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Environment and Development
KlimaProg –
Research programme on
climate and climate change
Programme period
2002-2011
Project Catalogue
2003
http://program.forskningsradet.no/klimaprog/
Contents
KlimaProgs project portfolio comprises the following classes of projects:
Coordinated projects
Advanced research groups (Spissforskningsgrupper)
Independent projects (Ordinary projects)
Support to misc. natl. and internatl. Secretariats
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NoClim - Norwegian Ocean
and Climate Project - Phase II
Coordinated Projects
Prosjektansvarlig:
UNIFOB - Bjerknes-senteret,Universitetet i
Bergen
Prosjektleder:
Haugan, Peter Mosby Professor
Prosjektnr:
155972/720
Bevilgningsperiode og finansiering fra Norges
forskningsråd:
1.1.2003-31.12.2006
2003: 4,000,000 2004: 4,000,000 2005: 4,000,000
2006: 4,000,000
NORPAST-2 - Past Climate of
the Norwegian Region-2
Prosjektansvarlig:
Geologi, Institutt for,Universitetet i Tromsø
Prosjektleder:
Hald, Morten Professor
Prosjektnr:
155971/720
Bevilgningsperiode og finansiering fra Norges
forskningsråd:
1.1.2003-31.12.2006
2003: 3,175,000 2004: 3,884,000 2005: 4,261,000
2006: 2,680,000
The principal objective of the project is to significantly
improve our understanding of processes which govern
oceanic heat transport towards the Nordic Seas, and
which provide the basis for atmospheric heat transport
from the Atlantic sector towards northern Europe. .
Subgoals:
-To elucidate how stable the Atlantic Meridional
Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is to human induced
greenhouse warming. -To identify whether rapid climate
transitions in the past were associated with changes in the
overturning
rate in the Nordic Seas. -To investigate
whether the balance of evidence (from observations,
process understanding and models) indicates that abrupt
changes are underway or likely to happen in the near
future.
Principal objective:
Advance the knowledge of patterns and variability of past
climate in the Norwegian region and to contribute to the
Understanding of climate forcing factors.
Sub-goals:
Identify patterns and frequencies of natural
climate variability on decadal to seasonal time scales
during the last millennium. Identify long term
trends and geographical distribution of gradual changes in
natural climate during the Holocene and late glacial. Elucidate the role of ice-ocean interaction in
forcing and shaping abrupt climatic change. Study the relative importance of the various
forcing factors. - Investigate the origin of the climate
change during the Recent Past (natural/anthropogenic
origin). Develop, improve and test proxy
methods for climatic reconstructions
The project is a continuation of the NOClim Phase I
project, www.noclim.org, but focussing all available
resources on the fundamental and overarching issue of
Atlantic Water flow towards and into the Nordic Seas.
The project will be executed by combining theory and
numerical modelling with analyses of recent instrumental
data and reconstructions from proxy data. The project
work will be organised in three modules:
Module A: Theory and modelling of meridional oceanic
heat transport Module B: Analysis of abrupt changes in
the past Module C: Analysis of modern variability and
detection of significant changes
In addition, the project Polar Ocean Climate Processes
(ProClim), funded separately by the Polar Climate
Programme will be considered as a module D. NOClim
intends to serve as an authoritative source of information
and advice to the Research Council and the public
concerning the difficult issues of possible rapid climate
change related to ocean circulation. We will actively
exploit international links and contacts both in scientific
syntheses and public outreach, and also integrate other
relevant national research
The project aims to advance the knowledge of patterns
and variability of past climate in the Norwegian Region
(Norway and adjoining continental margin and fjords) and
to contribute to the understanding of climate forcing
factors. The studies will focus on quantitative climate
reconstructions during the last deglaciation, the Holocene
and the Recent Past, by investigating a limited number of
high--resolution sites from terrestrial and marine archives;
by improving paleoclimatic proxies; and by synthesising
existing and new data. The project will be divided into
five related modules:
Module 1) Patterns and frequencies of natural climate
variability on decadal to seasonal time scales during the
last millennium;
Module 2) Patterns and frequencies of natural climate
variability on decadal to millennial time scales during the
late glacial and Holocene;
Module 3) Ice sheet I ocean interactions during abrupt
climate changes;
Module 4) Development, improvement and testing of
proxy methods for climate reconstructions and
Module 5) Correlation and synthesis of results. Polar
components of the project will be applied for in separate
proposals to the Polar Climate Research Programme.
AerOzClim - Aerosols, Ozone
and Climate - main application
Prosjektansvarlig:
Geofysikk, Inst. for,Universitetet i Oslo
1
Prosjektleder:
Isaksen, Ivar S. A. Professor
Prosjektnr:
155974/720
Bevilgningsperiode og finansiering fra Norges
forskningsråd:
1.1.2003-31.12.2006
2003: 3,250,000 2004: 3,250,000 2005: 3,250,000
2006: 3,250,000
RegClim Phase III - Regional
Climate Development Under
Global Warming
Prosjektansvarlig:
Meteorolgisk institutt - Oslo
Prosjektleder:
Iversen, Trond Professor
Prosjektnr:
155976/720
Bevilgningsperiode og finansiering fra Norges
forskningsråd:
1.1.2003-31.12.2006
2003: 5,250,000 2004: 5,250,000 2005: 5,250,000
2006: 5,250,000
The main objective of AerOzClim is to improve our
understanding of aerosol-climate and ozone-climate
interactions, by continue to develop and apply global
models in combination with analysis of observations, to
study processes involved, and to provide improved
parameterisations of climate models.
The studies will include:
- Process studies of poorly described processes in models,
in order to reduce large uncertainties connected with
estimates of the direct aerosol effect - Methods to
calculate process-allocated aerosol life cycles, with
parameterized radiative properties, water-activity and
cloud-droplet impacts, implemented in an atmospheric
GCM; - Collection of additional data and analysis of
processes affecting ozone loss and climate change in the
stratosphere, and in the UTLS region. - Develop model
tool for ozone chemistry/climate interactions. Implement
the parameterised processes in GCMs and perform
coupled climate/chemistry model studies.
Overall Aim (Principal Objective):
To estimate scenarios for regional climate change
suitable for impact assessments in Northern Europe,
bordering sea areas and major parts of the Arctic (our
region) given a global climate change; and to quantify
their uncertainties due to choice of methods, global
scenarios, and to uncertain processes influencing our
region’s climate, in particular those causing the warm and
ice-free Nordic Seas, and the effects of aerosols.
Sub-goals are detailed in project description for the Main
Application, and for the Module Applications. In
summary:
Ozone and aerosols show large spatial and temporal
variations in the atmosphere. In the troposphere, man
made emissions have increased their concentrations
significantly, particularly in regions of emissions of
pollutants. In the stratosphere, ozone is reduced due to
man made emissions. In order to improve our
understanding of aerosol-climate and ozone-climate
interactions AerOzClim will perform processes studies
and parameterisation of processes in climate models. The
studies will include interactive model runs to estimate the
interaction of aerosols and ozone with climate.
