System Characterization
Understanding how the Earth functions is an extraordinary challenge. To meet it, we can take our lead from the medical community in which scientists and engineers from diverse disciplines have pooled their intellectual resources to understand the human body and develop modern medicine.
The same ingenuity must be applied to understanding the "anatomy" and "metabolism" of our planet. ESI has taken the first step in this diagnostic process with the establishment of a cohesive program to understanding the "anatomy" and "metabolism" of our planet.
With its strong tradition of observational science and progressive engineering, MIT is an ideal setting for the kinds of collaborative research that will lead to the design of new monitoring technology and new protocols for the acquisition, storage and interpretation of "global-scale" data streams.
Funded Projects:
ITR/AP: An Ensemble Approach to Data Assimilation in the Earth Sciences
PI: Dennis McLaughlin
co-I's: Alan Willsky, Paola Malanotte-Rizzoli, Dara Entekhabi, Kerry Emanuel
Project website
Interpreting, Improving and Augmenting Multi-Model Ensembles
PI: James Hansen
Modeling Bending: Towards Dealing with Model Inadequacies in Data Assimilation and Forecasting Using a Single Model Structure
PI: James Hansen
co-I's: Kerry Emanuel, Edward Lorenz
Incorporation of Model Bias and Uncertainty in Land Surface Hydrologic Flux Prediction Using a Data Assimilation Network
PI: Dara Entekhabi
Estimation of Precipitation Recycling ad Hydrological Cycle Intensity using TRMM Observations
PI: Rafael Bras
A Framework for the Prediction of Soil Moisture Using Multiple Scale Data Sources
PI: Rafael Bras
The Hydrosphere State Mission
PI: Dara Entekhabi
Project Website
Momentum and Scalar Exchange Between Channels and Vegetated Banks
PI: Heidi Nepf
Dynamic Hydrology and Ecosystem Modeling in Semi-Arid Complex Terrain Using NASA EOS Observations from Terra Aqua
PI: Rafael Bras
Linkages in Winter-Time Climate Variability and the Basis for Climate Predictability in North Atlantic Sector
PI: Dara Entekhabi
Summer Dryness under a Warmer Climate over North America
PI: Elfatih Eltahir
Evaporation Estimation Using Multi-Platform Data
PI: Dara Entekhabi
Thermally-Driven Exchange Flows in Regions of Vegetation
PI: Heidi Nepf
Climate Dynamics of Rainfall, Snow and Vegetation over Complex River Basins: Fully Distributed Modelling Approach
PI: Rafael Bras
Understanding Ensemble Approaches to Environmental Data Assimilation
DDAS-SMRP: Data Assimilation by Field Alignment
PI: Dennis McLaughlin
co-I's: Kerry Emanuel, Srinavas Ravela