THE MEDITERRANEAN IN HIGH RESOLUTION: THE WMOP MODEL

This is an oceanographic forecasting numerical model and is a simulation tool based on mathematical equations and numerical calculations to forecast, assess and understand ocean dynamics.

MEDCLIC team is working on developing the WMOP model (Western Mediterranean Operational Model) in place in the Western Mediterranean.  The model outlines the marine currents in the western part of the Mediterranean and provides information with a spatial resolution of up to 2 kilometres.  Getting to know about marine currents in this much detail allows us, for example, to calculate the distribution of phytoplankton (the bottom of the food chain and essential for the fishing industry), the dispersion of larvae, monitor jellyfish and areas where plastic accumulates, oil drifts, or track shipwrecks.

Furthermore, because of the WMOP simulations developed between 2009 and 2015, we are currently capable of generating daily forecasts which can be seen on the ICTS SOCIB web site.