The studies will include the use of CTMs and GCMs
combined with data analysis. Ozone modelling and
analysis will include processes in the troposphere as well
as in the stratosphere. Studies of aerosols will include
different types of anthropogenic and natural aerosols. The
activities are divided into 4 moduls: Understanding the
direct aerosol effect, aerosol-climate interactions in
climate models, observations and analysis of stratospheric
ozone, water vapour and other trace gases, and ozoneclimate interactions. There will be significant interactions
in modelling and analysis between the modules and with
other national and international projects. Results from the
AerOzClim project will be published in international
journals and presentation at meetings, and for the public
through articles in popular journals like CICERONE.
(a) Major Result-producing Sub-goals related to the
Principal Modules (M). 1) ECHAM GSDIO scenario
downscaled in the atmosphere with finer resolution than
before; 2) Uncertainty and risk: multi-model and multiscenario atmospheric empirical and dynamical
downscaling, mel. common SRES; 3) Pure ocean, and
coupled atmosphere-ocean downscaling of the common
SRES-scenario; 4) Global projeetions for processes
important for northern North Atlantic climate for common
SRES; 5) Global projections with improved aerosols for
common SRES; 6) Downscaling global RegClimscenarios for process-specific uncertainty and risk
estimates (atmosphere, ocean, coupled); 7) Feasibility of
using Forcing Singular Vectors for generating ensembles
for dynamica downscaling; 8) Relate flow-regime Forcing
Sensitivities to results from PM3 and PM4.
(b)
For Project Administration and Management
(PAM): 1)Establish relations to climate centres; 2)Agree
on a common SRES-scenario for at least one set of
experiments in all PMs; 3)Annual seminar, progress
evaluation and adjustments of plans; 4)General Technical
Report, popular summary, major update of web-site, and
press release; 5)Evaluate the need for new Brochure and
Press Conference.
RegClim Phase III will produce projections of regional
climate change for impact assessments in Northern
Europe, bordering sea areas and major parts of the Arctic
(our region), given global climate change; and quantify
changed risks and uncertainties due to methods, scenarios,
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and poorly understood processes influencing our region.
Extreme events will receive attention. Five principal
modules are defined.
Downscaling future projections of global climate will be
done in PM1 and PM2. Empirical downscaling will be
made in the atmosphere only, and dynamical downscaling
will be used both in the atmosphere and upper ocean.
Changed risks for extreme events and scenario
uncertainties will be quantified. The Arctic and the
Nordic Seas receive specific attention by coupled limitedarea downscaling (PM2) and by producing
ensembles of global scenarios (PM3). The description of
aerosol-radiation-cloud processes developed in
AerOzClim will be used for global climate response
estimates in PM4.
The uncertainties and risks implied by regional processes
will be quantified by downscaling global scenarios from
PM3 and PM4. Quantifying contributions of natural
variability and alternative emission scenarios will benefit
from Nordic co-operation. In PM5 new methods will be
used to quantify atmospheric flow-regime sensitivities
w.r.t. changed atmospheric forcing, and limitations of
regional climate predictability in bounded domains.
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has been established at the Department of Geophysics,
University of Oslo. A close collaboration will be
established with NILU, DNMI and CICERO, and the
continuation of the collaboration between the Department
and internationally recognised research groups.
Advanced Research
Groups
Bjerknes Collaboration on
Climate Research
Tropospheric Chemistry and
Climate CHEMCLIM
Prosjektansvarlig:
Geofysikk, Inst. for,Universitetet i Oslo
Prosjektleder:
Isaksen, Ivar S. A. Professor
Prosjektnr:
139810/700
Bevilgningsperiode og finansiering fra Norges
forskningsråd:
1.7.2000-31.12.2004
2001: 1,500,000 2002: 1,900,000 2003: 1,900,000
2004: 1,700,000
Prosjektansvarlig:
Geovitenskap, Institutt for,Universitetet i Bergen
Prosjektleder:
Jansen, Eystein Professor
Prosjektnr:
139841/700
Bevilgningsperiode og finansiering fra Norges
forskningsråd:
1.7.2000-31.12.2004
2001: 2,000,000 2002: 2,400,000 2003: 2,400,000
2004: 2,200,000
The long-term objective in CHEMCLIM:
To improve our understanding of how emissions from
different sources of pollutants affect the distribution of
chemically active greenhouse gases and particles and how
the changes in these gases affect the climate in different
regions.
Main objective: Develop a strong internationally known
climate research unit based on the Bjerknes
Coillaboration with special strength on climates of the
ocean, oceanic climate processes and high latitude climate
change.
Specific objectives:
1. Support integration and co-ordination of 4 research
groups from the three institutions of the Bjerknes
Collaboration.
2. Support research activities in: Coupled ocean-iceatmosphere modelling, Paleoclimatology, Ocean carbon
cycle studies, Ocean circulation observations and
processes, Remote sensing of sea ice.
3. Develop a visting fellows program to develop strong
ties to leading climate research groups internationally and
improve training of new researchers.
4. Develop a seminar and workshop series to improve
integration, exchange of ideas and develop new research
plans and ideas.
Specific objectives:
1) Develop and strengthen the ongoing modelling activity
in relation to climate-chemistry interactions using
atmospheric chemical transport models (CTMs) and
general circulation models (GCM).
2) Perform capacity building through educating PhD
students and hiring Post Docs.
3) Establish a closer collaboration among local research
organisations, and with international research
organisations that the groups have had scientific
collaboration with over a long period.
Focus will be on chemically active greenhouse gases and
particles like methane (CH4) and ozone (O3) and
secondary particles. Their concentrations are largely
determined by physical and chemical processes in the
atmosphere. Ozone and secondary anthropogenic
particles have short atmospheric lifetimes. The large
variations in space and time are a result of processes
occurring on highly different spatial and temporal scales.
To study these interactions a main activity will be to
improve the modelling capability of regional and largescale chemical, radiative and dynamical interactions.
Source distribution, atmospheric transformation and
removal, interaction with clouds and radiation and the
impact on the climate system will be studied. Focus will
be on how the large regional inhomogenities in species
distribution, and in radiative forcing interact with climate.
Atmospheric chemistry codes of gases and particles will
be implemented in a dynamic coupled global circulation
model (GCM), and CHEMCLIM will build on the longterm modelling activity of atmospheric chemistry and on
the more recent studies on aerosols and cloud physics that
The Bjerknes Collaboration will be established as an
advanced research group. The University of Bergen, The
Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing Center, and
the Institute for Marine Research have formally agreed to
establish a joint climate research unit, the Bjerknes
Collaboration, located in Bergen. The key element of the
Bjerknes Collaborationis the organisation of researchers
from the three institutions in four joint research groups.
The scientific focus of the Bjerknes Collaboration is on
ocean-ice-atmosphere climate processes, and on the
climatic evolution of the North Atlantic, the Nordic Seas,
the Arctic Ocean and surrounding regions in the present,
past and in the future. In some areas the Bjerknes
Collaboration posess research teams on high scientific
level. The vision is to integrate the research groups, and
by cross-fertilisation develop the Bjerknes Collaboration
as a strong international center of excellence in climate
research with a special strength on climates of the ocean
and oceanic climate processes and high latitude climate
change. In the context of this proposal we have identified
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some selected areas which we believe will particularly
benefit the long term developm ent most. These are the
areas we will direct funds towards:
1. Improve the internal cohesion of the research teams by
supporting initiatives which ensure dialogue and
exchange of research ideas.
