ERCIM News No.36 - January 1999

4th ERCIM Environmental Modelling Group Workshop

by Thomas Lux

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The fourth workshop of the ERCIM Environmental Modelling Group on Environmental Models and Computational Methods was held in Heraklion, Crete, Greece on 16-17 November 1998. The workshop was hosted by IACM FORTH, the Institute of Applied and Computational Mathematics of the Foundation for Research and Technology Hellas under the chairmanship of Nikolaos A. Kampanis (IACM FORTH).

The lectures and discussions at the workshop focussed especially on advancing the dialog among researchers working in the field of environmental modelling on the issue of computational methods. Modern high-performance computers provide a powerful base for improving existing and developing new computational techniques for the efficient solution of complex models used for the numerical simulation of various environmental processes. Further, discussions has been initiated on the efficiency and accuracy of current environmental models, as well as possible improvements concerning the degree that physical phenomena are interpreted through the governing equations. This may be accomplished by exploiting, through the exchange of experience among the participants, the robustness, efficiency and range of applicability of modern computational methods.

Lectures presenting recent results of experimental methods for the analysis of atmospheric dynamics, the modelling and simulation of coastal water pollution, and the investigation of aquatic ecosystems have considerably enlarged the field of environmental domains studied within the frame of the working group.

A special item of the workshop program was a round table discussion about the further activities of the ERCIM Working Group Environmental Modelling. Possible places and dates of the next workshop have been raised. Moreover, topics for future joint project proposals within the Fifth Framework Programme of the European Union have been presented. The program was wound up by a common dinner in a typical Crete restaurant.

Please contact:

Achim Sydow, Working Group Chairman or Thomas Lux - GMD
Tel: +49 30 6392 1820
E-mail: lux@first.gmd.de