Details of Award
NERC Reference : NE/C51785X/1
The Atmospheric Hydrological Cycle and Climate Feedbacks: past, present and future.
Fellowship Award
- Fellow:
- Professor RP Allan, University of Reading, Environmental Systems Science Centre
- Grant held at:
- University of Reading, Environmental Systems Science Centre
- Science Area:
- Terrestrial
- Atmospheric
- Overall Classification:
- Atmospheric
- ENRIs:
- Global Change
- Environmental Risks and Hazards
- Science Topics:
- Water In The Atmosphere
- Radiative Processes & Effects
- Hydrological Processes
- Climate & Climate Change
- Abstract:
- The global cycle of water is complex, involving evaporation from the surface, transport throughout the atmosphere, condensation as droplets or ice particles to make clouds and precipitation in the form of rain, hail or snow back to the surface. Water in its ice, liquid and vapour phases can have a coding effect or heating effect on the planet. For example, clouds generally cool the surface during day by reflecting sunlight back to space while at night they heat the surface by reducing the emission of thermal radiation to space. This research will use measurements of cloud and water made from space by satellites. This information will be used to help understand how the global water cycle may influence and be influenced by climate change. This is particularly important given the global warming that is already being caused by increases in greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide which reduce the Earth's ability to lose heat radiation to space. Understanding how clouds and water vapour may respond to this warming is crucial in being able to predict the magnitude of future climate change and its possible damage to present and future human societies. The main goal of the research is to use the satellite data to improve predictions of climate change that are made at research centres such as the Met Office using complex computer models of the Earth and its atmosphere. To do this, the relationships between satellite measurements of cloud, water vapour and temperature will be established and this information used to assess the reliability of these climate prediction models. This work will be conducted at the University of Reading and will involve the use of output from the global climate models from the Met Office.
- NERC Reference:
- NE/C51785X/1
- Grant Stage:
- Awaiting Completion
- Scheme:
- Advanced Fellow
- Grant Status:
- Closed
- Programme:
- Advanced Fellow
This fellowship award has a total value of £282,038
FDAB - Financial Details (Award breakdown by headings)
| Total - Staff | Total - Other Costs |
|---|---|
| £227,037 | £55,000 |
If you need further help, please read the user guide.