• Was established in Department of Oceanography at Dalhousie University in 98/99.
• Chairholders Richard Greatbatch and Jinyu Sheng, with a growing research team.
• 3-D ocean circulation models are being coupled with MSC models for atmosphere-ocean data assimilation and prediction.

Atlantic Coastal System

• Based on Dalhousie coastal ocean data assimilation and prediction system (Thompson et al.).
• Driven by CMC regional model surface pressure and winds.
• The wave model (WAM) is run at CMC and its output are post-processed locally generating two charts: wave height and swell height forecasts. Forecasters use these charts to predict wave heights.
• Storm surge forecasts and impact on oil SLICK model are being tested at MSC-Atlantic.
• Objectives are to incorporate improved atmosphere and ocean models for two-way interactive coupled data assimilation and prediction system and to evaluate impact on storm surges, severe weather, etc..

Recent Developments with Atlantic Storm Surge System

• Natacha Bernier did a hindcast study under Keith Thompson's supervision, as a Science Horizon's project. She is now doing a follow-on M.Sc. at Dal with Keith.
• Dal Physics co-op student Janya Humble did a work term project (autumn 1999) at Queen Square on the transfer of the system from Dal for operational use, supervised by Hal Ritchie and Serge Desjardins.
• While running in experimental mode at MSC-Atlantic, the system produced very accurate forecasts for the January 21, 2000 severe storm surge.
• The system is progressing towards operational implementation at MSC-Atlantic.

Extratropical Transition of Hurricanes and Typhoons

• Started in 1999 in context of a Canada-China collaboration.
• Suhong Ma (China) and John Gyakum (McGill University) collaborating with Jim Abraham and Hal Ritchie on diagnosing the transition of 1998 Atlantic Canada hurricanes.
• Aim is to eventually use the two-way interactive atmosphere-ocean data assimilation and prediction system to model hurricanes and severe marine weather.

Atmosphere-wave Modelling

• Coupled regional atmosphere-wave models are used to examine the impact of interactive wave roughness.
• Colleen Farrell worked on an efficient wave forecast updating procedure at MSC-A.

St. Lawrence Estuary Models

• In collaboration with l'Institut Maurice-Lamontagne for St. Lawrence Estuary.
• "Gulf of St. Lawrence Ice-Ocean-Atmosphere Climate Change, Detection and Impact on the Canadian Energy Sector".
• "Modèles atmosphérique et hydrologique couplés à l'échelle régionale: Région des lacs des Deux-Montagnes et Saint-Louis".

Coupled Atmosphere-Hydrology Modelling

• Atmospheric models coupled with WATFLOOD hydrological model.
• With radar or atmospheric model inputs, WATFLOOD outputs compare favourably with measured streamflow for southern Ontario.
• Study being extended to St. John River Basin in New Brunswick.

AEPRI Expert System for Predicting Marine Surface Winds

• Applying expert systems approaches on direct model outputs to improve prediction of marine surface winds, particularly in cold outbreak situations.
• Marine transportation and other applications.