Processes of Decadal Climate Variability in Different Regions

Abstract:

The realistic representation of decadal climate variability in the models is essential for the quality of decadal climate predictions. Therefore, those processes important for the realistic representation need to be found and included or improved in the climate models. This is done within the German research program “MiKlip – Decadal Predictions” (http://www.fona-miklip.de/en/) for the following processes. A new parameterization of boundary layer processes over inhomogeneous Arctic sea ice is developed. A coupled global atmosphere-ocean-sea ice system with regional refinement in the Arctic is applied. The consideration of the full-physics subsurface hydrodynamics to account for the memory effect of soil moisture is tested for different regions in Europe. The air-sea interaction is analyzed over the North Atlantic Current and Gulf Stream. Stratospheric processes and their impact on the troposphere are analyzed including tropospheric and stratospheric chemistry. The effect of large volcanic eruptions is also taken into account.