Whois & Analysis for ecmwf.int

A supercomputer is a computer with a high level of computing performance compared to a general-purpose computer.

Performance of a supercomputer is measured in floating-point operations per second (FLOPS) instead of million instructions per second (MIPS).

As of 2015, there are supercomputers which can perform up to quadrillions of FLOPS.

The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, ECMWF, is an independent intergovernmental organisation supported by most of the nations of Europe and is based at Shinfield Park, Reading, United Kingdom.

Numerical weather prediction (NWP) uses mathematical models of the atmosphere and oceans to predict the weather based on current weather conditions.

Though first attempted in the 1920s, it was not until the advent of computer simulation in the 1950s that numerical weather predictions produced realistic results.

A number of global and regional forecast models are run in different countries worldwide, using current weather observations relayed from radiosondes, weather satellites and other observing systems as inputs.

Meteorology is the interdisciplinary scientific study of the atmosphere.

The study of meteorology dates back millennia, though significant progress in meteorology did not occur until the 18th century.

The 19th century saw modest progress in the field after weather observation networks were formed across broad regions.

Prior attempts at prediction of weather depended on historical data.

It wasn't until after the elucidation of the laws of physics and, more particularly, the development of the computer, allowing for the automated solution of a great many equations that model the weather, in the latter half of the 20th century that significant breakthroughs in weather forecasting were achieved.

Computer simulations reproduce the behavior of a system using a model.

Computer simulations have become a useful part of mathematical modeling of many natural systems in physics (computational physics), astrophysics, climatology, chemistry and biology, human systems in economics, psychology, social science, and engineering.

Simulation of a system is represented as the running of the system's model.

It can be used to explore and gain new insights into new technology and to estimate the performance of systems too complex for analytical solutions.