MFSPP Program Overview

The Mediterranean Forecasting System Pilot Project WorkPackage 3000 (MFSPP WP 3000) was an international project that lasted from 1998 to 2001. The purpose was to set up and test a near real time acquisition and processing system of remote sensing data for the Mediterranean Sea. The objectives of MFSPP were to:

• develop and test of algorithms to process NRT altimeter data
• develop a NRT Sea Surface Temperature product
• provide NRT remote sensing data before (TOP-2 and TOP-1) and during the TOP
• analyze remote sensing data during the TOP

Program Management

The MFSPP was divided into a series of tasks and subtasks that were each implemented by certain institutions throughout the duration of the project. The institutions that participated in the MFSPP were:

• Collecte Localisation Satellites (CLS) had the overall responsiblity of MFSPP WP 3000, specifically with task 3100 and subtask 3310.
• French Meteorological Office (FMTO) was responsible for task 3200 and subtask 3320.
• The company ACRI was responible for subtask 3330.
• The Laboratoire de Physicochimie Moléculaire (LPCM) was responsible for task 3330.
• The Ente per le Nuove tecnologie l'Energia e l'Ambiente (ENEA) was responsible for task 3200 and task 3320.

Task Planning

1. September 1, 1998: MFSPP begins.

2. March 1, 1999: End of server development (subtask 3410), end of mean sea surface calculation (subtask 3120), end of NRT SST product development (task 3200)

3. June 1, 1999: End of orbit reduction and mapping algorithm developemtn(subtask 3310), start procession and distribution of Remote Sensing data for the TOP-2 period, altimetry and SST in delayed time (task 330 and subtask 3420).

4. September 1, 1999: End of comparision of NRT and delayed time altimeter data (subtask 3130)

5. December 1, 1999: Start near real time remote sensing data processing and distribution (task 3300 and subtask 3420)

6. June 1, 2000: End of NRT Remoite Sensing data distribution (subtask 3410)

7. March 1, 2001: End of Remote Sensing data analysis (task 3300), end of MFSPP.