2. Support areas where we wish to develop more strength.
These are: Coupled modelling , Carbon cycle
modelling, Ocean observations and integration of
observational data, Remote sensing of sea ice,
New technologies for paleoclimate analyses
from sediment cores, Dating and improved
chronological framework for paleoclimate data.
3. Improve our capabilities in terms of infrastructure.
4. Improve the recruitment and training of a new
generation of researchers by a) Recruitment of
Ph.D. and Post Doctoral candidates, b) Establish
a programme for visiting fellows.
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Optical Properties of Aerosols
- a Laboratory and Modelling
Study
Independent Projects
Quantitative Reconstruction of
Holocene Temperatures in
S.Norway from Chironomid
Subfossils
Prosjektansvarlig:
Kjemisk institutt,Universitetet i Oslo
Prosjektleder:
Nielsen, Claus J. Professor
Prosjektnr:
134110/720
Bevilgningsperiode og finansiering fra Norges
forskningsråd:
1.1.2000-17.8.2004
2000: 562,000 2001: 367,200 2002: 412,000
2003: 70,800
Prosjektansvarlig:
Zoologisk institutt,Universitetet i Bergen
Prosjektleder:
Willassen, Endre Førsteamanuensis
Prosjektnr:
133462/720
Bevilgningsperiode og finansiering fra Norges
forskningsråd:
1.1.2000-31.1.2003
2000: 391,000 2001: 432,000 2002: 447,000
2003: 35,400
Hovedmål:
Dr.grad for Cathrine Elisabeth Lund Myhre.
Delmål:
To produce a doctorate with special research skills in
palaeoclimatology. To provide new proxy data on
subfossil chironomids in sediment cores. Quantitative
reconstruction of regional Holocene summer temperatures
based on a transfer function from modern species
assemblages. Contribute to the further development of
this methodology in close cooperation with
multidisciplinary partners. Achieve new knowledge about
regional climate dynamics in S.Norway.
1. å bidra til karakterisering av atmosfæriske aersolers
optiske
egenskaper,
2. å bidra til karakterisering av atmosfæriske aersolers
fysiskkjemiske egenskaper,
3. å utvikle modeller som tillater å ekstrapolere
laboratoriedata til atmosfæriske forhold.
Aerosols influence the physical and chemical properties
of the atmosphere, and particle formation is closely linked
to climate and the Greenhouse effect. Aerosols affect the
radiative balance directly through the scattering and
absorption of light, and indirectly by acting as
condensation nuclei in cloud formation. The
heterogeneous processes leading to stratospheric ozone
depletion is another indirect climatic effect of aerosols.
The project aims at characterising the optical and physicochemical properties of atmospheric aerosol mimics. Such
data is scarce. Models for the parameterisation of
laboratory data will be developed to facilitate the
calculation of the optical properties of real aerosols. The
optical and physico-chemical data from the project will
contribute to better atmospheric radiation transfer models
and improve the retrieval of atmospheric data from
satellite measurements.
Past environmental states can be inferred from a variety
of proxy data in lake sediments. Head capsules from
chironomid larvae are well suited for this purpose. Recent
studies of modern chironomid assemblages have shown
that temperature is generally one of the most important
factors in structuring species composition in lakes.
Analyses with multivariate techniques have made it
possible to calibrate modern species compositions in
Norwegian lakes with mean July air temperatures. These
calibrated data can be used in a transfer function to
quantitatively reconstruct temperatures from the species
composition of chironomid head capsules in lake
sediments. The method has recently been applied by the
applicants on core data from Finse and are judged as a
very promising tool in obtaining detailed and accurate
temperature records from terrestrial environments.
The project would like to analyse several additional cores
to obtain temperature reconstructions over an east-west
gradient in Southern Norway for the Holocene. Accurate
temperature curves for this period are scarce and will
assist in an understanding of natural climatic variability
and glacial cycles. Especially, for the alpine environments
this will help in mapping Holocene glacial expansions
prior to the Little Ice Age. From a biological perspective,
more exact knowledge of local temperature variability
will provide a better reference for understanding the
sensitivity of mountain ecosystems, their dynamics and
the histories of species distributions.
An Arctic study of the
importance of methane for
climate change - increased use
of climate data from the
Zeppelin station, Ny-Ålesund
Prosjektansvarlig:
NILU - Tromsø
Prosjektleder:
Hansen, Georg Avdelingsdirektør
Prosjektnr:
142744/720
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Bevilgningsperiode og finansiering fra Norges
forskningsråd:
1.1.2001-9.6.2004
2001: 219,000 2002: 493,000 2003: 506,000
2004: 274,200
Bevilgningsperiode og finansiering fra Norges
forskningsråd:
1.1.2002-31.12.2003
2002: 528,000 2003: 386,000
Primary objective: To establish relationships between
decadal to centennial climate change and the vertical
water mass structure along the Norwegian continental
margin.
Specific objectives: - Identify possible multiyear to
decadal scale variations in the vertical position of th deep
front on the continental slope, and to evaluate whether
such changes are related to the large scale atmospheric
field, i.e. the NAO dynamics.
- Study the degree to which specific atmospheric forcing
is capable of producing a specific vertical stratification
along the continental slope off Norway.
- Analyse 3-4 sediment cores which provide decadal
resolution over the past 1500-2000 years, and generate
data for deep water temperature.
Main goal:
To investigate the role of methane as a climate gas, based
on measurements at the Zeppelin station, Ny-Ålesund,
Svalbard
Sub-goals:
- To re-evaluate existing methane data from the Zeppelin
station
- To analyse methane concentration data in context with
measurements of other trace gasses
- To interpret short-term variability in methane
concentration, e.g., with respect to their implications for
methane sources
Methane is one of the most important climate gasses and
the climate gas with the largest growth rate. At the same
time, there are still large uncertainties related to sources
and sinks of atmospheric methane, as well as to possible
feedback mechanisms between methane concentration in
the atmosphere and climate change. At Zeppelin station,
Ny-ζlesund, Svalbard, continuous monitoring of methane
concentration with high time resolution was started
recently, in order to monitor both long-term trends and
short-term variations caused by meteorological
conditions. These investigations are envisaged to be
important elements of Norwegian activity in the frame of
greenhouse gas monitoring and climate research. In this
project, a Ph.D.-student will take measurements of
methane concentration at Zeppelin station, analyse the
data series with respect to long-term trends, and put the
data in a context with measurements of related trace
gasses. Moreover, the importance of methane sources in
the Arctic will be investigated by analysing the measured
short-term variations of methane using trajectory
calculations, statistical methods and 3D transport
calculations.
The project wishes to explore the hypothesis that the
vertical extent of Atlantic waters on the continental slope
varies as a result of the atmospheric forcing through a
combined study of instrumental data, palaeo-observations
and analyses of model output data. If successful, the
outcome is a method which may be used for data sets
covering long time spans and may index the state of the
inflow at decadal resolution, and document the forcing
situation involved in past changes of high latitude
climates.
Southern Ocean Holocene
Climate Variability
Prosjektansvarlig:
Norsk Polarinstitutt
Prosjektleder:
Koc, Nalan Forsker
Prosjektnr:
148144/720
Bevilgningsperiode og finansiering fra Norges
forskningsråd:
1.1.2002-31.12.2003
2002: 84,000 2003: 122,000
Decadal to century scale
changes in the vertical water
mass structure of the
Norwegian Sea-climatic
implications and possible
forcing
The main objective of this project is to reconstruct sea
surface temperatures and sea ice cover from two cores to
study the climatic evolution and variability of the
Holocene in the Atlantic sector of the Southern Ocean.
