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Closed for application
C42.CU-Alpha.05

Understanding Earth system processes with global and regional convection-permitting models

  • Reference person
    Fosser
    Giorgia
    (giorgia.fosser@iusspavia.it)
  • Host University/Institute
    Scuola Universitaria Superiore IUSS Pavia
  • Internship
    N
  • Research Keywords
    Global and regional convection-permitting models
    Climate change
    Extremes
  • Reference ERCs
    PE10_3 Climatology and climate change
    PE10_21 Earth system modelling and interactions
    PE10_2 Meteorology, atmospheric physics and dynamics
  • Reference SDGs
    GOAL 3: Good Health and Well-being
    GOAL 10: Reduced Inequality
    GOAL 13: Climate Action
  • Studente
  • Supervisor
  • Co-Supervisor

Description

Research over the past decade has shown that Regional Convection-Permitting Models (RCPMs) represent sub-daily precipitation statistics and extremes more realistically than coarser-resolution Global and Regional Climate Models (GCMs and RCMs), since kilometre-scale resolution allows convection processes to be resolved rather than parametrised. Recent advances in computing, together with programmes such as Destination Earth—a flagship initiative of the European Commission to develop a highly accurate digital model of the Earth—are now bringing GCMs towards convection-permitting resolution (GCPMs). However, their performance and realism at climatological scales remains poorly understood.

The purpose of the research will be to compare these new GCMPs against existing RCPMs as well as observation and reanalysis datasets to evaluate added value and disadvantages of the different models over different parts of the world. In addition, the study will investigate whether differences in the climate change signal among the different ensembles exist and eventually the reasons behind them. The project will use the three GCMPs (ICON, IFS-FESOM and IFS-NEMO) provided by Destination Earth and the RCPM ensembles run under the CORDEX umbrella. The focus will be on hourly precipitation statistics together with atmospheric and land/ocean processes relevant at climate scale.

Suggested skills:

The ideal candidate has a good experience with programming languages (in particular Python and/or R) and is familiar with atmospheric or/and ocean modelling. Knowledge of the climate physics, statistical analysis, large climate dataset will be beneficial. 

Team working attitude and excellent knowledge of spoken and written English are required.

Research team and environment

The CARISMA team within IUSS is composed by STEM and Social scientists working on different aspects of climate change among which: data analysis and modelling of Earth system and economic system processes; impact assessment of extreme natural events and anthropogenic activities on human and natural environments.