Climate Variability and Predictability over the Greater Horn of Africa

该项目将解决大非洲之角地区RegCM3模式的主要缺陷。具体目标是调查区域气候模式第三版在印度洋沿海地区和非洲维多利亚湖地区表现不佳的原因。该模型将被用来研究缩小非洲之角地区全球气候模型模拟的价值。通过将维多利亚湖三维环流的可变性和可预测性与湖盆的气候条件结合起来，将进一步调查维多利亚湖在调节东非区域气候方面已经确定的重要性。这项工作将促进美国和非洲学生之间的国际合作，并有望促进美国项目学生的学习和教育体验，同时促进美国和非洲大角地区的网络。这项工作还促进了基本层面的国际合作，从而促进了国家安全。项目活动、调查结果和课程将通过学生和教师出版物以及在研究会议和座谈会上的陈述和参与广泛传播。这项研究将通过开发能够解释和实际利用区域气候预测信息的科学和技术，对气候信息用户群体产生广泛影响。该项目将培训3至4名研究生和10名本科生进行区域气候建模。

This project will address the leading deficiencies of the RegCM3 model over the Greater Horn of Africa region. The specific goal is to investigate the causes of the sub-optimal performance of the Regional Climate Model, version 3, over the coastal regions of the Indian Ocean and Lake Victoria in Africa. This model will be used to investigate the value of downscaling global climate model simulations over the Greater Horn of Africa region. The already-established importance of Lake Victoria in modulating the regional climate of Eastern Africa will be further investigated by coupling the variability and predictability of the three-dimensional circulation of Lake Victoria and the climatic conditions in the lake basin. This work will facilitate international collaboration between American and African students, and is expected to contribute to stimulating learning and education experiences for project students in the United States, while furthering a network within the United States and the Greater Horn Region of Africa. This work also contributes to national security by fostering international cooperation at a fundamental level. Project activities, findings, and curricula will be broadly disseminated through student and faculty publications, as well as presentations and participation at research conferences, and symposia. The research will have widespread impact on the climate information user community through the development of enabling science and technology for the interpretation and practical exploitation of regional climate prediction information. The project will train 3 to 4 graduate students and 10 undergraduate students in regional climate modeling.