We aim to: a) to document the climatic evolution and
variability of the Holocene in the Atlantic sector of the
Southern Ocean, b) to compare the timing of the
Holocene climate events between the southern and
northern hemispheres, c) to understand the coupling
between the ocean and atmosphere systems during the
Holocene by comparing timing and magnitudes of
oceanic events and atmospheric events recorded in the ice
cores.
Prosjektansvarlig:
UNIFOB - Bjerknes-senteret,Universitetet i
Bergen
Prosjektleder:
Jansen, Eystein Professor
Prosjektnr:
148142/720
One of the main issues in paleoenvironmental research
today is to understand the stability and variability of the
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current climates and natural environments, whether the
natural system is stable in its present mode of operation,
what internal and external forcings are required to
maintain or change it, and what impacts such changes
might have. In order to provide such assesments it is
important to assess variability by obtaining time series
that extend beyond the length of instrumental records (i.e.
the last 100 years).
Recent studies from the North Atlantic show that it is
possible to reconstruct past climate proxies at decadalscale resolution, and that there is a series of high
frequency variability in the Holocene climate. However,
in order to understand the mechanisms behind Holocene
climate variability we also need to investigate Holocene
climate variability in the Antarctic ocean-cryosphere
system. The aim of this project is to reconstruct sea
surface temperatures (SST) and sea ice cover from high
resolution sediment cores from the Atlantic sector of the
Southern Ocean to study decadal scale Holocene climate
variability and compare interhemispheric timing of
events.
ocean model forced with two different synoptic
reanalyses data sets for the period 1948-2000. Focus will
be put on the Atlantic Ocean and the Nordic Seas as the
observed warming (at least for the North Atlantic Ocean)
is strongest here; since the natural variability of the
marine climate system is strong and fairly well known in
this region; and since the Atlantic Ocean and the Nordic
Seas belong to the most frequently and densest observed
regions of the World Ocean.
The examination of the temperature variabilities and
trends will be supplemented by analyses of the observed
and simulated ocean uptake of the atmospheric trace
gasses CFC-11 and CFC-.12. The temporal and spatial
distribution of these trace gasses serve as a powerful tool
for testing and validating OGCM, and to infer magnitude,
sources and mixing pathways of water masses. The
Atlantic -Nordic Seas region is particularly useful in this
respect as this is the only region in which observations are
availablefor the last two decades.
Light scattering and
absorption by nonspherical
particles in the atmosphere
and the ocean
Temperature Variabilities and
Trends in the Atlantic Ocean
and the Nordic Seas Over the
Last 50 years
Prosjektansvarlig:
Fysisk institutt,Universitetet i Bergen
Prosjektleder:
Stamnes, Jakob J. Professor
Prosjektnr:
148325/720
Bevilgningsperiode og finansiering fra Norges
forskningsråd:
1.1.2002-31.12.2004
2002: 107,650 2003: 107,650 2004: 107,650
Prosjektansvarlig:
Nansen Senter for Miljø og Fjernmåling
Prosjektleder:
Johannessen, Ola M. Professor
Prosjektnr:
148263/720
Bevilgningsperiode og finansiering fra Norges
forskningsråd:
18.3.2002-17.3.2004
2002: 445,000 2003: 472,625 2004: 131,800
Main objective:
Develop methods for light scattering by non-spherical
particles in order to determine the impact of ice particles
in clouds on the radiation balance, chemical composition
of the atmosphere, and climate evolution.
Sub-objectives: (i) Develop ethods and implement
algorithms for scattering and absorption of light by oblate
and prolate spherodis. (ii) Compare results from (i) with
corresponding results for spherical particles. (iii) Assess
the impact of nonspherical particle form (NSPF) on
warming/cooling of the atmosphere and on photo
dissociation of molecules. (iv) Assess the impact of NSPF
on the retrieval of atmospheric parameters and coastalwater constituents from satellite data. (v) Assess the
impact of polarisation on the retrieval of atmospheric
parameters and coastal-water constituents from satellite
data.
Main Objective: To analyse the temporal evolution and
spatial structure of temperature anomalies and
chlorofluorocarbons in the Atlantic Ocean and the Nordic
Seas over the last 50 years based on observations and
model simulations
Specific Objectives: - To analyse observed surface and
sub-surface temperature variabilities and trends in the
Atlantic Ocean and the Nordic Seas over the last 50 years
- To analyse temporal and spatial distributions of the
chlorofluorocarbons CFC-11 and CFC-12 in the same
region - To perform ensamble integrations with a global
coupled ice-ocean model, forced with climatological and
synoptic reanalyses data sets for the last 50 years - To use
observed and simulated temperature fields to identify
warming, the formation, propagation and decay of
temperature anomalies - To perform a parallel analysis of
the observed and simulated CFCs to highlight the
adiabatic component of the temperature variabilities and
trends
The goal is to develop methods and algorithms for
scattering by nonspherical particles. Such particles are
abundant in the atmosphere in the contaminations
(aerosols) and as ice particles in clouds. The algorithms
are to be used to determine the scattering and absorption
by particles in the atmosphere and in coastal waters. The
atmospheric scattering by nonspherical particles has
The ocean reponse to the natural variability of the surface
heat fluxes, and possibly the signal of global warming,
will be examined based on a state-of-the-art global ice-
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2002: 136,000 2003: 148,000
impact on the radiation balance, the climate, and the
chemical composition of the atmosphere. The scattering
by nonspherical particles in coastal waters has impact on
the ability to determine environmentally important
parameters in the atmosphere, on the surface and in the
water by means of remote sensing.
The main objective of the proposed study is to:
- improve the precision of Holocene marine 14C datings
by determining the marine 14C reservoir age off western
Norway.
This will be done by:
- performing coupled Accelerator Mass Spectrometry
(AMS) and U-series (TIMS) dating on Holecene samples
of the coral Lophelia pertusa
Seasonal forecast of the North
Atlantic and Arctic Oscillations
with troposphere-stratosphere
models
One of the major requirements for the determination of
abrupt as well as long-term changes in the climate system
is precise dating of these events. In late Quaternary
paleoclimatology dating by the radiocarbon method is
indispensable. However, when dating marine sediment
samples one has to consider the effect of the marine 14C
reservoir age, which unfortunately is difficult to
determine precisely. Today, the mean global reservoir age
is estimated to about 400 years, but the reservoir age vary
considerable (several hundreds of years) between
different areas and over time, which greatly affects the
precision of marine radiocarbon dates.
Through detailed studies of joint marine and terrestrial
records covering the last deglacaiation and the Holocene,
it has become increasingly clear that a new model to
quantify reservoir age, both temporally and spatially, in
the high-latitude North Atlantic areas is urgently needed.
The proposed project aims at improving the precision of
Holocene marine 14C datings by determining the marine
14C reservoir age off western Norway. This will be done
by perforing coupled Accelerator Mass Spectrometry
(AMS) and U-series (TIMS) dating on Holocene samples
of the coral Lophelia pertusa.
