TOSCA project aims at developing a long-lasting network of local authorities, policy makers & scientists to improve environment policies and appropriate decision making in case of marine accidents (oil pollution, Search And Rescue (SAR) operations) in the Mediterranean Sea. TOSCA will supply monitoring of ocean currents based on state of the art technology (HF radars and drifters), together with risk maps & action plans developed by the scientists in collaboration with the local authorities. Achievements: State of the art of project implementation since the project startState of the art of suitable instrumentation Purchase: radar parts, Argo float, simplified drifters (prototypes) using low cost GLOBALSTAR satellite covering the Mediterranean Trieste: HF radar Research in measurement strategies, algorithms & instruments developed Test & implementation of Lagrangian algorithm LAVA to optimize transport estimates. Naples: Analysis of past pollution. Implementation of a regional ocean circulation model applied to summer 2009: reference period for the implementation of the modeling system for simulations of material transport & integrate digital modeling into the monitoring Choice of past pollution for model validation Experiments preparation: Boat reservation, testing instrumentations & radars, sampling strategy design according to the modeling system prediction, glider rental, trial at sea. Local authorities agreements Toulon: modeling system resulting in quasi real-time simulations of ocean circulation Oil-spill software tested Observation system based on coastal radars. Dec 2011 experiment: radar, glider & surface drifter data, 5 days data Main Mediterranean forecasting systems report GIS ImplementationLatest project activities and outputsThe main activities during the reporting period: Experiments held with HF radars in the Gulf of Naples and Toulon (test of LAVA) Analysis of the data obtained in Toulon & Trieste (from HF radar) available for oil spill scenarios. Gulf of Naples 27/07-6/08/12: Different kinds of Eulerian & Lagrangian measurements, 86 drifters implementation of the circulation model of the Gulf almost ended North Aegean: Effectiveness of the modeling system implemented in the capture of oil spill dispersion A report achieved: Updating of the forecasting systems on the test sites (ocean velocities fields information from many data sources), could be applied in emergency cases. Improvement of the GIS (direct real-time access to drifter & radar data)Next key steps for the projectTrieste: oil spill scenarios-GNOME, ARIANE models Naples: Determine the best procedures in case of accidents NE Aegean: Evaluation of potential errors, modeling system calibration. Possible adaptation of the forecasting method for REMTH Baelaric experiment with SASEMAR Reanalysis of the Prestige accident, waiting for the dispersion algorithm Implementation of the model-circulation, dispersion, advanced LAVA, data sets-in the GIS final evaluation End-users meeting preparation meeting-Trieste-10/2012