What a drag: the effect of surface processes on atmospheric circulation.
LOCATION
Whiteknights, Reading RG6 6AH
The wind is slowed down as it interacts with the Earth's surface through turbulent eddies directly above the ground or wave motions which may act on the flow at higher altitudes. These surface-induced drag effects play an important role in determining the large-scale atmospheric circulation, but are notoriously difficult to represent in weather and climate models. Errors in their representation degrade weather forecasts and can affect the prediction of climate change effects on large-scale circulation, and thereby of changes in extremes of wind, temperature or precipitation. Compared to the effects of surface heat and moisture fluxes, surface drag effects are much less studied. Researchers are working on the aforementioned problems from different angles: through modelling the large-scale circulation of the atmosphere, and trying to understand the small-scale processes involved through high-resolution numerical simulations or observations of atmospheric processes. The meeting aims to connect these different perspectives and to discuss how further progress can be achieved.
The wind is slowed down as it interacts with the Earth's surface through turbulent eddies directly above the ground or wave motions which may act on the flow at higher altitudes. These surface-induced drag effects play an important role in determining the large-scale atmospheric circulation, but are notoriously difficult to represent in weather and climate models. Errors in their representation degrade weather forecasts and can affect the prediction of climate change effects on large-scale circulation, and thereby of changes in extremes of wind, temperature or precipitation. Compared to the effects of surface heat and moisture fluxes, surface drag effects are much less studied. Researchers are working on the aforementioned problems from different angles: through modelling the large-scale circulation of the atmosphere, and trying to understand the small-scale processes involved through high-resolution numerical simulations or observations of atmospheric processes. The meeting aims to connect these different perspectives and to discuss how further progress can be achieved.