Prosjektansvarlig:
UNIFOB - Bjerknes-senteret,Universitetet i
Bergen
Prosjektleder:
Kvamstø, Nils Gunnar Førsteamanuensis
Prosjektnr:
148417/720
Bevilgningsperiode og finansiering fra Norges
forskningsråd:
1.1.2002-31.7.2005
2002: 592,600 2003: 566,000 2004: 566,000
Major objective:
To determine the role of the troposphere/stratosphere
connections in the predictability of the NAO/AO.
The central theme of the proposed research is to examine
the extension into the middle atmosphere, of one of the
primary modes of wintertime extratropical variability,
known as the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). It has
been recently found that a more global oscillation, the
Arctic Oscillation (AO), is a major indicator of climate
variability in the high latitudes. The AO encompasses the
more regional North Atlantic Oscillation, and extends
from the surface upwards into the stratosphere. The
project will carry out an ensamble of seasonal general
circulation model simulations to examine this
stratospheric/tropospheric linkage, and in particular,
whether the modelling of this linkage could improve the
predictability of the NAO. Such improvements will have
a large impact on marine activities, first of all through
weather-, wave- and sea-state forecasts.
Parameterisation of snow and
ice albedo in the ECHAM5
General Circulation Model
(GCM)
Prosjektansvarlig:
Norsk Polarinstitutt
Prosjektleder:
Winther, Jan-Gunnar Forsker
Prosjektnr:
148642/720
Bevilgningsperiode og finansiering fra Norges
forskningsråd:
1.9.2002-31.8.2005
2002: 229,000 2003: 739,000 2004: 739,000
2005: 492,600
Marine 14C reservoir ages off
western Norway determined
from coupled AMS and Useries datings of the coral
Lophelia pertusa
Prosjektansvarlig:
UNIFOB - Bjerknes-senteret,Universitetet i
Bergen
Prosjektleder:
Dahl, Carin Andersson Forsker
Prosjektnr:
148534/720
Bevilgningsperiode og finansiering fra Norges
forskningsråd:
1.1.2002-31.12.2003
The main goal is to improve today’s parameterisation of
snow and ice albedo in the ECHAM5 GCM and thereby
provide more realistic climate modelling predictions.
To achieve this goal we propose to develop a quantitative
understanding of the processes that collectively make up
the snow/ice-albedo feedback. We will determine how
shortwave radiation is distributed within the sea ice-ocean
and snow/glacier-land systems, and then assess the effects
9
of this distribution on the regional and global heat
balance.
N2O emissions, particularly in northern latitude soils, due
to a dominance of winter emissions which are likely to be
extremely sensitive to small temperature changes. To
reduce uncertainties, we need adequate simulation models
which can be integrated in larger contextual models. This
is not a trivial task.
Simulation models for N2O emissions will be used for
predictive as well as analytic purposes. Analytic
modelling will focus on the physical and biological events
evoked by freezing/thawing cycles in soil, which lead to
subsequent peaks in N2O emissions. Predictive modelling
will be done by implementing N2O emission models into
an existing ecosystem model which simulates C- and Ntransformations as driven by weather (daily) and
agronomic practice.
This project plans to improve today's parameterisation of
snow and ice albedo in the ECHAM5 General Circulation
Model (GCM). The project makes use of albedo data
collected in the past, e.g., from Russian North Pole
drifting stations, Alaska, Antarctica, Greenland, the
Barents Sea, and Svalbard to develop robust (empirical)
decay functions and algorithms describing the variability
of snow and ice albedo, spectrally as well as in time and
space. These decay functions and algorithms will be used
to revise the present parameterisation of albedo in
ECHAM5. Additionally, the project wishes to test the
potential of using satellite-derived albedo as model input
data. Finally, the ECHAM5 model and also a coupled
atmosphere-ocean GCM (ECHAM/HOPE) will be used to
perform sensitivity analysis using various combinations of
parameterisation.
Abrupt and large scale climatic
and glacial changes in western
Norway 14,000-9000 years BP
Model estimations of the
present and future N2O
emissions from soil plant
systems in the north feedbacks in climate change
Prosjektansvarlig:
UNIFOB - Bjerknes-senteret,Universitetet i
Bergen
Prosjektleder:
Mangerud, Jan Professor
Prosjektnr:
148765/720
Bevilgningsperiode og finansiering fra Norges
forskningsråd:
1.1.2002-31.12.2004
2002: 634,000 2003: 685,000 2004: 685,000
Prosjektansvarlig:
Norges landbrukshøgskole,Institutt for jord- og
vannfag
Prosjektleder:
Bakken, Lars Professor
Prosjektnr:
148758/720
Bevilgningsperiode og finansiering fra Norges
forskningsråd:
15.4.2002-14.4.2005
2002: 371,000 2003: 597,200 2004: 597,200
2005: 6,600
Principal objective: To explore and describe the climatic
and glacial variations in western Norway in the period
14,000-9000 14C-years before present aiming at a
regional synthesis where all available proxies will be
utilized.
Sub-goals: - Date the initial deglaciation of the coast. Test the hypothesis that the initial deglaciation was
interrupted by a climatic reversal causing a major
readvance 12,400-12,200 14C-years B.P. - Reconstruct
the Younger Dryas ice sheet and the size and rate of
glacier and climatic variations in Hardangerfjorden area. Reconstruct the relative sea level changes and the
shoreline geometry in the coastal areas (Os-Sotra) during
the late glacial. - Determine the marine14C reservoir ages
in western Norway for the period 13,000-9000 14C-years
BP.
The general aim is to explore the possibility of reducing
uncertainties in the estimates of terrestrial climate gas
sources by modelling.
- By implementing N2O emission models in our existing
soil plant ecosystem models, emissions as function of
agronomic practice will be explored. - Possible feedbacks
in global warming by altered N2O emissions will be
investigated, by running the models with alternative
weather scenarios. - State of the art N2O models are
unlikely to capture the peaks in N2O emissions observed
during winter. Alternative algorithms will be developed to
simulate such events , which are important for the total
emission from northern terrestrial ecosystems.
The overall aim of this project is to explore the nature and
magnitude of the exceptional large and abrupt climatic
changes that occurred near the end of the Last Ice Age,
some 14,000 to 9000 years ago. The project will describe
major ice sheet fluctutations in western Norway which
were accompanied and amplified by changes in the North
Atlantic Current ("Golf Stream"). Accurate dates will be
obtained from various geological archives and used to
determine the amplitudes and rates of the changes.
Variations in ice-front position and the thickness of the
glaciers will be investigated, primarily in the area
between Sognefjorden and Hardangerfjorden. Based on
Terrestrial sources and sinks for climate gases are
uncertain, and so are the impacts of human activities and
global warming on these fluxes. The soil microbial Ntransformations are known to be an important source of
atmospheric N2O, and the human impac t on this
emission is massive, due to agriculture and nitrogen
emissions. The predicted global warming will affect the
10
earlier studies it has been postulated that the melting of
the Scandinavian Ice Sheet was interrupted by major
glacial and climatic oscillations about 12,400-12,200 and
11,000-10,000 14C-years before present. The first
oscillation has been questioned, although a pronounced
cooling has been recorded in the Norwegian Sea and
Greenland Ice Cores. Recently, the established picture of
the Younger Dryas ice sheet configuration in western
Norway has been challenged by several investigators who
postulates that the Hardangerfjord was ice free during this
interval. The project will collect new data and test the
contradicting hypothesis.
