Max-Planck-Institute for Meteorology: Search

1.

Weather forecasting and climate modeling move closer together

round graphic in blue-green about the linking of ICON climate model components

The ICON model can be used for weather forecasting as well as climate predictions and long-term projections. So far, however, the different applications have been developed separately. An initiative that aims to bring the two closer together is now presenting first results.

2.

Recurring cases of Saharan and Sahelian greening over the past 800,000 years

Schematic representation of the Earth showing a simulated global vegetation cover

A humid climate in the Sahara and Sahel played a critical role in shaping the environment for early human settlement and migration. A new study provides a look into the regions’ distant past, re-vealing recurring cases of greening following Earth’s orbital cycles.

3.

Central IT

Contact Rainer Weigle Group leader Tel.: +49 (0)40 41173-373 rainer.weigle@mpimet.mpg.de Helpdesk Tel.: +49 (0)40 41173-361 help-it@mpimet.mpg.de Contact Central IT Services Central IT Services IT services are provided at MPI-M by the Central IT Services (CIS) group. The most important services of the Central IT Services are: Procurement, setup and management of IT hardware and software for both users (laptops, PCs) and infrastructure (servers, networks, etc.) Central user…

4.

Earth’s self-regulation is weaker than assumed

Schematic representation of the Earth with radiation intensity marked by different levels of red

Earth responds to temperature changes by emitting more or less thermal radiation into space. This mechanism, known as long-wave feedback, influences how strongly the planet responds to the increase in anthropogenic carbon dioxide. Using 30 years of reanalysis data, researchers have quantified the strength of this feedback for a cloud-free atmosphere based on long-term observations. The results suggest that the Earth is more sensitive to radiative forcing than previously thought.

5.

AMOC sensitivity to icebergs

AMOC sensitivity to iceberg forcings The last glacial cycle was characterized by a number of abrupt cooling events in the North Atlantic known as Heinrich events. Heinrich events are associated with massive ice sheet surges from the former Laurentide ice sheet and subsequent predominantly eastward transport of icebergs across the North Atlantic. Paleo records also indicate that ice discharge events coincided with a weakening of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC). Typically,…

6.

Extreme Storm Floods

Past and Future Variability of Extreme Storm Floods in the southern North Sea The low-lying coasts of the southern North Sea are particularly exposed to extreme sea levels (ESL) in form of storm floods. Due to anthropogenic climate change, the risk of flooding is expected to increase in the future (IPCC, 2019). Adequate and timely coastal protection relies on estimates of expected heights and frequencies of such ESL events, particularly of the policy-relevant high-impact-low-probability…

7.

Franziska Glassmeier heads new Lise Meitner Research Group at the MPI-M

Portrait of Franziska Glassmeier, in the background elements from the atrium of the MPI-M

A new Lise Meitner Research Group focusing on "Multiscale Cloud Physics" has started at the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology. The team led by Franziska Glassmeier is dedicated to answering the pressing question of how structures in cloud fields influence the Earth's climate.

8.

Multiscale Cloud Physics – Lise Meitner Group

Our research is motivated by the complex processes and interactions within the climate system and we develop approaches to capture this complexity. We especially explore the multiscale nature of the atmosphere as manifested through clouds: Microscopic cloud droplets and cloud ice form with the help of even smaller atmospheric aerosols. Zooming out, they fuse into the fractal shapes of individual clouds which puzzle the casual observer. Taking a bird's-eye view from space, we can see that…

9.

Permafrost thaw: Gradual change or climate tipping point?

Photograph of a thawing permafrost area in Siberia. The landscape shows a steep erosion edge with slumped soil and peat blocks, as well as flowing mud patterns downhill. In the background, two people in bright clothing are examining the site. The surrounding area is flat and tundra-like, with sparse vegetation.

Global warming leads to Arctic permafrost thaw and the subsequent release of carbon dioxide and methane into the atmosphere. These changes are considered irreversible and, in some cases, abrupt, which has led to discussion whether permafrost might be a tipping element in the climate system. Researchers have compiled the currently available knowledge on how permafrost responds to climate change. They concluded that changes in permafrost are gradual at the global scale but abrupt on a local…

10.

Multi-million-euro funding awarded for CLICCS research

The University of Hamburg’s Cluster of Excellence for climate research CLICCS – “Climate, Climatic Change, and Society” has been honored for its pioneering research focus and awarded a further seven years of funding, as announced yesterday by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and German Science and Humanities Council (WR).

11.

History of the Institute

Our History - 50 Years of Climate Research Our History - 50 Years of Climate Research

12.

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 anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions. Thus, understanding the processes in this region is crucial for the development of medium- and long-term adaptation strategies. Currently, however, climate change in the tropical Pacific is unfolding in a way that climate researchers did not expect. But the working group of Sarah Kang, Director at the Max…