COST 719: GIS Applications in Meteorology and Climatology

1
GIS Applications in Meteorology and Climatology
in Switzerland
A presentation of MeteoSwissUniversity of
FribourgUniversity of Zurich
2
GIS in Switzerland

• Who is working with GIS ?
• - Federal and cantonal departments
• - Universities and research institutes
• - Private industry (engineering,
  environmental planning etc.)
• ? the use of GIS in this wide range of domains
  makes it very difficult to keep track of all
  existing applications.
• What kind of GIS software is being used ?
• Mainframe software ESRI ArcInfo, Intergraph,
  ARGIS, etc.
• Desktop software ArcView, MapInfo, SICAD, etc.
• Spatial analysis software Idrisi, Spans, etc.
• Many other specific LIS and GIS software ( since
  not all applicants could be contacted this list
  does not claim to be complete)

3
Applications in Climatology(3 Examples of
MeteoSwiss)
Mapping of the differences between norm values
calculated for the standard periods of 1930
1960 and 1961 1990 (used for controlling)
4
Spatialisation of standardized values
Application to generate automatically the
monthly weather report (customer product) ? only
planned, not realized yet ? The tools provided by
ArcViews spatial analyst are in this case only
to be applied to standardized values since
topography has not been taken into account while
interpolating. Example Interpolated difference
between measured amount of precipitation and its
norm values. Representing very well the
flood event of Oct. 13 15 in Simplon area, in
which 16 people were killed
5
Meta data handling system
(not realized yet but in the pipeline for 2003)
6
Linking GIS and ModelsJoint Project of the
Universities of Fribourg and Zurich
MODEL PROCESSES LEVEL
Regional Climate Model
Cryosphere Impacts Models
Input parameters RCM initalization Basic
spatial modelling
Input parameters cryosphere models Basic
spatial modelling
GIS-based interpolation and regionalization to
downscale RCM data to those relevant to assess
response of the Alpine cryosphere to climatic
change
GIS PROCESSES LEVEL
7
Coupling of global and regional climatic models
Model coupling
Initial and boundary conditions for the RCM
(Regional Climatic Model) provided by the GCM
(Global Climatic Model)
RCM
GCM
Scaling procedures ...
Use of GIS methods to enable a coupling of RCM
and cryosphere models (in spatial terms)
and problems
How to bridge the gap ?
Stephane.Goyette_at_unifr.ch
Martin.Beniston_at_unifr.ch
8
Geomatics in Climate modelling

• Production of input parameters

- from existing Geographic Database - from
terrain measurements - derived from available
information - derived from remotely sensed data

• Production of maps

- within modelling process - for results output

• Management and maintenance of large GDB

- validation, meta-information - inport/export
from/to external GDB

• Application of spatial analysis methods

- submodels, simulation, inference, ...
Claude.Collet_at_unifr.ch
9
3 Models in the field of permafrost(Applications
of the University of Zurich)
1
Empirical Model
Model PERMAKART After Keller, 1992 Applied at
the Corvatsch-Furtschellas area Upper
Engadin Eastern Swiss Alps
2
Statistical Model
Model PERMAMAP After Hoelzle, 1994 Applied at
the Corvatsch-Furtschellas area Upper
Engadin Eastern Swiss Alps
10
Process Modelling
3
Process Model
Model PERMEBALAfter Mittaz et al. in prep.
Applied at the Corvatsch-Furtschellasarea Upper
EngadinEastern Swiss Alps
11
GIS-based model validation
Remote sensing
Geomorphological Mapping
12
Outlook

• At MeteoSwiss there are plans to come up with an
  application for a pollen distribution model which
  is based on GIS.
• MAP Mesoscale Alpine Programme is a database
  containing an alpine-wide climatological data
  set. This could become an ideal data source for
  GIS applications analysing data across national
  borders.The potential for possible applications
  has to be examined.
• Improvement of the collaboration between GIS
  users concerning transfer of knowledge etc.
• If you have any questions concerning the content
  of this presentation please feel free to contact
  estelle.grueter_at_meteoswiss.ch