Award Abstract # 2203001
Collaborative Research: P2C2--Constraining Cloud and Convective Parameterizations Using Paleoclimate Data Assimilation

NSF Org: AGS
Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences
Recipient: THE TRUSTEES OF COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK
Initial Amendment Date: June 2, 2022
Latest Amendment Date: June 2, 2022
Award Number: 2203001
Award Instrument: Standard Grant
Program Manager: Mea S. Cook
mcook@nsf.gov
 (703)292-7306
AGS
 Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences
GEO
 Directorate for Geosciences
Start Date: July 1, 2022
End Date: June 30, 2025 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount: $255,959.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date: $255,959.00
Funds Obligated to Date: FY 2022 = $255,959.00
History of Investigator:
  • Gregory Elsaesser (Principal Investigator)
    ge2201@columbia.edu
Recipient Sponsored Research Office: Columbia University
615 W 131ST ST
NEW YORK
NY  US  10027-7922
(212)854-6851
Sponsor Congressional District: 13
Primary Place of Performance: Columbia University
2960 Broadway
NEW YORK
NY  US  10027-6902
Primary Place of Performance
Congressional District:
13
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): F4N1QNPB95M4
Parent UEI:
NSF Program(s): Paleoclimate
Primary Program Source: 01002223DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
Program Reference Code(s): 7754, 8070
Program Element Code(s): 153000
Award Agency Code: 4900
Fund Agency Code: 4900
Assistance Listing Number(s): 47.050

ABSTRACT

The general goal of the research is to develop a new framework for advancing model representations of cloud and convective processes by integrating paleoclimate data and climate model simulations. Specifically, the research strategy consists of three main objectives: (1) conduct fully coupled, isotope-enabled simulations for the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), mid-Holocene (MH), and pre-industrial (PI) time periods using a wide ensemble of cloud and convective parameter sets; (2) perform paleoclimate data assimilation on the perturbed parameter ensemble (PPE) using sea surface temperature (SST) and water isotope proxies, respectively; and (3) use the posteriors from the LGM, MH, and PI assimilations to identify which cloud and convection parameters provide the best match to the proxy data, then conduct present-day and doubled carbon dioxide (CO2) experiments with these parameter sets to calculate a narrowed estimate of equilibrium climate sensitivity.

Equilibrium climate sensitivity (ECS) is a key climate metric that quantifies the rise in global mean surface temperature in response to doubling of atmospheric CO2 relative to PI levels. Changes in hydroclimate, temperature extremes, and other aspects of the climate system in future projections are closely tied to a model?s ECS. For decades, estimates of ECS have remained wide despite improvements from using multiple lines of evidence. One persistent source of this spread is related to cloud and convective processes, which occur at scales too small to be explicitly resolved, and thus require parameterizations to be represented in climate models. This project seeks to address this issue.

The potential Broader Impacts include improvement in climate models, school term and summer internship experience for a high school teacher and graduate student in collaboration with NASA, involvement of undergraduate students in research through the Garden State Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

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