Cluster D - D02

D02

Simulating past and future responses of the terrestrial system to greenhouse gas forcing and regional anthropogenic interventions

Prof. Ph.D. Stefan Kollet
Forschungszentrum Jülich  |    +49 2461 619593  |    This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Jun. Prof. Dr. techn. Michael Schindelegger
University of Bonn  |    +49 228 73-6345  |    This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

 
Summary

This project explores whether – and to what extent – anthropogenic interventions can lead to persistent, potentially unsustainable changes in the coupled water and energy cycles of the surface/sub-surface-atmospheric system. These fundamental questions are addressed by performing free, regional simulations of the terrestrial system from groundwater to the top of the atmosphere under consideration of water and energy balance constraints over the European continent and the adjacent ocean. A carefully designed hierarchy of experiments, both for historical and 21st century timelines, will facilitate identification and spatial localization of the anthropogenic impact against the background of natural variability and greenhouse gas forcing.