Existing scientific projects

During years 2000-2003 (and before the creation of CLIME), scientific collaborations between AIR and CEREA have been expanding, resulting in situation of systematic collaboration on the whole set of common interest problems, notably in the domain of ``pre-operational'' use of models and data assimilation. We cite as particular examples:

• the COMODE concerted research action (ARC) 2000-2001 with IDOPT project, on data assimilation of satellite data for two applications: in atmospheric modeling, the generation of vertical profiles of trace species from radiative measures; in hydrology, the generation of hydric subsoil maps from surface observations. In both domains, the use of data acquired by satellites is presently among the major scientific challenges. The collaboration between specialists in data assimilation and specialists in the processing of remotely sensed data give rise to new fundamental research themes.
• An accepted project to PNCA for the building of a CTM adjoint model which should take into account the multi-scale effects in the atmosphere, with the goal of an optimal set of observations for target species. This project underlines the recognition by the scientific community of our approach, and we notice the acknowledgment brought officially to the use of satellite data. Typical examples are found in challenges coming from the greenhouse effect and the ozone layer depletion, for which new satellite sensors have been launched, such as ENVISAT and TERRA.
• An accepted project, in the framework of CONICYT (Chile)-INRIA (2003-2004, new proposal for 2005) exchange program on inverse modelling for static sources detection in atmospheric pollution.
• A PROCOPE project (2003-2004, new proposal for 2005), with a FhG (Berlin) team, on the comparison of air quality forecasting models in Berlin. Data assimilation procedures are set up in this context, with the POLAIR (ENPC) and REGOZON (FhG) models.
• An ERCIM post-doctoral student has worked on the previous project since January 1st, 2003. He spent 9 months at FhG and joined INRIA on October 1st, 2003, leaving on July 2004.
• An engineer (``ingénieur associé'') is developing software tools for the team since October 1st, 2003.
• A proposal has been submitted in the framework of ECOS-Sud for collaboration with Cordoba University, Argentina for data assimilation within air pollution models.

Other projects are under way, demonstrating common collaborations, at the national, European or international level.