The Physical Climate System

More about the specialisation

Are you wondering how you can assess the impact of past, present and future climate change? Not only on nature but also on society? And would you like to answer questions like, how long-term changes in oceanic circulation affect climate? Or, how much do anthropogenic emissions and deforestation contribute to climate change?

To answer these questions and find solutions we need to understand and quantify natural- versus human-induced climate change. In the specialisation The Physical Climate System, MCL students work on finding these solutions. They focus on the physical climate system and the use of different research methodologies in climate change research. These methodologies are:

• Observation of past and present climate.
• System analysis on process interactions and resulting feedback mechanisms at different temporal and spatial scales in explaining earth’s climate dynamics.
• The use of simple- to complex earth system models to assess past, present and future climate change.

Current concerns about climate change are mainly due to observed fast changes in the Earth’s energy balance. As a consequence of an increase in anthropogenic activities, hydrological and biochemical cycles are altered resulting in a cascade of interactions and feedback mechanisms involving the earth’s atmosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere and cryosphere. These interactions explain the observed past and current climate state but also ultimately determine future climate change.

Students can learn more about the education and research related to this specialisation by visiting the website of the Hydrology and Quantitative Water Management Group and the Meteorology and Air Quality Group.