The Earth System Prediction Capability—a multiagency partnership to advance US environmental prediction

The Earth System Prediction Capability (ESPC) arose from discussions between Department of Commerce and Department of Defense to design and build the next generation environmental prediction system to meet current and emerging requirements. This initial discussion has evolved into a multi-agency effort including the operational environmental prediction communities, the climate community and the broader development community. ESPC is a program to meet broad but specific agency requirements for an earth system analysis and prediction framework to support one-day to decadal, global prediction at very high horizontal and vertical resolution including the atmosphere, ocean, land, cryosphere and space. ESPC will include: - A national approach providing advanced data assimilation, forecast model physics and computational efficiencies; - A common set of agency requirements and standards while providing for agency specific mission capabilities; - Provision to support a national research agenda; and, - Cooperative development effort encompassing federal, private and academic expertise.

The sponsoring agencies held the first of a series of workshops in September, 2010 to develop a science, technical and management plan including a development roadmap. This talk will provide an overview of the driving requirements for ESPC, the overall goals and the results of the first ESPC workshop.