This pillar focuses on the fundamental understanding of the processes, forcings, and feedbacks in the climate system that set the magnitude, patterns, and timescales of climate change and variability. Both forcing of natural and anthropogenic origin will be considered at global, regional, and local scales. This pillar also addresses the possible impacts and the associated risks that climate change imposes on marine and terrestrial natural systems, contributing to an understanding and appreciation of how climate change affects ecosystems and biodiversity.
The research is based on physical, chemical, geological, and biological processes important for climate change. We use field measurements and sample collection, laboratory analyses and experiments, monitoring including satellite data, climate models, and atmospheric chemistry transport modeling of short-lived climate forcers.
Study areas include the North Atlantic and Arctic regions, with special focus on Greenland, the Faroe Islands, and Denmark.
Research themes include:
Atmosphere-ocean-land-ice processes in past, present, and future climates.
Variability of ocean and atmosphere circulation.
Greenland ice sheet and glacier changes.
The freshwater budget and hydrological cycle.
Vertical distribution of short-lived climate forcers in the Arctic atmosphere.
Aerosols and cloud interaction, including bio-aerosols.
Greenhouse gas dynamics in the atmosphere.
Climate-biosphere-ecosystem interactions, biogeochemistry, and the carbon cycle.
Teleconnections and Arctic-mid- and low latitude coupling.
Atmospheric and ocean transports of heat, moisture, and pollutants.
Planning and organizing fieldwork/expeditions.
For inquiries relating to climate processes and feedbacks, pleased do not hesitate to contact our pillar leaders:
