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Research in CGD

Staff Spotlight:

Gokhan Danabasoglu

Ocean general circulation models routinely used in long climate simulations cannot afford to explicitly resolve some climatologically important small scale processes. These subgrid-scale processes include mesoscale and sub-mesoscale eddies as well as gravity current overflows. Therefore, they need to be parameterized to include their effects on the ocean circulation and climate. Much of my research focuses on the development, implementation, and climate impact assessment of new subgrid-scale parameterizations, using the ocean component of the NCAR Community Climate System Model (CCSM3). More...

Publication News:

The contribution of cloud and radiation anomalies to the 2007 Arctic sea ice extent minimum

Reduced cloudiness and enhanced downwelling radiation are associated with the unprecedented 2007 Arctic sea ice loss. Over the Western Arctic Ocean, total summertime cloud cover estimated from spaceborne radar and lidar data decreased by 16% from 2006 to 2007. The clearer skies led to downwelling shortwave (longwave) radiative fluxes increases of +32 Wm^-2 (-4 Wm^-2) from 2006 to 2007. Over three months, simple calculations show that these radiation differences alone could enhance surface ice melt by 0.3 m, or warm the surface ocean by 2.4 K, which enhances basal ice melt. [Citation: GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 35, L08503, doi:10.1029/2008GL033451, 2008] [related] [related]

Potential role of the ocean thermostat in determining regional differences in coral reef bleaching events

Several negative feedback mechanisms have been proposed by others to explain the stability of maximum sea surface temperature (SST) in the western Pacific warm pool (WPWP). If these "ocean thermostat" mechanisms effectively suppress warming in the future, then coral reefs in this region should be less exposed to conditions that favor coral reef bleaching. In this study we look for regional differences in reef exposure and sensitivity to increasing SSTs by comparing reported coral reef bleaching events with observed and modeled SSTs of the last fifty years. [Citation: GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 35, L03613, doi: 10.1029/2007GL032257, 2008] [related]