Medium-Scale Meteorology Group
Group Director : Christine Lac
The Mesoscale Meteorology Group (GMME) conducts research on mesoscale phenomena in the atmosphere and on surfaces interacting with the lower layers of the atmosphere. This research aims to advance our understanding, modelling and forecasting of phenomena such as fog and low clouds, icing, urban climate, thunderstorms, intense convective events, droughts and their hydrological impacts.
In order to improve understanding of mesoscale processes, the GMME designs and implements models, often at very high resolution (LES), and exploits data from measurement campaigns. Researchers from the group have recently initiated and coordinated campaigns LIAISE et PANAME, having coordinated major campaigns in the past such as AMMA et HyMeX, and have also recently contributed to numerous other campaigns, such as SOFOG3D, EUREC4A, MAESTRO, MOSAI, ICICLE and SENS4ICE.
The GMME’s research aims to improve the representation of mesoscale processes in numerical weather and climate prediction models and to develop weather and climate services. It is based on the development and improvement of physical parameterisations, innovative mesoscale data assimilation, ensemble forecasting methods, couplings (land surface-atmosphere, ocean-atmosphere-waves and hydrology, wind turbines, fires) and impact models (city, continental hydrology, photovoltaic production, etc.).
The resources
The resources available to GMME researchers consist of numerical models, experimental measurements (measurement campaigns and observation sites) and instrumental measurements (remote sensing, measurement networks).
The models
The GMME is a major player in the development of the research model Méso-NH, which it maintains and develops in conjunction with LAERO. It contributes to the development of the model AROME, in particular its physical parameterisations shared with Meso-NH and integrated into the externalised code PHYEX (Physique externalisée), the assimilation of new observations, its overall forecasting and post-processing. It uses AROME for numerical weather forecasting and regional climate modelling (particularly urban climate). It is responsible for the coordination, development and maintenance of the platform SURFEX, and the base ECOCLIMAP data on soils and terrestrial ecosystems, compiled from satellite observations, which are used in Météo-France’s numerical prediction and climate models. It coordinates the development of the fine-scale multi-coupled modelling system for the atmosphere, ocean, waves and continental surfaces AROBASE. In hydrology, he contributes to the development of the CTRIP model and the national hydrogeological modelling platform AquiFR. The LDAS continental surface data assimilation system in SURFEX allows the role of vegetation in the terrestrial hydrological cycle to be studied.
The equipment
The GMME relies on Météo-France’s high-performance computers. It uses observations from measurement campaigns, satellite and ground-based remote sensing measurements, and Météo-France’s ground-based measurement networks.
The research teams
The GMME, located in Toulouse, is structured into six research teams focusing on:
- – non-hydrostatic modelling and cloud process parameterisations
- – precipitating convective systems in temperate latitudes
- – convection and clouds in tropical regions, including overseas territories
- – modelling of exchange processes in the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum
- –characterisation of continental surfaces and atmospheric aerosols by satellite remote sensing and data assimilation
- – city-atmosphere exchanges and the urban climate
- A seventh entity, consisting of a single researcher, conducts theoretical studies on convection, named ETC.