DEUTSCH

Marie-Luise Kapsch

Department Climate Variability
Group Ocean Physics
Position Research Scientist
phone +49 40 41173-415
Email marie-luise.kapsch@mpimet.mpg.de
Room B 231

Research Interests

My current research focusses on a better understanding of the drivers of climate variability during the last deglaciation and how we can use this knowledge to constrain uncertainties in future projections (e.g. in terms of climatic tipping points). For this, I am applying a comprehensive coupled climate-ice sheet model or sub-models thereof. This model can be applied for a range of application but is of specific importance for an improved understanding of interactions and feedbacks between ice sheets and the climate system. My current work is part of the German paleoclimate modeling initative PalMod. 

Research Highlights

Large-scale research project PalMod: What have we learned?

The PalMod project (short for paleo-modeling), funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), investigates the climate system and its variability during the last glacial cycle using complex Earth system models. By adding additional components to these models, we can explicitly simulate the interactions of relevant physical and biogeochemical processes in the Earth system, including the ice-covered regions. A comporehensive summary of research results is presented on the following webpages. 

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What controls the climate variability in simulations of the last deglaciation?

The transition between the last glacial maximum and present was characterized by a significant warming and a series of abrupt climate changes. By conducting a first systematic ensemble of hindcast simulations for this time period we show that our model is capable of simulating abrupt climate changes. However, the exact sequence of abrupt events depends substantially on the glacial configuration prescribed from ice-sheet reconstructions and the method of distributing meltwater from retreating ice sheets.

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How Dansgaard-Oeschger cycles influence Heinrich events

Climate evolution during the last ice age (about 65,000-15,000 years before present) was characterized by two prominent signals of climate variability: Dansgaard-Oeschger cycles and Heinrich events. In a recent study, we present a new mechanism that explains how Heinrich events are synchronized with Dansgaard-Oeschger cycles.

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The effect of climate perturbations on the timing of Heinrich events

Throughout the last glacial period periodic ice discharge events from the North American ice sheet, known as Heinrich events, shaped the climate evolution of the northern Hemisphere. In a new study, we investigate the sensitivity of Heinrich events to different climate perturbations. 

 

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Sea ice concentration

Freshwater release and elevation loss affect climate during Heinrich events

Using a novel model setup, we were able to study the impact of Heinrich events on the climate. We specifically find that Heinrich events affect the climate through two main mechanisms: iceberg calving and ice sheet elevation loss, whereby calving has a significant impact on the ocean circulation and the elevation on the atmospheric circulation and precipitation patterns. 