Climate from tree-rings of
Scots pine in northern Norway
- towards millennial series
Prosjektansvarlig:
Matematisk-naturvitenskapelige
fakultet,Universitetet i Tromsø
Prosjektleder:
Kirchhefer, Andreas Joachim Forsker
Prosjektnr:
148791/720
Bevilgningsperiode og finansiering fra Norges
forskningsråd:
1.4.2002-31.3.2004
2002: 701,000 2003: 690,000 2004: 173,200
High resolution environmental
information from Svalbard ice
cores
Annually-resolved climate reconstructions since AD 1
from tree-rings of Scots pine, Pinus sylvestris L., in
coastal and interior Norway 69-70°N
1. Prolongation of four ring-width chronologies at dry
habitats back to AD 300-1500
2. Sampling of living and subfossil pine at lakeshores Ring-width series back to 2000 BP - Climate-growth
response of lakeshore pine
3. Summer temperatures, winter climate, summer drought,
atmospheric circulation indices (NAO, AO), sea surface
temperature, sea-ice from: - Climate signals from
different pine sites (dry-wet) and regions (coast-inland) Regional and multi-proxy syntheses
Prosjektansvarlig:
Norsk Polarinstitutt
Prosjektleder:
Isaksson, Elisabeth Forsker
Prosjektnr:
148775/720
Bevilgningsperiode og finansiering fra Norges
forskningsråd:
1.1.2002-31.12.2003
2002: 150,000 2003: 100,000
The main goal of the project is to investigate the present
and recent past climate by means of shallow and deep ice
core records from Austfonna and Lomonosovfonna,
Svalbard.
Sub-goals: - establish a high resolution environmental
record for this part of the Arctic, with emphasis on the last
500 years - investigate the spatial variation of
environmental information in Svalbard provided by these
cores - compare these records with other climatic records
(both proxy and instrumental) from the Arctic
Tree-rings of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) shall provide
annually resolved palaeoclimate data for the past 5002000 years. Revised and prolonged ring-width
chronologies from dry habitats will yield summer
temperatures for northern Norway since 500 (Dividalen),
1250 (Vesterålen), 1400 (Senja) and 1500 (Nordreisa
National Park). New standardisation techniques shall
enhance low-frequency variability in the climate
reconstructions.
Subfossil pines will be sampled from lakes in the
Vågsfjorden area and in Dividalen, concentrating on the
past 2000 years. Ring-widths, latewood widths and
maximum densities from trees presently growing at
lakeshores shall reveal the climate signal of, and provide
the transfer functions for, palaeoclimate records from
tree-rings in the subfossil wood.
In addition to summer temperature as the principal
growth-determining factor at all sites, secondary growth
controls such as mid-winter climate and summer drought
will be studied. The applicability of tree-rings for
reconstructing atmospheric circulation patterns (e.g.,
North Atlantic Oscillation, Arctic Oscillation) and
oceanographic parameters (e.g., sea-surface temperature
and sea ice) will receive particular attention. Climate
information will be searched for in single chronologies, in
coast-inland and terrestrial-lakeshore comparisons as well
as by syntheses with other high-resolution palaeoclimate
information available for northern Fennoscandia and the
NE-Atlantic region.
The main goal of the project is to investigate different
climatic and environmental parameters and their
variability over Svalbard during the present and the past
using the chemical and physical information from two
different Svalbard ice cores. A 120 m deep core was
drilled on Lomonosovfonna in 1997. On Austfonna one
118 m deep core was drilled in 1998 and a 288 m core in
1999 in cooperation with Japanese scientists. Results from
the upper quarter of the Lomonosovfonna ice core show
that this relatively high altitude site is less affected by
melt/freeze processes than other published Arctic ice
cores outside Greenland, and therefore a favourable site
for extracting environmental and climatic data. The cores
from Austfonna provide an interesting oppurtunity to
compare records from 2 different part of Svalbard which
can provide insight into both transport and deposition
processes. The proposed work includes costs to analyse
2
H and d18O on the remaining part of the
Lomonosovfonna core (75-121 m depth) and support for
field activities in order to continue with ongoing research.
11
Bevilgningsperiode og finansiering fra Norges
forskningsråd:
1.1.2003-31.12.2006
2003: 814,000 2004: 1,037,000 2005: 1,037,000
2006: 723,000
Climatic interactions between
the ocean, sea-ice and the
atmosphere in the Barents Sea
region over the past 150 years
Prosjektansvarlig:
Norsk Polarinstitutt
Prosjektleder:
Dick, Chad Direktør
Prosjektnr:
148812/720
Bevilgningsperiode og finansiering fra Norges
forskningsråd:
1.1.2002-31.12.2004
2002: 300,000 2003: 300,000 2004: 200,000
The principal objective is to quantify the various factors
controlling UV radiation in Norway. The following subgoals are identified:
1.
To quantify how UV radiation is affected by
clouds, snow and ozone as a function of latitude and
season, and identify and quantify any possible longterm
changes. 2.
To quantify how aerosols affect surface
UV radiation. 3. To measure and analyse the distribution
of diffuse sky radiation. 4. To measure and analyse the
UV radiation on horizontal and vertical surfaces. 5. To
perform a comprehensive instrument comparison.
Principal Objective: - The principal objective of the
project is to determine which, if any, of the components
of the atmosphere - sea ice - ocean system leads the
decadal variations in the climate system of the Barents
and Kara Seas region. Subgoals: - Provide validated and
quality controlled long-term time-series of sea ice extent
(charts) for use and improvement of regional and global
climate models. - Provide knowledge about the
interannual to decadal variability in our region.
The amount of stratospheric ozone has declined during
the last decades. A decrease in the ozone column will
eventually give an increase in the UV irradiance at the
Earth’s surface assuming all other parameters affecting
UV irradiance are unchanged. Besides ozone, the UV
radiation is controlled by clouds, aerosols and surface
albedo. Furthermore, the orientation on the surface
receiving the UV radiation, is of importance. Norway,
including Svalbard, covers more than 2O°of latitude.
The climate is quite diverse with little snow throughout
the year in the far south and often snow cover well into
the summer in the far north. Furthermore, the northern
location makes Norway exposed to low ozone levels
during the Arctic spring. Thus, it is a unique laboratory
for studying various factors that control the UV radiation
levels. The aim of the FARIN project is to quantify the
various factors controlling UV radiation in Norway,
including clouds, ozone, surface albedo, aerosols, latitude,
and geometry of exposed surface. The project group
operates a variety of instruments and models applicable to
study the UV controlling factors.
These include both scanning spectroradiometers, a
network of moderate bandwidth filter instruments and
state-of-the-art radiative transfer models.
