Beyond CALYPSO- Enhancing oil spill modelling capabilities through the fusion of model, satellite, and HF radar data

"The CALYPSO SOUTH project has made possible additions to the national ocean observing infrastructures and modelling capabilities both in
Sicily and Malta. In particular, the coverage of the already existing HF Radar network has been extended to the South on both islands. Also,
weather stations that continuously monitor ports that are used for navigation, were installed. High-resolution forecasts that improve on existing
data products were also developed and validated. In CALYPSO SOUTH, the data products generated through the integration of observations
and numerical models in Work Package 3, were further exploited in Work Package 4. The aim of this WP was to transform the data into targeted
added value services. While WP3 ensured a reliable and consistent data supply, WP4 focused on the production of user driven services fitting
to applications needed by targeted users. In particular, Deliverable 4.3 of CALYPSO SOUTH targeted the enhancement of oil spill modelling
capabilities. Existing models were upgraded to cover a domain that goes beyond the Malta shelf area. Together with local stakeholders as well
as with international key players such as the European Maritime Safety Agency, emergency oil spill response simulations were successfully
organized in both Italy and Malta. Drifting objects at sea do not follow country borders or jurisdictions. In the case of a spill, neighboring
countries must work together to minimize the environmental and coastal damage as much as possible. The figure below shows the trajectories
followed by two satellite tracked surface drifters deployed from May to July 2022 by the University of Malta. This clearly demonstrates that
particles originating close to the Maltese islands can quickly reach Italian shores, and travel south again towards countries such as Libya or, in
favourable weather conditions, also Tunis."

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