Meteorology is the study of the atmosphere, and encompasses many disciplines. This includes math, fluid dynamics, computer science, remote sensing, physics, chemistry, climate change, climatology, and weather forecasting. The field also has close connections to oceanography and hydrology, and in recent years much overlap has occurred in these sciences. MSU is currently involved in cutting edge technology and techniques in researching weather forecasting and prediction. Please visit our Weather Forecasting section for more information.

GRI contains a staff of meteorologists who conduct research in these areas. Examples of recent projects are:

• The Distributed Marine Environment Forecast System (DMEFS): an ONR-sponsored project to develop a web portal interface for running forecast models.
• The Model Coupling Executable Library (MCEL): funded by DOD's Programming Environment and Training (PET) program, GRI led the effort to couple an atmospheric model (COAMPS) and an ocean wave model (WaveWatch) using MCEL. In collaboration with the University of Southern Mississippi, the coupling effort incorporated a new programming methodology, the Model Coupling Executable Library (MCEL) which allows for two-way sharing of data between models. MCEL not only makes model coupling portable, but provides an alternative instead of rewriting source code for two models so they can be coupled. In addition, new routines for wave growth due to air-ocean turbulent interaction were developed in this project.
• The Northern Gulf of Mexico Littoral Initiative (NGLI): sponsored by the Navy, the objective of NGLI was the implementation of and testing of a circulation-sediment-wave modeling system for the Mississippi Sound and adjoining rivers, bays, and shelf waters. GRI provided 48-h forecasts of COAMPS with 9-km grid resolution in the NGLI region using DOD's Major Shared Resource Center (MSRC) supercomputer facilities. The 9-km runs were validated against the 27-km COAMPS runs, yielding new insight into the sensitivity of wind prediction along the coastal interface. A second objective was to establish a data assimilation infrastructure using Multivariate Optimal Interpolation for COAMPS, and 4DVAR for MM5.
• The Mississippi Space Commerce Initiative (MSCI): MSCI is a partnership between private companies at Stennis Space Center and universities, sponsored by NASA and the state of Mississippi. GRI is collaborating with WorldWinds, Inc., with their weather forecasting software.
• Weather forecast support to the Naval Oceanographic Office (NAVOCEANO): In this project, wind forecasts were issued twice a day for the Indian Ocean twice a day from March to September 2001 using MM5. The Navy used this output to drive their oceanography models. GRI also conducted an analysis of these forecasts against the Navy NOGAPS' model forecasts. The goal was to assess where MM5 made the biggest impact against NOGAPS. Significant wind speed underprediction by NOGAPS was identified along the east India coastline, especially near topography and through island straits, and often NOGAPS did not turn wind flow around peninsulas as observed. MM5 did not suffer the problems.

GRI is always searching for new research opportunities in meteorology. For additional information, please email Dr. Pat Fitzpatrick or call 228-688-1157.