Project Summary:
The proposed study will examine the relationships
between variations in the Arctic atmosphere, sea ice, and
oceanographic conditions, focusing mainly on the Barents
and Kara Seas region. Using databases of historical ice
charts, and temperature and salinity from hydrographic
stations that have recently become available through the
Norsk Polarinstitutt and the WCRP's ACSYS project,
mathematical and statistical techniques will be developed
and used to analyse these high-quality instrumental
observations from the Barents Sea region. Building on
this work and related interpretation of atmospheric
records being carried out at IARC (International Arctic
Research Center, Fairbanks, USA) and AARI (Arctic and
Antarctic Research Institute, St. Petersburg, Russia), this
study will attempt to identify patterns of climate
variability that relate to natural (and/or anthropogenic)
forcing mechanisms in the Barents region
In particular, the study will seek to determine which, if
any, of these three components (atmosphere, sea ice, or
ocean) leads the overall pattern of climate variation in the
Barents and Kara Seas region. Patterns identified (or lack
of pattern) will pro vide clues about the processes that
drive the climate system of the region, and the study will
provide this information to modellers working on related
projects at Norsk Polarinstitutt, IARC and AARI.
Improved Parameterisation of
Microphysical and Optical
Properties of Clouds in Global
Climate Model
Prosjektansvarlig:
UNIFOB - Bjerknes-senteret,Universitetet i
Bergen
Prosjektleder:
Stamnes, Jakob J. Professor
Prosjektnr:
155811/720
Bevilgningsperiode og finansiering fra Norges
forskningsråd:
1.1.2003-31.12.2006
FARIN - Factors controlling UV
radiation in Norway
Prosjektansvarlig:
Norsk institutt for luftforskning
Prosjektleder:
Kylling, Arve Forsker
Prosjektnr:
155810/720
12
2003: 624,000 2004: 991,000 2005: 991,000
2006: 794,000
the climate effects in terms of radiative forcing and
metrics based on radiative forcing of the different
transport modes in a common framework.
The principal objective is to enhance our understanding of
physical processes associated with mixed-phase
cloud/radiation interactions by combining expertise in
cloud microphysics with expertise in scattering and
radiative transfer modelling.
Sub-goals:
Use observational data to derive parameterisations of
microphysical processes in mixed-phase clouds. - Use a
variety of numerical codes for scattering and radiative
transfer by non-spherical particles to model and
parameterise optical properties of mixed-phase clouds. Test derived parameterisations against SHEBA and ARM
data by using the MM5 mesoscale model.
The impact of various sectors of traffic (road traffic,
trains, ships, aviation) on the global climate will be
assessed in terms of radiative forcing. Particular emphasis
will be given to the effects of short-lived species, such as
ozone (through emissions of precursors from traffic) and
primary and secondary particles, in addition to long-lived
greenhouse gases like CO2 and N2O.
The time and location of the emissions of short-lived
species will be taken into account in determining their
impact. A global 3-D chemical transport model (Oslo
CTM2), which includes a comprehensive photochemical
scheme and modules for sulphate, soot and organic
carbon aerosols, will be applied to study the effects of
short-lived species for each transport sector. As part of the
project a module simulating the secondary formation of
organic aerosols will be developed and included in the
model. The climate impact of various sectors will be
calculated per transport unit (passenger km or tonne km)
in order to enable policymakers to fairly compare the
contributions of different sectors to climate change as a
basis for mitigation measures.
Information about cloud microphysical properties
including phase as well as particle size and shape
distribution obtained from cloud radar and lidar
instruments deployed during the SHEBA experiment and
at the ARM sites will be used to test and improve the
treatment of cloud/radiation interactions in the MM5
mesoscale model. These data will also be used to develop
cloud microphysics parameterisations and radiative
transfer models suitable for use in mixed-phase clouds.
Specific scientific questions include whether the modelled
radiative fluxes are realistic in the presence of ice and
mixed-phase clouds. The findings will be used to carry
out a critical evaluation of the treatment of cloud
parameterisations and radiative transfer in the presence of
mixed-phase clouds in Global Climate Models.
UTLS-AIR - Chemistry of the
upper troposphere and lower
stratosphere - impact of
aircraft emissions
Prosjektansvarlig:
Geofysikk, Inst. for,Universitetet i Oslo
Prosjektleder:
Isaksen, Ivar S. A. Professor
Prosjektnr:
155955/720
Bevilgningsperiode og finansiering fra Norges
forskningsråd:
1.1.2003-31.12.2005
2003: 560,000 2004: 575,000 2005: 575,000
CITS - Climate Impact of
Transport Systems
Prosjektansvarlig:
CICERO Senter for klimaforskning
Prosjektleder:
Berntsen, Terje Koren Forsker
Prosjektnr:
155949/720
Bevilgningsperiode og finansiering fra Norges
forskningsråd:
1.1.2003-31.12.2005
2003: 385,000 2004: 385,000 2005: 435,000
The overall scientific aim is to improve our understanding
of the processes, which control the chemistry of the upper
troposphere and lower stratosphere, with a special focus
on aircraft impact. Existing measurement data and
instruments will aid model improvement and validation.
Process studies will follow addressing chemistry and
transport patterns in the UTLS region. The present and
future impact of aircraft will be studied through a series of
model experiments. Sensitivity studies will consider
different flight altitudes, different aircraft routing, and the
dependence of such sensitivities on season. Options to
reduce aircraft impact will be identified following the
achievements of the TRADEOFF project.
The overall objective is: To quantify the climate impact in
terms of radiative forcing of the most important transport
sectors given present and near-future emissions paths with
particular emphasis on the roles tropospheric ozone and
aerosols.
Partial objectives: A. Assess the reported emissions from
transport and compile emissions relative to traffic
performance. B. Calculate changes in the atmospheric
distribution of climate forcing agents due to transportion.
C. Calculate the radiative forcing from the well-mixed
GHG form emissions from the various main transport
modes (ships, aviation, cars, railway, etc.). D. Calculate
the radiative forcing due to indirect effects of emissions
from transport (through ozone, methane, aerosols, etc.)
due to emissions from transport; for on the various main
transport modes (ships, aviation, cars, etc.). E. Compare
Our understanding of the impact of aircraft on the
atmosphere has been growing rapidly during the last
decade. Aircraft emissions occuring in the upper
troposphere and the lower stratosphere (UTLS), an
13
important region for both chemistry and climate. The
Department Geophysics (University of Oslo) has played
an active role in numerous international projects in this
field, and UTLS-AIR will continue this work applying a
new chemical transport model (OSLO CTM-2) containing
comprehensive modules for both tropospheric and
stratospheric chemistry. First, the resolution and the
parameterisations of heterogeneous chemistry and
lightning emissions will be improved. Existing
measurement data will be exploited for analysis of
transport and chemical processes important for the UTLS
region and for model validation.
The project aims to bridge activities and knowledge in
numerical climate modelling and paleoclimate
reconstructions in Norway. The activities will be based on
running a state-of-the-art atmosphere-sea ice-ocean model
for 1000 years with constant external forcing (i.e.,
constant solar irradiance, and constant atmospheric
greenhouse gas and aerosol concentrations) to assess the
natural variability modes in the model. In addition, the
model will be integrated for 500 years, representing the
period 1500-2000, with prescribed variations in the solar
irradiance, and by incorporating the effect of volcanic
eruptions and increasing concentrations of the greenhouse
gasses.
Detailed process studies will follow addressing the
budget and interannual variability of key components in
the UTLS region. The impact of aircraft on the chemical
composition of the UTLS region will be calculated in
detail, both for present and future scenarios, providing
information to policymakers. Sensitivity runs will be
performed addressing cruising altitude and flight routing.
Options to reduce aircraft impact will be investigated.
Crucial to this work is the use of ECMWF ERA-40
reanalysis data allowing consistent runs for different years
including the entire stratosphere.
