News from the Institute

World map of sea surface temperature showing also high temperatures in the Pacific Ocean.

Researchers Identify Three Phases of Climate Change in the Tropical Pacific

Experiments with a climate model reveal that the tropical Pacific responds to increased atmospheric carbon dioxide levels in three distinct phases.…

Image of a hurricane, visible through white cloud vortices, from above.

How Ocean Eddies Influence the Intensity of Tropical Cyclones

Depending on whether they carry warm or cold water, ocean eddies can intensify or weaken tropical cyclones. A study conducted at the Max Planck…

Moritz Günther

Moritz Günther heads new research group at MPI-M

How do the ocean and land surfaces shape the large-scale atmospheric circulation? As of November, this question is being addressed by the research…

Satellite image of the East Atlantic. A band of clouds can be seen over the coast of Africa.

What Drives the Asymmetrical Structure of the Intertropical Convergence Zone?

Observations show that the Intertropical Convergence Zone has a complex and asymmetrical structure. For example, precipitation is more pronounced at…

Three researchers with backpacks descend into a barren, rocky crater landscape, with salt crusts in the Era Kohor in the background, surrounded by steep brown rock faces under a clear blue sky.

Moisture from the Mediterranean Once Fed Lakes in the Sahara

How could deep lakes have existed in the highest mountain range of the Sahara several thousand years ago? An interdisciplinary research group has…

A dry landscape with cracked soils, a bridge leads across a river with very low water level.

More Weather Extremes in Europe During the Summer Under Climate Change

Due to global warming, the North Atlantic Oscillation, an atmospheric circulation pattern that strongly influences European weather, is becoming more…

A Puzzling Temperature Pattern in the Tropical Pacific

The tropical Pacific not only impacts the weather in various regions of the world, but also determines the overall response of the climate system to…

Graphical representation of the strengthening (left) and weakening (right) of the Walker circulation, with English labeling

Study Explains Unexpected Recent Strengthening of the Walker Circulation

The Walker circulation, an atmospheric circulation pattern in the tropics, has accelerated in recent years, puzzling climate scientists who had…

An image of the Amazon rainforest, the bottom is completely covered with green tree tops, above are dense clouds. One cloud emerges from the green canopy.

Amazon Rainforest More Resilient than Assumed

New evidence suggests that mean annual precipitation in the Amazon region is not going to change significantly even if it were completely deforested.…

First-Time Explicit Simulation of a Tropical Wind System in the Upper Atmosphere

A wind system in the tropical stratosphere that can influence the seasonal weather along many latitudes – the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) –…

New Study Sinks an Old Theory for Low-Wind Equatorial Regions

MPI-M-researcher Julia Windmiller overturns a textbook explanation for the low wind speeds that tormented sailing ships in the tropics: Rather than…

WASCAL Master's Students Attend ORCESTRA Campaign on Climate Research

Five master's students from Ghana, Senegal, Nigeria, Benin, and Guinea, participating in the WASCAL program, had the unique opportunity to gain…

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