Satellite monitoring of the ocean for global climate research

1983 ◽  
Vol 309 (1508) ◽  
pp. 337-359 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Ocean Circulation ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Spectral Band ◽  
World Ocean ◽  
Research Programme ◽  
Climate Variation ◽  
Satellite Monitoring ◽  
Tropical Ocean ◽  
Climate Research ◽  
The World

The study of climate embraces a broad range of timescales, from weeks to millions of years. This paper concentrates on the narrow spectral band ‘several weeks to several decades’ chosen for study in the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP). The programme is divided into three streams, concerned with climate variation on timescales of several weeks, several years and several decades, respectively. The aim is to discover how far it is possible to predict natural climate variation and man’s influence on climate in each of these spectral bands. It is believed that an improved understanding of, and an ability to monitor and model, the World Ocean will be critical to the success of the WCRP in each stream. International experiments are now being planned to achieve these improvements. Satellite monitoring of the ocean offers a number of advantages for these experiments, including the following: global coverage, accuracy and consistency, novel products, tracking and communication. The paper reviews specifications for monitoring the ocean in the context of the WCRP and assesses the extent to which satellite monitoring will help towards meeting these requirements. The special needs of two major projects, the World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE) and the Tropical Ocean and Global Atmosphere (TOGA), are described. The prospects seem good for a new generation of ocean-observing satellites suitable for climate research in the next decade. They will be crucial to the success of the World Climate Research Programme.

scholarly journals The World Ocean Circulation Experiment (WOCE)

1987 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 64-71
Author(s):  
J. R. E. Lutjeharms ◽  
M. L. Gründlingh
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Ocean Circulation ◽  
Climate Changes ◽  
World Ocean ◽  
Research Programme ◽  
South Africans ◽  
Quantum Leap ◽  
The World ◽  
World Ocean Circulation Experiment ◽  
Do So

An international research programme of enormous scope, WOCE (World Ocean Circulation Experiment), is being planned for the last decade of this century. It is aimed at increasing our knowledge and understanding of the world ocean circulation by a quantum leap, thereby contributing to a better understanding of world climate changes. This programme is of great interest to South Africa and, while lacking the resources of the larger countries. South Africans can make key contributions in certain specific areas and have started preparing to do so.

scholarly journals Advancing Climate Forecasting

Eos ◽  
2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
William Merryfield ◽  
Francisco Doblas-Reyes ◽  
Laura Ferranti ◽  
Jee-Hoon Jeong ◽  
Yvan Orsolini ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Global Climate ◽  
New Products ◽  
Research Programme ◽  
Climate Research ◽  
Climate Forecasting ◽  
The World

Better forecasts, new products: The World Climate Research Programme coordinates research aimed at improving and extending global climate forecasting capabilities.

ON EVALUATION OF THE ROLE OF THERMAL AND WIND FACTORS FOR A PHYSICAL MODEL OF THE WORLD OCEAN GENERAL CIRCULATION SYSTEM

2019 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 80-91
Author(s):  
V. G. Neiman
Keyword(s):  
Physical Model ◽  
Ocean Circulation ◽  
General Circulation ◽  
World Ocean ◽  
Circulation System ◽  
The Public ◽  
The World ◽  
Almost All ◽  
Conceptual Foundations

The main content of the work consists of certain systematization and addition of longexisting, but eventually deformed and partly lost qualitative ideas about the role of thermal and wind factors that determine the physical mechanism of the World Ocean’s General Circulation System (OGCS). It is noted that the conceptual foundations of the theory of the OGCS in one form or another are contained in the works of many well-known hydrophysicists of the last century, but the aggregate, logically coherent description of the key factors determining the physical model of the OGCS in the public literature is not so easy to find. An attempt is made to clarify and concretize some general ideas about the two key blocks that form the basis of an adequate physical model of the system of oceanic water masses motion in a climatic scale. Attention is drawn to the fact that when analyzing the OGCS it is necessary to take into account not only immediate but also indirect effects of thermal and wind factors on the ocean surface. In conclusion, it is noted that, in the end, by the uneven flow of heat to the surface of the ocean can be explained the nature of both external and almost all internal factors, in one way or another contributing to the excitation of the general, or climatic, ocean circulation.

General discussion

1983 ◽  
Vol 309 (1508) ◽  
pp. 397-397
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
High Resolution ◽  
Electrical Engineering ◽  
Research Programme ◽  
Scientific Committee ◽  
Climate Research ◽  
Maximum Benefit ◽  
The World ◽  
Scientific Return ◽  
Ocean Studies

E. D. R. Shearman (Department of Electronic and Electrical Engineering, University of Birmingham, U.K.). We have had comments from a number of speakers on three planned remote-sensing satellites designed for ocean studies, the European ERS-1, the Canadian Radarsat and the Japanese satellite ERTS-1, all scheduled for 1988-90. If the orbits were coordinated, one suggested revisit interval, namely 3 days, for high-resolution observations could be reduced to a 1-day revisit interval. Could anyone tell us whether an attempt is being made internationally to agree on a single revisit cycle and to coordinate the launches so that the maximum benefit is obtained from the overall effort? J. T. Houghton, F.R.S. The various space agencies involved are discussing questions of coordination. Further, the Joint Scientific Committee of the World Climate Research Programme is organizing meetings to try to ensure the best possible scientific return from the various ocean observation satellites that will be flying at the time mentioned.

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