Physics of the climate system
For climate scientists the main motivation of their research lies in the understanding of the functioning of the climate system. Here at the AWI, being a research institution with a strong expertise in polar and marine research, our focus is on the role of the polar regions in the global climate system and on the interactions between high and lower latitudes.
The evolution of the climate system is largely determined by the fundamental laws of physics. Since the governing physical equations are non-linear it is impossible to find exact solutions. How is it possible then to improve our unstanding and prediction capabilities of the climate system?
Modelling
It is possible to solve the equations governing the evolution of the climate system numerically on supercomputers. This activity is commonly refered to as climate modelling. Climate models are used in the Climate Dynamics section to carry out special sensitivity experiments addressing questions such a What would happen to the global climate system if Arctic sea ice vanished? Climate models are also used in the Climate Dynamics section to carry out predictions on time scales from days to centuries.
Observational data analysis
Observational data from various sources are analyzed. This "data mining" activity help us formulating hypotheses about the functioning of the climate system and its changes. These hypothesis are tested through numerical experiments and theoretical analysis.
Theoretical analysis
Some of the fundamental characteristics of the climate system can be explained by simplified dynamics (i.e. if non-linear effects are of secondary importance). For some phenomena, therefore, it is possible to find and study solutions of the simplified equations. Traditionally, theoretical work in the Climate Dynamics section focusses on the behaviour of the ocean.