Speaker
Prof.
Stefaan Poedts
(KU Leuven)
Description
Activity: GSTP
Contractor(s): KUL, BIRA-IASB, ROB, VKI, DHC, SAS
Technical Officer: Piers Jiggens
Summary:
Space weather is a highly complex multi-disciplinary field covering a range of different domains where different physics dominate. End-to-end systems of coupled space weather models are the ultimate forecast and specification tools and the basis for data assimilation. Ultimately such a system would allow coupled models to recreate the magnetic and particle environment from the surface of the Sun to the Earth’s atmosphere. The analysis of their performances helps to define space weather data and modelling requirements. Europe has strong modelling activities and expertise in a variety of domains which are potentially suitable for integration in a comprehensive global model.
Space weather domains include: solar corona, inner heliosphere (including solar wind, CME and SEP propagation), magnetosphere (including trapped radiation belt models), ionosphere and thermosphere. Combining such models is a challenge bot scientifically and computationally. The Virtual Space Weather Modelling Centre (VSWMC) is a concept for creating a system framework which would be able to orchestrate model simulation runs and coupled simulation runs for the purposes of end-to-end Space Weather forecasting.
This activity was the first phase in a long-term planned development of a VSWMC and covered the derivation of system requirements, creation of a feasible architecture design and the implementation of a prototype system to test the interfacing of models and data as a proof-of-concept. The system presented includes a run-time infrastructure with harmonised interfacing and tools for models to be coupled together without the requirement to drastically modify the model code. The architecture allows for a distributed system which can best take advantage of computing infrastructure while allowing modellers to protect their intellectual property.
