How to register to use ECMWF computing facilities

ECMWF computing facilities can be accessed by various users under different conditions. In all cases, users must be appropriately registered, by following the appropriate registration procedure, described below.

• Member States
• Co-operating States
• Special Projects

Member States

The ECMWF Member States listed in the ECMWF Overview are allocated a proportion of ECMWF's supercomputing resources and have access to its data archives.

Potential users at national meteorological services in these countries should contact their Computing Representative and, if granted permission to apply (following the internal procedure of their national meteorological service), complete the necessary application forms.

Scientists/researchers in other institutions/universities should contact the Director of the relevant national meteorological service, who may, at his/her discretion, allocate resources to users outside their service. Once you have the Director's authorisation, you can contact the Computing Representative at the national meteorological service and apply using the appropriate forms, as above.

Co-operating States

The ECMWF Co-operating States listed in the ECMWF Overview have access to the ECMWF Member States' server and to its data archives.

Although resources used on the server are not accounted for, users are still required to register for use, for security purposes. They should contact their Computing Representative and, if granted permission to apply (following the internal procedure of their national meteorological service), complete the necessary application forms, as above.

Special Projects

Users within one of ECMWF's Member States may apply for resources as a 'Special Project'. This possibility is particularly, but not exclusively, suitable for projects which are undertaken in co-operation between several institutions, nationally or internationally. The decision to treat a project request as a Special Project application is made ultimately by the Director of the national meteorological service of the project's Principal Investigator. Internal procedures will, however, depend on the national meteorological service.

European organisations with which ECMWF has concluded Co-operation Agreements may apply for resources for a Special Project, such a request to be considered by the Director of ECMWF.

Special Projects are defined as 'experiments or investigations of a scientific or technical nature, undertaken by one or more Member States, likely to be of interest to the general scientific community'.

To get an idea of the kind of research which has been approved as Special Projects, please refer to the Table of current Special Projects.

Special Projects - how to apply

How to apply for registration of a Special Project.