Modelling the global coastal ocean.
Shelf and coastal seas are regions of exceptionally high biological productivity, high rates of biogeochemical cycling and immense socio-economic importance. They are, however, poorly represented by the present generation of Earth system models, both in terms of resolution and process representation. Hence, these models cannot be used to elucidate the role of the coastal ocean in global biogeochemical cycles and the effects global change (both direct anthropogenic and climatic) are having on them. Here, we present a system for simulating all the coastal regions around the world (the Global Coastal Ocean Modelling System) in a systematic and practical fashion. It is based on automatically generating multiple nested model domains, using the Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory Coastal Ocean Modelling System coupled to the European Regional Seas Ecosystem Model. Preliminary results from the system are presented. These demonstrate the viability of the concept, and we discuss the prospects for using the system to explore key areas of global change in shelf seas, such as their role in the carbon cycle and climate change effects on fisheries.
Holt
Jason
J
Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory, 6 Brownlow Street, Liverpool L3 5DA, UK. jholt@pol.ac.uk
Harle
James
J
Proctor
Roger
R
Michel
Sylvain
S
Ashworth
Mike
M
Batstone
Crispian
C
Allen
Icarus
I
Holmes
Robert
R
Smyth
Tim
T
Haines
Keith
K
Bretherton
Dan
D
Smith
Gregory
G
D002980:Climate; D003198:Computer Simulation; D004463:Ecology / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D020407:Internet; D055904:Meteorology / Q000379:methods*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D012984:Software; D014887:Weather