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This workshop is being co-sponsored by the Statistical and Applied Mathematical Sciences Institute, which has provided additional participant support.

Mathematical Issues and Challenges in Data Assimilation for Geophysical Systems: Interdisciplinary Perspectives

February 22 - 25, 2005

Schedule and Presentations

Program Poster PDF

Organizing Committee:

Christopher K.R.T. Jones, Chair (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill)
Kayo Ide (UCLA)
Robert N. Miller (Oregon State University)
Douglas Nychka (National Center for Atmospheric Research)

Scientific Background

The problem of assimilating data into a geophysical system related to the atmosphere and oceans is both fundamental in that it aims at the estimation and prediction of an unknown, true state and challenging as it does not naturally afford a clean solution. It has two equally important elements: observations and computational models. Observations measured by instruments provide direct information of the true state, whether they are taken in situ or by remote sensing. Such observations are heterogeneous, inhomogeneous in space, irregular in time, and subject to differing accuracies. In contrast, computational models use knowledge of underlying physics and dynamics to provide a complete description of state evolution in time. Models are also far from perfect: due to model error, uncertainty in the initial conditions and computational limitations, model evolution cannot accurately generate the true state.

The issue of assimilating data into models arises in all scientific areas that enjoy a profusion of data. In its broadest sense, it is the subject that arises at the meeting point of data and models. Technology has driven the advances on both sides of the equation: new techniques of measurement have led to an enormous surge in the amount of available data and ever faster computers have given us the capability of new levels of computational modeling. The development of effective data assimilation methods must now be viewed as one of the fundamental challenges in scientific prediction. The two explicit goals of this workshop will be: 1) introduce data assimilation to mathematicians and scientists who work in related areas but are not currently involved in data assimilation; 2) outline future directions for mathematical and statistical developments of data assimilation techniques. These goals will be achieved by complementing technical and overview presentations by "brainstorming sessions" in which mathematicians and geophysicists will be brought together in groups to define the big issues and the possible directions that might resolve them.

Related Programs

Information about programs in a related topic:

Speakers

Greg Eyink (Johns Hopkins University)
Jim Hansen (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
Brian Hunt (University of Maryland)
Richard Kleeman (New York University)
Arthur Krener (University of California at Davis)
Pierre F.J. Lermusiaux (Harvard University)
James McWilliams (UCLA)
Igor Mezic (UCSB)
Carolyn A. Reynolds (Naval Research Laboratory)
Leonard A. Smith (London School of Economics)
Padhraic Smyth (University of California at Irvine)
Chris Snyder (National Center for Atmospheric Research)
Richard Sowers (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)
Andrew Stuart (University of Warwick)
William W. Symes (Rice University)
Istvan Szunyogh (University of Maryland)
Oliver Talagrand (Ecole Normale Supérieure, France)
Edriss Titi (University of California at Irvine/Weizmann Institute of Science)
Joseph Tribbia (National Center for Atmospheric Research)

Poster Session

There will be a poster session on Tuesday, February 22, 2005. Those who wish to contribute must do the following:

  • Register online for the workshop
  • Submit title and abstract of the poster for approval to

Contact Us:

Institute for Pure and Applied Mathematics (IPAM)
Attn: DA2005
460 Portola Plaza
Los Angeles CA 90095-7121
Phone: 310 825-4755
Fax: 310 825-4756
Email: ipam@ucla.edu
Website: http://www.ipam.ucla.edu/programs/da2005/


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