Ocean and climate scientists use various computer-based simulation to model the ocean and be able to forecast the development of the largest habitat of the Earth. Goal of these models is, for example, to understand the climate system, ocean currents or the effect of carbon emissions on ocean or atmosphere. Furthermore, scientists use data from the past and current events to provide substantial predictions of future developments. Key requirements for these models are huge computing capacities and specific programming languages and software solutions to effectively and efficiently create models for complex physical, chemical and bilogical processes. However, today domain-specific languages (DSLs) and modeling tools are rarely used in by scientists.
We will aim to circumvent this predicament with our project OceanDSL – Domain-Specific Languages for Ocean Modeling and Simulation. The project is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) with 580 000 €. Over three years we will develop specific languages for ocean scientists in conjunction with our stakeholders. We will evaluate every language and every revision in order to ensure our goals to make model implementation and execution easier, more traceable, reproducible, reduce potential sources for technical errors, and automate tedious tasks.
Cooperation partner of the project is the GEOMAR Helmholtz-Zentrum for Ocean Research Kiel. OceanDSL will start in October 2019 within the research focus of Kiel Marine Science (KMS).