) to assist the objectives ofthe European Union LIFE project, “Sub-region-al Contingency Plan for Preparedness andResponse to Major Pollution Incidents in theEastern Mediterranean-Levantine.”

The MEDSLIK algorithms are based onan earlier version of the OILPOL model (AlRabeh et al., 1995) that was employed duringthe first Gulf War in 1991 for oil spill predic-tions. MEDSLIK, developed by the CYCOFOSteam, is a 3-D oil spill model designed to pre-dict the transport, fate, and weathering of an oilspill in the Levantine Basin. It has now beencoupled operationally to the MFSPP basinmodel and CYCOFOS operational ocean fore-casting products, using either the 6-hourECMWF or the 3-hour SKIRON wind fields.MEDSLIK incorporates REMPEC’s (RegionalMarine Pollution Emergency Response Centrefor the Mediterranean Sea) list of over 200hydrocarbons, together with their physicalparameters. Coarse and fine resolution bottomtopography and coastlines are used for theLevantine Basin and the NE Levantine, respec-tively. As part of the European Union MFSTEPand MERSEA strand 1 projects, CYCOFOS wastasked to apply operationally the MEDSLIK oilspill model in the Levantine Basin, coupledwith the project’s forecasting products.

MEDPOL Contaminant Advection-Diffusion

The environmental impact of wastesubstances greatly depends upon the hydrody-namic state of the area under consideration.The application of advection-diffusion modelsallows evaluation of the impact of the transferof a pollutant into the marine environment.Such models should generally apply both toconservative and non-conservative chemicaland biological substances. The MEDPOL modelin its pre-operational mode was first used in1998 to assist the objectives of an internationalscientific cooperation on the “RadiologicalImpact Assessment in the SoutheasternMediterranean Area” (Vosniakos et all., 2000).

MEDPOL is a 3-D general dispersionmodel, based on algorithms from Lardner andSong (1991), to predict the transport, disper-sion, and decay of a pollutant in the LevantineBasin. It has now been coupled operationally tothe MFSPP and CYCOFOS. As part of theEuropean Union MFSTEP project, CYCOFOS

END USER-DERIVED APPLICATIONS

Among the environmental issues affectingthe Eastern Mediterranean Levantine Basinare marine pollution, eutrophication, and otheralgae-growth related phenomena. Commercialactivities in the Levantine Basin—growth in oiltransfer, exploration and production, pelagicfisheries, shipping and yachting and particularlycoastal tourism—are all on the increase.To provide the scientific basis for any user-derived application that tries to manage eitherthe exploitation or the protection of the marineenvironment, it is necessary to offer an efficientand quality-controlled estimate of marine statevariables. The recommended procedure forresponding, for example, to marine pollutionincidents, which will assist the local and sub-regional decision-makers to take the appropri-ate actions, includes the application of opera-tional models in order to provide predictions ofthe behaviour and movement of the harmfulsubstances. A prerequisite for such an effectiveoperational response is the ability to conductaccurate predictions of the sea’s characteris-tics. Similarly, the same information is usefulfor other marine activities. Thus the user com-munity interested in ocean forecasting is con-nected to the exploitation of resources and theprotection of the marine environment. Amongthe potential end users of the CYCOFOS’s prod-ucts are: 1) the National and Sub-regional con-tingency plans for preparedness and responseto major pollution incidents in the EasternMediterranean Levantine Basin, betweenCyprus, Israel and Egypt, in cases of oil spillemergency in the open sea; 2) Search andRescue Centres, Port Authorities, and marinepolice; 3) local and offshore consortiums fromthe fisheries sector; 4) fish farmers from themarine aquaculture industry; 5) desalinationplants, telecommunications cable laying, oil &gas industry, and environmental agencies fromthe coastal and open sea engineering sector; 6)commercial shipping, recreational boating andthe navigation safety sectors; 7) the marinetourism industry; and 8) international policyorganizations, research centers, etc.

The exchange of information derivedfrom operational forecasts, both within the sci-entific community and with end users, plays animportant role in the response to certainmarine environmental situations. In view of theabove, the outputs of operational forecasts,using a visual interface tool for oceanographicdata, are regularly exported to the CYCOFOSWeb page for direct access by end users.Additional components of CYCOFOS, MEDS-LIK oil spill model and the MEDPOL generaldispersion model, were developed specifically


and the bathymetric data from the EratosthenesSeamount multibeam survey.

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was tasked to apply operationally the MEDPOLgeneral dispersion model in the LevantineBasin, coupled with the project’s forecastingproducts.

CYCOFOS PRODUCTS ON THEINTERNET

At present the near-real-time operationalforecasting and observing products fromthe CYCOFOS modules, such as daily flow fore-casts for the NE Levantine Basin on a weeklybasis, 3-hourly sea state forecasts for theLevantine Basin on a 60 hours basis, dailyremote sensing sea surface temperature for theLevantine Basin, and hourly in situ sea leveland water temperature at certain coastal seastations are available to the end users at theWeb page www.ucy.ac.cy/cyocean.

Further development of the CYCO-FOS, both in downscaling of the prognosticmodels and expansion of the ocean/coastalobservations, will result in an increase of theavailable operational oceanographic products,and their utility to the local and sub-regionalend users.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThe development of the CYCOFOS

modules has been partially carried out in theframework of European Union research proj-ects and other relevant international activitiesincluding: MFSPP and MFSTEP, bothEuroGOOS activities; MAMA, a MedGOOSactivity; MERSEA-strand 1; and MedGLOSS.The authors acknowledge the support of: theEuropean Commission’s Marine Science andTechnology Programme, contract MAS3-CT98-0171; the European Commission’s Programmeon Energy, Environment and SustainableDevelopment, contracts EVR1-CT-2001-20010,EVK3-CT-2002-0089 and EVK3-CT-2002-00075;the CIESM for providing the equipment for theCyprus MedGLOOS station; the SKIRON weath-er forecasting system for providing access toweather forecasting products; the Director ofDFMR, Dr Gabriel P. Gabrielides, and ProfessorGeorge Kallos, coordinator of SKIRON system.We are also grateful to Dr. Dov Rosen, coordi-nator of MedGLOSS and his scientific teamfrom IOLR, Dr Isaac Gertman, Lazar Raskin andYan Tsehtik, for their valuable support; andCYCOFOS collaborators Tom Eleftheriou,Dmitry Soloviev, Eric Koufou, Vladimir Fomin,Sotiris Savva, and Marinos Ioannou, for theircontributions to the system’s modules and thesystem’s operation; and Dr. Andrew Clark ofMaritime Communication Services, USA forsupport of the CYCOFOS Ocean Observatory


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