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Publications

  • Weitzel, N., Andres, H., Baudouin, J.-P., Kapsch, M.-L., Mikolajewicz, U., Jonkers, L., Bothe, O., Ziegler, E., Kleinen, T., Paul, A., and Rehfeld, K., 2024. Towards spatio-temporal comparison of simulated and reconstructed sea surface temperatures for the last deglaciation, Clim. Past, 20, 865–890, doi.org/10.5194/cp-20-865-2024.
  • Schannwell, C., Mikolajewicz, U., Kapsch, M-L., Ziemen, A., 2024. A mechanism for reconciling the synchronisation of Heinrich events and Dansgaard-Oeschger cycles. Nat Commun 15, 2961. doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-47141-7.
  • Snoll, B., Ivanovic, R., Gregoire, L., Sherriff-Tadano, S., Menviel, L., Obase, T., Abe-Ouchi, A., Bouttes, N., He, C., He, F., Kapsch, M.-L., Mikolajewicz, U., Muglia, J., and Valdes, P., 2024. A multi-model assessment of the early last deglaciation (PMIP4 LDv1): a meltwater perspective, Clim. Past, 20, 789–815, doi.org/10.5194/cp-20-789-2024.
  • Schannwell, C., Mikolajewicz, U., Ziemen, F., and Kapsch, M.-L., 2023. Sensitivity of Heinrich-type ice-sheet surge characteristics to boundary forcing perturbations, Clim. Past, 19, 179–198, doi:10.5194/cp-19-179-2023.
  • Kapsch, M.-L., Mikolajewicz, U., Ziemen, F., & Schannwell, C., 2022. Ocean response in transient simulations of the last deglaciation dominated by underlying ice-sheet reconstruction and method of meltwater distribution. Geophysical Research Letters, 49, e2021GL096767. doi:10.1029/2021GL096767.
  • Kageyama, M., Harrison, S. P., Kapsch, M.-L., Lofverstrom, M., Lora, J. M., Mikolajewicz, U., Sherriff-Tadano, S., Vadsaria, T., Abe-Ouchi, A., Bouttes, N., Chandan, D., Gregoire, L. J., Ivanovic, R. F., Izumi, K., LeGrande, A. N., Lhardy, F., Lohmann, G., Morozova, P. A., Ohgaito, R., Paul, A., Peltier, W. R., Poulsen, C. J., Quiquet, A., Roche, D. M., Shi, X., Tierney, J. E., Valdes, P. J., Volodin, E., and Zhu, J., 2021. The PMIP4 Last Glacial Maximum experiments: preliminary results and comparison with the PMIP3 simulations. Clim. Past, 17, 1065–1089, doi:10.5194/cp-17-1065-2021.
  • Kapsch, M.-L., Mikolajewicz, U., Ziemen, F. A., Rodehacke, C. B., and Schannwell, C., 2021. Analysis of the surface mass balance for deglacial climate simulations. The Cryosphere, 15, 1131–1156, doi:10.5194/tc-15-1131-2021.
  • Renoult, M., Annan, J. D., Hargreaves, J. C., Sagoo, N., Flynn, C., Kapsch, M.-L., Li, Q., Lohmann, G., Mikolajewicz, U., Ohgaito, R., Shi, X., Zhang, Q., and Mauritsen, T., 2020. A Bayesian framework for emergent constraints: case studies of climate sensitivity with PMIP. Clim. Past, 16, 1715–1735, doi:10.5194/cp-16-1715-2020.
  • Fettweis, X., Hofer, S., Krebs-Kanzow, U., Amory, C., Aoki, T., Berends, C. J., Born, A., Box, J. E., Delhasse, A., Fujita, K., Gierz, P., Goelzer, H., Hanna, E., Hashimoto, A., Huybrechts, P., Kapsch, M.-L., King, M. D., Kittel, C., Lang, C., Langen, P. L., Lenaerts, J. T. M., Liston, G. E., Lohmann, G., Mernild, S. H., Mikolajewicz, U., Modali, K., Mottram, R. H., Niwano, M., Noël, B., Ryan, J. C., Smith, A., Streffing, J., Tedesco, M., van de Berg, W. J., van den Broeke, M., van de Wal, R. S. W., van Kampenhout, L., Wilton, D., Wouters, B., Ziemen, F., and Zolles, T., 2020. GrSMBMIP: Intercomparison of the modelled 1980–2012 surface mass balance over the Greenland Ice Sheet. The Cryosphere, 14, 3935–3958, doi:10.5194/tc-14-3935-2020.
  • Ziemen, F. A., Kapsch, M.-L., Klockmann, M., and Mikolajewicz, U., 2019. Heinrich events show two-stage climate response in transient glacial simulations. Clim. Past, 15, 153–168,  doi:10.5194/cp-15-153-2019.
  • Kapsch, M.-L., N. Skific, R. G. Graversen, M. Tjernström, and J. A. Francis, 2019. Summers with low Arctic sea ice linked to persistence of spring atmospheric circulation patterns. Clim. Dyn., 52, 2497–2512, doi:10.1007/s00382-018-4279-z.
  • Mikolajewicz, U., Ziemen, F., Cioni, G., Claussen, M., Fraedrich, K., Heidkamp, M., Hohenegger, C., Jimenez de la Cuesta, D., Kapsch, M.-L., Lemburg, A., Mauritsen, T., Meraner, K., Röber, N., Schmidt, H., Six, K. D., Stemmler, I., Tamarin-Brodsky, T., Winkler, A., Zhu, X., and Stevens, B., 2018. The climate of a retrograde rotating earth. Earth Syst. Dynam., 9, 1191-1215, doi:10.5194/esd-9-1191-2018.
  • Mortin, J., G. Svensson, R.G. Graversen, M.-L. Kapsch, J.C. Stroeve, and L.N. Boisvert, 2016. Melt onset over Arctic sea ice controlled by atmospheric moisture transport. Geophys. Res. Lett., 43, 6636-6642, doi:10.1002/2016GL069330.
  • Kapsch, M.-L., R.G. Graversen, M. Tjernström, R. Bintanja, 2016. The effect of downwelling longwave and shortwave radiation on Arctic summer sea ice. J. Clim., 29,1143-1159, doi:10.1175/JCLI-D-15-0238.1.
  • Kapsch, M.-L., R. G. Graversen, T. Economou, and M. Tjernström, 2014. The importance of spring atmospheric conditions for predictions of the Arctic summer sea ice extent. Geophys. Res. Lett., 41, 5288–5296, doi:10.1002/2014GL060826.
  • Kapsch, M.-L., R. G. Graversen, M. Tjernström, 2013. Springtime atmospheric energy transport and the control of Arctic summer sea-ice extent. Nature Clim. Change, 3, 744–748, doi:10.1038/nclimate1884. 
  • Kapsch, M.-L., M. Kunz, R. Vitolo, T. Economou, 2012. Long-term trends of hail-related weather types in an ensemble of regional climate models using a Bayesian approach. J. Geophys. Res., 117, D15107, doi:10.1029/2011JD017185.

