ALADIN Main events

1.   New ALADIN libraries

a) Code changes for AL13/CY22T2:

Mostly general improvements. For ALADIN, a first fully working non-hydrostatic tangent linear and adjoint code and bugfixes to run the simplified physics package developed by Dr. Marta Janiskova for ARPEGE.

b) Code changes for AL14/CY23T1:

The main issue is the switch from CMAFOC to ODB observation file format. This change impacts on all assimilation configurations (CANARI, Screening, 3D-VAR). Note that only the code phasing was prepared, but this cycle was not validated for ODB in ALADIN. Thus, you have to consider it only as a transient cycle, not suitable for operations.

Dynamics however have been validated for the general configurations (hydrostatic, non-hydrostatic, oper-type of conf. 001, 501, 401).

Note also that a reorganization of the code the non-hydrostatic model was performed, at the level of SCAN2M(DM)/CPG.

Finally, a lot of extra Full-Pos diagnostics have entered the cycle, along with namelist cleaning.

c) For AL15/CY24T1,

We anticipate bugfixes for the non-hydrostatic model, and there will be definitely a need for a deeper validation of the assimilation configurations !

The history of the ALADIN cycles has been updated and an history of the phasing teams is now available on the ALADIN website (http://www.cnrm.meteo.fr/aladin/concept/historycycles.html).

The multi-tasking option, as well as the shared-memory configuration, will disappear and spectral transforms will enter a new, external library.

2.   ALADIN informal meeting in Toulouse

An informal meeting took place after the second day of the 22nd EWGLAM and 7th SRNWP joint meetings (October 9-13, 2000, Toulouse). ALADINers gathered together to debate some technical and scientifical issues. A great part of the main debated points have been already completed.

• Newsletter : the scientific content should be increased with a more detailed description of deported scientific work; a 6-month production frequency is kept with less hardcopies but distribution of CD-ROMs. Let us hope, this Newsletter will obey this !...
• Trombinoscope : a rogues' gallery was asked ... and partly completed (see "Contact").
• Statistics of participation : an automatic system was promised to enable the correspondents to register on-line their contributions; it has been developed and was the opportunity to homogenize contributions, delays, ... (see "Statistics").
• The verification strategy for high-resolution modelling was discussed, the topic of the ALATNET lecture course in 2001 was chosen ("Data Assimilation"), ....

The minutes (and photos) of this informal meeting (and dinner !) are available on the ALADIN website (page Meetings).

3.   9th ALADIN workshop

The Minutes of the workshop will be available on the ALADIN website, on page "Meetings".

4.   Assembly of Partners

The 5th Assembly of ALADIN Partners took place in Vienna (Austria) on November 24, 2000. The Minutes have been prepared by our Austrian colleagues and will be available on the ALADIN website as soon as possible. The main conclusions are :

• The MoU is extended for another 6 months : the working group (France, Romania, Slovenia) who received in 1999 the mission to draft the new Memorandum of Understanding will continue its work following the recommendations of the Assembly.
• The signature of the new MoU is expected for the end of May during an intermediate Assembly of Partners, that will be organized jointly with the 2001 celebrations (10 years of ALADIN, 7 years of operations, ...). A working group gathering some directors (Austria, Belgium, Czech, France) will prepare this. This might be also an opportunity to make some publicity for ALADIN (embassies, EU, ...).
• A working group (Belgium, France, Hungary, Romania, Slovenia) was created to harmonize the evaluation of the ALADIN effort in each NMS.

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