Earth system modeling
The Department Earth system modeling aims at the understanding of climate and carbon dynamics at the global scale, and includes the identification of contributions from individual physical and biogeochemical processes as well as geographical regions. Our modeling approach thus ranges from interactively coupled Earth system models (ESMs) to specific model configurations that zoom on particular areas or run in idealized setups for sensitivity experiments. Our insights about the functioning of the global carbon cycle and its susceptibility to external perturbations are key for the development of efficient and resilient climate mitigation strategies.
We investigate variations of the global carbon cycle, with a focus on CO2 fluxes among the atmosphere, oceans, and land, in response to emissions changes in the presence of natural climate variability. By assimilating observations and establishing prediction systems based on ESMs together with statistical methods, we endeavor to constrain uncertainties and improve near-term predictions and climate projections of the global carbon cycle variations.
To explore the role of the coastal ocean as a mediator between the two largest CO2 sinks in the global carbon cycle, the ocean and the land, we are developing the ocean-biogeochemistry model ICON-Coast including the ocean carbon cycle model HAMOCC, that enables a seamless integration of shelf-specific carbon transformation processes to global modeling.