  • Andernach, M., Kapsch, M.-L., and Mikolajewicz, U., 2024: Impact of Greenland Ice Sheet Disintegration on Atmosphere and Ocean Disentangled, Earth Syst. Dynam. Discuss. [preprint], doi.org/10.5194/esd-2024-24, in review.
  • Mikolajewicz, U., Kapsch, M.-L., Schannwell, C., Six, K. D., Ziemen, F. A., Bagge, M., Baudouin, J.-P., Erokhina, O., Gayler, V., Klemann, V., Meccia, V. L., Mouchet, A., and Riddick, T., 2024: Deglaciation and abrupt events in a coupled comprehensive atmosphere–ocean–ice sheet–solid earth model, Clim. Past Discuss. [preprint], doi.org/10.5194/cp-2024-55.
  • Ziegler, E., Weitzel, N., Baudouin, J.-P., Kapsch, M.-L., Mikolajewicz, U., Gregoire, L., Ivanovic, R., Valdes, P. J., Wirths, C., and Rehfeld, K., 2024: Patterns of changing surface climate variability from the Last Glacial Maximum to present in transient model simulations, EGUsphere [preprint], doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-1396.
  • Obase, T., Menviel, L., Abe-Ouchi, A., Vadsaria, T., Ivanovic, R., Snoll, B., Sherriff-Tadano, S., Valdes, P., Gregoire, L., Kapsch, M.-L., Mikolajewicz, U., Bouttes, N., Roche, D., Lhardy, F., He, C., Otto-Bliesner, B., Liu, Z., and Chan, W.-L., 2023. Multi-model assessment of the deglacial climatic evolution at high southern latitudes, Clim. Past Discuss. [preprint], doi.org/10.5194/cp-2023-86, in review.
  • Kapsch, M.-L. and C. Schannwell. The role of ice sheets for the climate. Max Planck Society. Highlights from the Yearbook, 2022. https://www.mpg.de/13631298/yearbook-highlights
  • Kapsch, M.-L. The atmospheric contribution to Arctic sea-ice variability. Stockholm: Department of Meteorology, Stockholm University, 2015. PhD Thesis. http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:su:diva-119779
  • Kapsch, M.-L. Longterm variability of hail-related weather types in an ensemble of regional climate models. Institute for Meteorology and Climate Research, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, 2011. Diploma thesis.https://www.imk-tro.kit.edu/english/4327_5235.php
  • Kapsch, M.-L., H. Eicken, M. Robards, 2010. Sea ice distribution and ice use by indigenous walrus hunters on St. Lawrence Island, Alaska. In: SIKU: Knowing Our Ice: Documenting Inuit Sea Ice Knowledge and Use; edited by I. Krupnik, et al. Springer, Berlin. https://seaice.alaska.edu/gi/publications/eicken/10KER.pdf
  • Kapsch, M.-L. Bestimmung turbulenter Energie- und Stoffflüsse über inhomogenem Gelände während COPS, 2009. Seminararbeit, Karlsruhe.

