Research Theme 2: Evaluating ESMs

A critical step in developing new process parameterizations and increasing confidence in ESM projections is to thoroughly evaluate the representation of these processes against observations. Evaluation of Earth system components has lagged behind that of physical climate processes, so developing process-based techniques to evaluate biogeochemical schemes is crucial for model improvement. The complexity of ESMs means improved parameterization must first be evaluated in a constrained model configuration, driven by observations (e.g. for a vegetation parameterization, running experiments with the land-only component of an ESM driven by observed atmospheric forcing). Targeted observations can then be used to evaluate the realism of the actual processes being simulated and assess the sensitivity of processes to a range of input variables defined from, and evaluated against, observations. Often referred to as process-level or bottom-up evaluation, CRESCENDO will develop a range of such methods to evaluate new ESM process focussing on descriptions focusing on terrestrial and marine biogeochemistry and natural aerosols.

RT2 members

CRESCENDO's RT2 members

  • Chris Jones
    RT2 leader
    chris.d.jones@metoffice.gov.uk
    www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/our-scientists/climate-chemistry-ecosystems/chris-jones
    Met Office Hadley Centre (MOHC), UK
    Chris Jones
    RT2 leader

    Chris leads research into vegetation and carbon cycle modelling and their interactions with climate. His areas of expertise include: vegetation and ecosystem modelling, coupled climate-carbon cycle modelling, coupled climate-carbon cycle feedback analysis, and assessing the relevance and implications of carbon cycle feedbacks for climate mitigation policy.

  • Tatiana llyina
    RT2 leader
    tatiana.ilyina@mpimet.mpg.de
    www.mpimet.mpg.de/en/staff/tatiana-ilyina.html
    Max Plank Institute for Meteorology (MPG), Germany
    Tatiana llyina
    RT2 leader

    Tatiana’s research interests span the areas of marine carbon cycle, its relation to climate and ocean acidification. She has a specific interest in applying and developing models of ocean biogeochemical cycles for stand-alone calculations and/or as components of Earth system models.

  • Sönke Zaehle
    WP4 leader
    szaehle@bgc-jena.mpg.de
    https://www.bgc-jena.mpg.de/bgi/index.php/People/SoenkeZaehle
    Linkedin
    Max Planck Institute for Meteorology (MPG), Germany
    Sönke Zaehle
    WP4 leader
    Linkedin

    Soenke’s research interest lies in the quantification of the effects of nutrient limitation (nitrogen & phosphorus) on terrestrial biosphere dynamics (carbon cycling, water and energy balance, vegetation dynamics) and their interactions with the Earth system. His research focuses on the development and application of large-scale process-based terrestrial biosphere models to understand the interactions between land-surface and atmospheric processes. While such models are powerful tools to quantify biophysical and biogeochemical feedbacks mechanisms, they are subject to large uncertainties resulting from incomplete understanding of key processes.

  • Roland Seferian
    WP5 leader
    roland.seferian@meteo.fr
    www.cnrm-game-meteo.fr/spip.php?article989&lang=en
    Centre National de Recherches Météorologiques – Meteo France (MF-CNRM), France
    Roland Seferian
    WP5 leader

    Roland’s research interests focus on: Earth system modelling, modeling of the marine biogeochemistry, understanding the recent variability of the global carbon cycle, and quantifying and understanding the amplitude and the mechanisms of the climate-carbon cycle feedbacks.

  • Ken Carslaw
    WP6 leader
    K.S.Carslaw@leeds.ac.uk
    www.see.leeds.ac.uk/people/k.carslaw
    University of Leeds (UNIVLEEDS), UK
    Ken Carslaw
    WP6 leader

    Ken's research involves modelling of the physical and chemical properties of atmospheric aerosols and the effect on clouds, atmospheric composition and climate. The Global Model of Aerosol Processes (GLOMAP) is a major advance on previous global models and has been used to study a wide range of aerosol processes in the atmosphere, including new particle formation, marine aerosol, dust emission and transport, and cloud condensation nuclei. GLOMAP is also being used in an Earth System model to study the interactions between aerosol, the oceans and the biosphere from seasonal to palaeo timescales. His research also examines the impact of aerosol on cloud processes and precipitation using advanced numerical models.

Working Packages: