The National Applied Research Laboratories (NARLabs) and the Central Weather Bureau (CWB) of Ministry of Transportation and Communications signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on July 28, 2015 for promoting meteorological R&D and data processing, developing forecast experiments, and expanding the applications of meteorological observations and forecast data.

Vice President Jough-Tai Wang of NARLabs (right) and Director-General Tzay-Chyn Shin of the Central Weather Bureau (left) signed a memorandum of understanding

NARLabs stated that as an upstream research unit, it is pleased to establish a long-term partnership with the Central Weather Bureau. By receiving a steady amount of observational data from the CWB, NARLabs will be able to exercise and improve its capability in observation, experimentation, numerical simulation, and data analysis. Processed information will then be provided to the CWB as feedback, thereby enhancing the precision of forecasts and benefiting the public.

The CWB affirmed that under the principles of resource sharing and professional division of labor, the CWB will provide NARLabs and its affiliated research centers with observational and numerical simulation forecast data for R&D and forecast experiments, and further assist NARLabs in establishing data processing centers and subsequent operational maintenance. Simultaneously, NARLabs will share its observation data, forecast experiments, and numerical simulations as references for the CWB. This will allow for an increase in technological capabilities and an improvement in the effectiveness of meteorological forecasts, standards for marine forecasts, and the transmission effectiveness of earthquake information.

Based on successful collaborations by the two parties in the past, the signing of the MOU will allow the continuation of projects related to Formosat-3 and Formosat-7, the establishment of an ocean current forecasting system, and collaborations regarding vibration detection and verification for earthquake instruments.