  • Mikolajewicz, U., M.-L. Kapsch, V. Gayler, V. Meccia, T. Riddick, F. Ziemen, C. Schannwell, 2023. PalMod2 MPI-M MPI-ESM1-2-CR Transient simulations of the last deglaciation with prescribed ice sheets from GLAC-1D reconstructions (r1i1p1f1). World Data Center for Climate (WDCC) at DKRZ. https://doi.org/10.26050/WDCC/PMMXMCRTDGP111
  • Mikolajewicz, U., M.-L. Kapsch, V. Gayler, V. Meccia, T. Riddick, F. Ziemen, C. Schannwell, 2023. PalMod2 MPI-M MPI-ESM1-2-CR Transient simulations of the last deglaciation with prescribed ice sheets from GLAC-1D reconstructions (r1i1p2f2). WDCC at DKRZ. https://doi.org/10.26050/WDCC/PMMXMCRTDGP122
  • Mikolajewicz, U., M.-L. Kapsch, V. Gayler, V. Meccia, T. Riddick, F. Ziemen, C. Schannwell, 2023. PalMod2 MPI-M MPI-ESM1-2-CR Transient simulations of the last deglaciation with prescribed ice sheets from GLAC-1D reconstructions (r1i1p3f2). WDCC at DKRZ. https://doi.org/10.26050/WDCC/PMMXMCRTDGP132
  • Mikolajewicz, U., M.-L. Kapsch, V. Gayler, V. Meccia, T. Riddick, F. Ziemen, C. Schannwell, 2023. PalMod2 MPI-M MPI-ESM1-2-CR Transient simulations of the last deglaciation with prescribed ice sheets from ICE-6G reconstructions (r1i1p1f1). WDCC at DKRZ. https://doi.org/10.26050/WDCC/PMMXMCRTDIP111
  • Mikolajewicz, U., M.-L. Kapsch, V. Gayler, V. Meccia, T. Riddick, F. Ziemen, C. Schannwell, 2023. PalMod2 MPI-M MPI-ESM1-2-CR Transient simulations of the last deglaciation with prescribed ice sheets from ICE-6G reconstructions (r1i1p2f2). WDCC at DKRZ. https://doi.org/10.26050/WDCC/PMMXMCRTDIP122
  • Mikolajewicz, U., M.-L. Kapsch, V. Gayler, V. Meccia, T. Riddick, F. Ziemen, C. Schannwell, 2023. PalMod2 MPI-M MPI-ESM1-2-CR Transient simulations of the last deglaciation with prescribed ice sheets from ICE-6G reconstructions (r1i1p3f2). WDCC at DKRZ. https://doi.org/10.26050/WDCC/PMMXMCRTDIP132
  • Kapsch, M.-L., U. Mikolajewicz, F. Ziemen, C. Rodehacke, and C. Schannwell, 2020. Analysis of the Surface Mass Balance for Deglacial Climate Simulations. Dataset at DKRZ. http://hdl.handle.net/21.14106/bc8096febcf548ec640889d3888ad97f046f229e
  • Jungclaus, J., U., Mikolajewicz, M.-L. Kapsch, et al., 2019. MPI-M MPI-ESM1.2-LR model output prepared for CMIP6 PMIP lgm. Earth System Grid Federation (ESGF). https://doi.org/10.22033/ESGF/CMIP6.6642 
  • Jungclaus, J., U., Mikolajewicz, M.-L. Kapsch, et al., 2019. MPI-M MPI-ESM1.2-LR model output prepared for CMIP6 PMIP midHolocene. ESGF. https://doi.org/10.22033/ESGF/CMIP6.6644
  • Ziemen, F. A., Kapsch, M.-L., Klockmann, M., and U. Mikolajewicz, 2018. Long fully coupled transient ice sheet - climate simulations. http://hdl.handle.net/21.14106/2b75495d0a6f24a40aaacf41f777fa56f81c8b6c