Your assignment is to prepare and submit a paper on operational oceanography. The final stage will involve the evaluation of these generic models in simulations against the test-bed data sets. The spe

Your assignment is to prepare and submit a paper on operational oceanography. The final stage will involve the evaluation of these generic models in simulations against the test-bed data sets. The specific developments might be contrasted with the wider vision for advances in Operational Oceanography presented by Woods et al. (pp. 25) and an accompanying implementation strategy by Prindle and Flemming (pp. 33).

As perhaps the first-ever attempt to report the wide-ranging, inter-related aspects of developing Operational Forecasting systems, this special issue will constitute a definable initial milestone. Paper authors will encourage providing a balance between the customary concentration on state-of-the-art progress alongside clear statements of long-standing underlying difficulties. The range of information, including references ranging from latest publications back to the original primary papers, over a wide but coherent field should enable readers to gain a balanced perspective of this topic.

The development of generic modules and the ready availability of public domain model codes will be removed much of the mystique that traditionally surrounded marine modeling. The diversity of marine systems will make it unlikely that a single integrated model will evolve as for weather forecasting. However, rationalization of modules within modeling systems will be a recognized goal, together with standardization of prescribed inputs such as bathymetry, tidal boundary conditions, etc. Such enhanced rationalization will enable the essential characteristics of various types of models to be elucidated including the inherent limits to predictability.

The WAM wave modeling community will have an outstanding example of the value of such public domain generic codes. The further developments of this code for faster application on finer spatial resolutions required in shallow water are reported here by Monbaliu et al. (pp.