Climate Research
The Climate Research Division at the Danish Climate Centre investigates climate change and climate variability. The main research areas include human induced climate changes up to now and in the future with main focus on regional changes in Northern Europe. To accomplish this complex global and regional climate models are being developed and used in combination with observed data. To put anthropogenic changes in perspective a quantification of the magnitude and the causes of natural climate variability are essential elements.
Climate Centre Leaflet
Research Activities
Human impact on climate
Emissions of greenhouse gases and aerosols are introducing a considerable forcing of the climate system. The main activity of the climate centre is to use global and regional models to estimate the magnitude and character of future climate change. The centre is actively involved in the IPCC work as authors, reviewers and providers of model results.
Natural climate variability
Variations in the sun’s activity impacts climate on both decadal as well as longer time scales. The research includes studies of these impacts as seen in observations and investigations of the possible physical mechanisms behind them. A central element is stratospheric-tropospheric interaction mechanisms.
Regional climate modeling
The regional climate model HIRHAM has been developed jointly by DMI and the Max-Planck Institute in Hamburg. The model is used to simulate the regional climate variability and change, mainly in Europe. The main focus is to interpret the large scale climate changes in a regional perspective and with main emphasis on the simulation of extreme events such as heavy precipitation and strong storms.
Global climate modeling
The group operates a global coupled-atmosphere-ocean and land surface model system. Work on a new generation of atmospheric climate model component based on efficient numerical methods is in progress, and a new coupled atmospher-ocean modelling system is being developed. This model system will be used in future global climate change scenario simulations.
Extended range prediction of weather
The Danish Climate Centre is responsible for DMI’s seasonal prediction system. The method is based on ensembles of climate model simulations from ECMWF with lead times of up to 3 months.
Ice sheet modelling
The Greenland Ice Sheet is observed to be responding to warmer temperatures with longer melting season, larger ablation area and speeding up of outlet glaciers, but also increased accumulation.The Danish Climate Centre has taken up a state-of-the-art ice sheet model which is being coupled to the regional climate model to better assess and quantify these changes.Model developments are carried out in order to be able to predict how the ice sheet will evolve in the future and interact with both the atmosphere and the ocean.
Staff in Climate Division
November 2008
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