[Wrf-users] 2011 BIRS Summer School on Mathematical Methods to Study Atmospheric Dynamics and Predictability

[Pam Johnson]

Dear Colleagues,

The Predictability and Dynamical Processes Working Group (PDP WG) of the 
World Weather Research Program (WWRP) THORPEX is pleased to announce the 
2011 Summer School on Advanced Mathematical Methods to Study Atmospheric 
Dynamical Processes and Predictability.

The summer school will take place at the Banff International Research 
Station (BIRS) for Mathematical Innovation and Discovery, Alberta, 
Canada, July 10- July 15, 2011. The main aim of the summer school is to 
provide an overview of the state-of-the-art of the applied mathematical 
techniques of weather and climate forecasting. Topics that will be 
covered include:

• The partial differential equations that govern atmospheric motions
• Wave solutions of the atmospheric governing equations
• Idealized models of atmospheric motions
• Potential vorticity based diagnostics
• Numerical techniques to solve the atmospheric governing equations
• Diagnostic techniques to assess model deficiencies
• Data assimilation: 3D-Var and 4D-Var
• Data assimilation: Ensemble based Kalman filters
• Data assimilation: Assimilation of remotely sensed observations
• Forecast Sensitivity: Assessing the forecast impact of observations
• Observation targeting: Predicting the impact of future observations
• The concept of atmospheric balance
• The main concepts of dynamical systems theory
• Generation of ensemble initial perturbations
• Verification of ensemble based probabilistic forecasts

Confirmed lecturers are C. Bishop (Naval Research Laboratory, Monterey), 
T. Jung (European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts), P. Lynch 
(University College Dublin), A. Majda (New York University), E. Ott 
(University of Maryland, College Park), I. Szunyogh (Texas A&M 
University), O. Talagrand (Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique) and H. 
Wernli (ETH Zurich).

Graduate students of applied mathematics, atmospheric sciences, physics 
and the related sciences and postdoctoral scientists entering a new area 
of research relevant for the Summer School are encouraged to apply. The 
application material should include a 1-page CV; a no longer than 1-page 
essay by the applicant, in which he/she explains how he/she expects the 
workshop to help his/her thesis research; and a recommendation letter by 
the applicant's thesis advisor or another well established member of the 
research community. All applications must be sent electronically, 
preferably in pdf format, to Pam Johnson (johnsonp at ucar.edu). The 
application deadline is September 30, 2010.

Due to the limited capacity of the facilities, the PDP WG will select 
30-34 applicants for participation. The applicants will be notified 
about the decision on their application by October 31, 2010. Those 
accepted to the summer school will also receive an official invitation 
letter from the BIRS Program Coordinator.

The accommodation and meals will be provided by BIRS at no cost to the 
participants of the summer school. Limited funding for travel support is 
expected to be available, in particular, to students from developing 
countries.

Sincerely,

Istvan Szunyogh and Heini Wernli, Co-Chairs,
on behalf of the THORPEX PDP WG