Influence of Phytoplankton on Climate

该项目将探讨浮游植物可能如何影响上层海洋的热结构和环流，以及其通过吸收太阳辐射和改变地表反照率而对地球气候产生的影响。该方法使用了辐射传输模型、混合层和辐射对流模型、海洋和气候环流模型以及浮游植物叶绿体色素的卫星图像。浮游植物的强迫作用将使用从现有生物光学算法得出的卫星获取的叶绿素浓度来指定。预计这些实验将有助于更好地理解海洋表面温度的产生机制及其对气候的影响。该项目有望提高对预测二氧化碳引起的气候变化的理解。一名研究生将得到资助。

This project will address the question of how phytoplankton may impact on the thermal structure and circulation of the upper ocean, and its subsequent effect on the Earth's climate via the absorption of solar radiation and modification of the surface albedo. The approach employs radiative-transfer models, mixed layer and radiative-convective models, ocean and climate general circulation models, and satellite imagery of phytoplankton chlorophyllous pigments. Forcing by phytoplankton will be specified using satellite-derived chlorophyll concentrations derived from existing bio-optical algorithms. The experiments are expected to lead to an improved understanding of the mechanisms generating sea surface temperatures and their influence on the climate.This project is expected to result in an improved understanding of predicting climate change due to carbon dioxide. One graduate student will be supported.