MIT Center for Global Change Science

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Research Focus Areas

The climate system is extremely complex, involving so many different components and interacting processes, that even with the biggest, fastest computers it is not possible to come close to representing all of them accurately. To make progress in this situation, it is essential to improve the understanding of fundamental physical, chemical, and biological processes that control climate. Only with increased understanding will it be possible to construct models with sufficient accuracy and efficiency to make explicit, quantitative projections.

As illustrated at right, the CGCS has a focused program of scientific research that concentrates on five fundamental processes of the climate system, and incorporating the knowledge into global models.

• Convection, Atmospheric Water Vapor, and Cloud Formation
  Faculty Involved: Emanuel, Lindzen, Entekhabi, O'Gorman, Stone, Staelin

• Oceans, Ocean-Atmosphere Coupling, and Carbon Cycling
  Faculty Involved: Wunsch, Marshall, Mei, Rizzoli, Flierl, Boyle, Chisholm, King, Polz, Ferrari, O'Gorman, Stone

• Land Surface Hydrology and Hydrology-Vegetation Coupling
  Faculty Involved: Entekhabi, Eltahir, McLaughlin, Eagleson

• Biogeochemistry of Greenhouse Gases and Refective Aerosols
  Faculty Involved: Prinn, Hemond, Boyle, Ono, Selin

• Atmospheric Chemistry and Large-Scale Circulation
  Faculty Involved: Plumb, Lindzen, Prinn, Selin

• Climate Modeling Initiative
  Faculty Involved: Marshall, Stone, Wunsch, Prinn, Emanuel, Entekhabi, Plumb, Ferrari

    Send comments to cgcs@mit.edu.

  1/2010