The obtained climate fluctuations from these integrations
will be compared with available high-quality, highresolution proxy records. Finally, the robustness of the
simulated variability modes will be examined by adding
the human-induced change to the atmospheric
concentration of greenhouse gasses and aerosols to the
first 250 years of the second experiment. This will address
the possibility of climate surprises in the climate system
of the 21st century.
External and internal forced
variability of the AtlanticEuropean climate system over
the last millennium - a model
approach
Indirect effect of aerosols - An
integrated modeling and
observational approach
Prosjektansvarlig:
UNIFOB - Bjerknes-senteret,Universitetet i
Bergen
Prosjektleder:
Drange, Helge Direktør
Prosjektnr:
155957/720
Bevilgningsperiode og finansiering fra Norges
forskningsråd:
1.1.2003-31.12.2006
2003: 486,500 2004: 773,000 2005: 759,000
2006: 406,500
Prosjektansvarlig:
Geofysikk, Inst. for,Universitetet i Oslo
Prosjektleder:
Kristjansson, Jon Egill Professor
Prosjektnr:
155968/720
Bevilgningsperiode og finansiering fra Norges
forskningsråd:
1.1.2003-31.1.2006
2003: 840,000 2004: 870,000 2005: 870,000
Principal Objective: To evolve the description and
understanding of the aerosol indirect effect through a
combination of model simulations and satellite retrievals.
Sub-goals: 1) Identify possible anthropogenic aerosol
influence on cloud microphysics based on satellite data.
2) Develop source and sink terms for cloud droplet
number. Collaboration with PNNL and AerOzClim. 3)
Conduct AGCM experiments with new continuity
equation in place. 4) Investigate ways to parameterize the
indirect effect of ice clouds. 5) Synthesis of model and
observationally based findings.
The overall objective is to examine, quantify and
synthesise by numerical modelling the natural variability
modes of the Atlantic-European climate system, and the
relative role of external and internal forcing factors, over
the last millennium. The following sub-tasks are defined:
- Set up a version of the Bergen Climate Model for a
millennium-long control integration
- Perform and analyse the control integration (Exp. 1)
- Perform and analyse a 500 years integration with
prescribed, external forcings for tge period 1500-2000
(Exp. 2)
- Synthesise key time series for NAO, winter
precipitation, land and ocean temperatures, deep ocen
variability for the last 1000 in the North Atlantic-Arctic
region.
- Perform a series of data - model intercomparisons.
The indirect effect of aerosols is considered to be a major
modulator of earth’s climate, only surpassed in magnitude
by greenhouse gas forcing, but with opposite sign.
However, there is great uncertainty concerning the
indirect effect. This is due to a combination of poorly
understood physics, insufficient measurements and
14
oversimplified model treatments. The modeling aspect
has been addressed within the RegClim project, and will
be worked on to some extent in RegClim III and
AerOzClim. To strengthen the research in this area, we
here propose an integrated effort combining climate
modeling and the use of satellite observations.
The project will be carried out in collaboration between
the Department of Geophysics at the University of Oslo
and the Norwegian Institute for Air Research. The
modeling approach will be strengthened, e.g., by
introducing prognostic equations for cloud droplet
number and ice crystal number. The satellite observations
will serve to identify and evaluate the magnitude of the
indirect effect, as well as to validate crucial model
parameters, such as aerosol optical depth, cloud optical
depth, liquid water path and cloud condensation nuclei
concentrations. These quantities will be obtained from the
MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging
Spectroradiometer) instrument onboard the Terra and
Aqua satellites.
A study of the Arctic upper
Troposphere-Lower
stratosphere -UTLS - Region
Prosjektansvarlig:
Norsk institutt for luftforskning
Prosjektleder:
Hansen, Georg Avdelingsdirektør
Prosjektnr:
155978/720
Bevilgningsperiode og finansiering fra Norges
forskningsråd:
1.1.2003-31.12.2005
2003: 500,000 2004: 500,000 2005: 500,000
Main objective:
To investigate the characteristics and the role in global
change of the Arctic tropopause, with special emphasis on
Arctic tropopause property trends and stratospheretroposphere coupling processes.
Sub-goals:
- Re-analyse data sets from meteorological services and
radiosonde and ozonsonde stations in Scandinavia and
Svalbard from 1990 to present w.r.t. tropopause
characteristics (seasonal and inter-annual variation):
- Build up data set of time-resolved observations of
vertical distribution of temperature, ozone, and
backscatter intensity/SNR in the UTLS region using lidar
and radar.
- Study Arctic UTLS thermal structure and coupling
processes (inter-annual, intra-seasonal variability) and
dependence on atmospheric circulation and planetary
waves
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The Norwegian Service Centre for Climate Modelling
(NoSerC) was established late 2000. The centre is located
at the Norwegian Meteorological Institute (met.no) and
financed by The Research Council of Norway and met.no.
The centre supports scientists involved in Norwegian
climate modelling projects. The overall aim of the project
is to facilitate efficient climate research and effect studies
in Norway, by providing technical assistance in the areas
of data handling and analysis and computational
efficiency of climate models.
Main tasks for the period 2003-2006:
1.
Upgrade and operate the facility for archiving of
climate modelling data; 2. Provide data for effect
studies; 3.
Programming, porting and
computational optimisation of climate models; 4.
Develop format conversion routines for climate
modelling data; 5. Provide access to international
climate data sets; 6.
Assist scientists in presentation
and analysis of datasets;
Early 2001 the national facility for archiving of climate
modelling data was established and attached to the main
national high performance computer at NTNU. The
capacity of the facility is now fully utilised. For the period
2003-2006, the scientists estimate more than a factor of
five increase in demand for archiving capacity.
Support to Secretariats
JGOFS i Norge samfinansiering med BF
Prosjekt 132288/122
Prosjektansvarlig:
Miljø og ressursstudier, Senter for
Prosjektleder:
Miljø og ressursstudier, Senter for
Prosjektnr:
110496/720
Bevilgningsperiode og finansiering fra Norges
forskningsråd:
1.1.1996-31.12.2003
1996: 200,000 1997: 200,000 1998: 200,000
1999: 200,000 2000: 300,000 2001: 300,000
2002: 300,000 2003: 300,000
Norsk medlemskap i HOLIVAR
(ESF)
Prosjektansvarlig:
Miljø og utvikling
Prosjektleder:
Mehlum, Fridtjof Rådgiver
Prosjektnr:
145062/720
Bevilgningsperiode og finansiering fra Norges
forskningsråd:
1.1.2001-31.12.2006
2001: 80,000 2002: 50,000 2003: 50,000 2004:
50,000 2005: 50,000 2006: 50,000
NoSerC - Norwegian Service
Centre for Climate Modelling
Prosjektansvarlig:
Meteorolgisk institutt - Oslo
Prosjektleder:
Skålin, Roar Direktør
Prosjektnr:
155836/720
Bevilgningsperiode og finansiering fra Norges
forskningsråd:
1.1.2003-31.12.2004
2003: 950,000 2004: 200,000
To facilitate efficient climate research and effect studies
in Norway by providing technical assistance in IT related
areas, such as
- Archiving of climate modelling data; - Data access,
handling and format conversion; - Programming,
computational efficiency and porting of climate models: Analysis, presentation and visualization of data.
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