With the help of “Earth Simulator” the Japanese specialists intend to create a weather forecasting system within the accuracy of 4 km on the whole planet’s surface. There will be prepared also more approximate weather forecast on the planet for about 300 years in advance.
In the middle of January 2007 Japan was smothered with snow. As a result of heavy snowfalls which lasted for several days, the land of the rising sun lost over 90 people. The number of injured and frostbitten in Japan reached 1000. For some days, even the army equipped with heavy machinery could not restore the arterial highways lost under meters of snow. The losses caused by snowfalls were estimated by the Government at USD100 mln.
And in July there came the rains…
Obviously tired of devastating effects of such natural calamities, the Government of Japan announced a unique system which is to be created with the aim of forecasting typhoons, heavy snowfalls, drastic changes of temperature and other atmospheric natural disasters to 20-30 years in advance with enough precision (because now the Meteorological Office is able to forecast weather to a maximum of 2-3 days).
The key element of the new system will be the super computer Earth Simulator with the average working speed of 5 trillion calculations per second. It is situated in the Earth Institute in Yokohama and consists of 5120 processes which occupy 3250 sq m. This computer is able to process giant volumes of data from meteorological orbiters and surveillance stations while creating an integrated virtual model of processes going on in the atmosphere and water spaces.
With the help of “Earth Simulator” the Japanese specialists intend to eventually create a weather forecasting system within the accuracy of 4 km on the whole planet’s surface. Particular attention will be paid to the area around Japan where the 20-30 years forecast should help the Government to distribute budgetary funds in a more rational way and be ready for different calamities in advance. There will be prepared also more approximate weather forecast on the planet for about 300 years in advance.
The Ministry of Education and Science of Japan intends to identify on an open competitive basis the research institutions and private companies which will take part in the project on an open competitive basis. The project will be launched next spring. Meanwhile, the weather keeps on topping all record levels…