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Scientific background & drivers

Objectives, strategy & structure

The purpose of CASIX is to exploit new-generation Earth Observation (EO) data, to advance the science of air-sea interactions and reduce the errors in the prediction of environmental change. The primary goal is to quantify accurately the global air-sea fluxes of CO₂, other gases and particles, using state-of-the-art, error-budgeted models. New sensors (MODIS, MERIS) in new satellites (Envisat, Aqua) are giving high precision, high resolution data of atmosphere, ocean boundary layer properties and ocean biogeochemical variables, globally, daily and long term (>5 y). Only by using and assimilating EO data in models can CASIX achieve its goals.

CASIX uses evolving, 3-D general circulation models with coupled biology (NPZD and novel schema) of the deep ocean and shelf seas and is developing models for new parameterisations of physically-forced air-sea fluxes. Radically new EO algorithms of CO₂ drawdown using SST, SSS (climatological data), chlorophyll concentration and photosynthetic quantum efficiency (proxy from ocean colour data) are being implemented. Novel EO data for sea surface properties (SAR, ASAR) are being used to determine gas transfer velocities with higher precision.

CASIX is allied to Atlantic-basin pCO₂ measuring programmes (AMT & CAVASSOO) and also exploits pCO2 and NASA-AMT bio-optical databases.

CASIX integrates current collaborative research on EO data interpretation (radar, thermal, ocean colour and atmosphere) with new gas transfer and boundary layer research and modelling, to improve the parameterisation of gas fluxes through the ocean surface.

CASIX merges the Met Office ocean modelling team and major UK academic research groups, with international links and direct Space Agency support (see links page). It will accelerate the development of new methods of forecasting Earth system climate processes.

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