SINOPTICA was a project funded under the European Horizon 2020 program and dedicated to the assimilation of data for the improvement of mathematical models used in the prediction of extreme events so as to support air traffic management. Specifically, the project leveraged data obtained from remote sensing, both satellite and ground-based, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and in-situ weather stations.
The project
Begun in June 2020 and completed in December 2022, SINOPTICA has created a database, updated regularly, that collects all the variables from the different sensing systems. These data are then automatically assimilated into the weather forecasting model, the results of which can be integrated into supporting tools for air traffic management. The project also investigated the possibility of implementing sensor networks that monitor atmospheric variables at certain critical points for air traffic management, for example, near airports.
Results
- Demonstration of the importance of assimilation of radar observations, GNSS data, lightning strikes for weather forecasting to support air traffic management
- Integration of Severe Weather Forecasts into an Extended Arrival Manager
- Near-real time execution of hydraulic modeling based on TELEMAC2D model
CIMA Research Foundation’s contribution
CIMA Research Foundation, coordinator of the project, was particularly dedicated to performing high spatial and temporal resolution weather simulations, including data assimilation, in nowcasting mode.