Wave modelling for Copernicus (global and regional)
Waves play an important role in movement, heat and gas exchanges between the ocean and the atmosphere. In the framework of Copernicus Navy services (Copernicus Marine Environment Monitoring Service or CMEMS) Mercator Ocean is responsible for project management and Météo-France (DirOP/MAR) for the provision of wave services across the globe using the MFWAM model at a resolution of 20 km. The global model is forced by CEP winds and assimilates height data from a number of satellites. Services are adapted according to 17 parameters describing sea conditions (notably wave height, average period and Stokes drift).
The MFWAM wave model is also used for the regional area of Iberian Biscay Ireland (IBI), at a resolution of 10 km within the framework of a collaboration with Puertos del Estados, AEMET, CESGA and Marine Institute. The CMEMS wave services were launched on 1st April 2017. In the upcoming version of the CMEMS-IBI operating system, V4, the MFWAM wave model will be coupled with the NEMO ocean circulation model (Nucleus for European Modelling of the Ocean).
Three coupling processes have been implemented: the first is the Coriolis-Stokes forcing term, which uses Stokes drift calculated by the wave model; the second process consists of taking into account stress of the flow of the amount of movement provided to the ocean; lastly, the third process takes into account turbulence related to wave surge pumped into the ocean mixed layer. Initial results from coupling between MFWAM and NEMO showed significant impact on key parameters, these being surface temperature, current components, salinity, and the ocean mixed layer.