ERCIM Working Group Environmental Modelling
by Achim Sydow
The purpose of the ERCIM Working Group Environmental Modelling is to build and maintain a network of ERCIM researchers in the field of environmental modelling and simulation. The working group is open to anybody affiliated with an ERCIM institute. Since its establishment in 1995, the working group has undertaken a variety of activities in order to promote the co-operation and joint research activities of groups working in the field of environmental modelling and simulation.
To date, the ERCIM Working Group Environmental Modelling has carried out three workshops. The fourth workshop is already in its preparation phase.
On 11 October 1996, the kick-off meeting of the Working Group took place at INRIA Rocquencourt. Points of discussion were the enlargement of the Working Group through finding new partners and the definition of certain research topics for future projects.
The Working Group held its first workshop on Air Pollution Modelling in Berlin, Germany, from 7-8 April 1997. The workshop was hosted by the GMD Institute for Computer Architecture and Software Technology Berlin. The workshop chairman was Achim Sydow (GMD). In total 28 participants from 10 European countries attended the workshop and listened to 18 lectures, presenting recent research results in the field of air pollution modelling and simulation.
The second workshop of the Working Group on Remote Sensing for Air Pollution Analysis was held in Strasbourg on 11 September 1997. It was part of the International Conference Umweltinformatik '97 - Informatique pour l'environnement '97. The workshop chairman was Isabelle Herlin (INRIA). The lectures and discussions at the workshop focussed on the usage of data derived from remote sensing for air pollution analysis and forecast.
The Working Group carried out its third workshop on Air Pollution Modelling and Measuring Processes on 20-21 April 1998 in Madrid, Spain (see article on page 4). The workshop was hosted by the Environmental Software and Modelling Group of the Computer Science School at the Universidad Politecnica de Madrid (UPM). The workshop chairman was Roberto San José (UPM). As highlights of the programme, invited lectures were given by representatives of the local environmental authorities of the State of Madrid and the State of Brandenburg (Germany). The participation of these invited speakers was supported by the ERCIM Office.
Submission of Joint Project Proposals
The first project activity of the Working Group was the submission of the project proposal STEPUP in the TMR Programme of the European Commission on 15 June 1995. Further activities of the Working Group have led to the preparation of the second project proposal. The proposal DECAIR - Development of an Earth Observation Data Converter with Application to Air Quality Forecast has been submitted to the European Commission Programme Environment and Climate. Under the coordination of the ERCIM Office, Working Group members from Germany, France, Spain and the United Kingdom have participated in the project.
Further activities of the Working Group have led to the preparation of the third project proposal. The proposal PANDORE - Pollution Analysis and Modelling with Databases and Observations from Remote Sensing has been submitted to the European Union-India Economic Cross Cultural Programme. Under the coordination of the ERCIM Office, Working Group members from Germany, France and United Kingdom together with a partner from India have participated in this project.
ERCIM Fellowship
An applicant has been accepted for the first ERCIM Fellowship within the framework of the Working Group. He has started his fellowship at the Working Group member team of INRIA Rocquencourt on 1 June 1998 and after 9 months he will continue at GMD Institute for Computer Architecture and Software Technology.
To date, members from nine research teams of ERCIM institutions in seven European countries are collaborating within the Working Group. More information about the ERCIM Working Group Environmental Modelling is available at http://wwwold.first.fraunhofer.de/ercim
Please contact:
Achim Sydow - GMD
Working Group chairman
Tel: +49 30 6392 1813
E-mail: sydow@first.gmd.de