The research in the field of environmental oceanography is focused on the development of oceanographic models that may provide accurate information for water management strategies and environmental impact assessments. The effects of nutrient enrichments and reductions, and the spreading of pollutants as well as the harmful algal blooms in the Baltic Sea area are some tasks of major interest of the present research.

An integrated atmospheric-riverine-marine biogeochemical model is developed at SMHI. The Swedish Coastal and Ocean Biogeochemical model (SCOBI) is developed and used to describe the coastal and open Baltic Sea ecosystems. The model is process-oriented. I.e. it describes the major processes involved in the benthic and pelagic cycling of marine nitrogen, phosphorus and oxygen. It includes e.g. the phytoplankton dynamics and the dynamics of nitrogen fixation in the Baltic Sea.

The SCOBI model is coupled to the one-dimensional (1-D) hydrodynamical model PROBE-Baltic that is used to obtain high vertical resolution studies within the sub-basins of the Baltic Sea. For high-resolution studies of horizontal variations and transports the SCOBI model is coupled to the 3-dimensional (3-D) HIROMB model (HIgh Resolution Operational Model of the Baltic). The atmospheric and runoff forcing is provided by the operational HIRLAM model and the HBV model, respectively.