Program

For a comprehensive schedule of the Conference, see the preliminary program.

You can find the full list of sessions and the three categories they fall into below.

Category 1: THE CLIMATE SYSTEM

• Advancing climate system knowledge through new observations and field experimentsPhilippe Drobinski, Jeff WalkerAdvancing climate system knowledge requires new sets of measurements for better process understanding, parameterization development and improvement, and for satellite data and model validation. Long time-series of multi-scale and multi-parameter datasets from multi-sensors are needed for analysis of regional climate variability and change, and hydrometeorological extremes. This session includes all aspects of field campaigns as keys to process studies. Papers are welcomed on development of network observatories, common protocols for data processing and quality control, and intercomparison of processes in different environments.
• Advances in analysis of observations, reanalysis and model results to improve energy and water cycle processesJoerg Schulz, Mike Bosilovich, Mitch MoncrieffSimple comparisons of observation variables with numerical models, usually averaged in time and space, can identify model discrepancies but not their causes. Moreover, such comparisons rarely define discrepancies in the multi-variate relationships that are the key to representing processes. This session seeks papers describing and illustrating more advanced, multi-variate analysis approaches that diagnose process relationships relevant to the global energy and water cycles.
• Modeling, predicting, and attributing climate extremesGabi Hegerl, Adam Scaife, Sonia SeneviratneHow well are extremes simulated in models? For extremes in the CMIP5 ensemble: how realistic is the extremes climatology, and how well are changes simulated? Papers are welcomed on causes of observed changes in extremes; the role of internal variability and atmospheric circulation for changing probability of extremes; the ability of seasonal to decadal prediction systems to capture extremes and their changes; and the role of land surface processes in changing extremes and model biases.
• Observations and changes in climate extremesXuebin Zhang, Ron Stewart, Olga ZolinaHydrometeorological extremes are one of the most critical aspects of our climate and this session focuses on observationally-based studies of their occurrence and change including the development of appropriate metrics and datasets and the interpretation of factors driving change. Submissions are invited on examining a wide range of extremes (including floods, droughts, extreme precipitation, winter storms) on global, regional and local scales, and especially compound events (such as floods forced by snow melt and precipitation) and simultaneous events (such as heavy precipitation adjacent to regions of drought). Submissions are also invited that consider scaling issues associated with climate extremes.
• Progress towards closing global and regional water and energy budgetsNorm Loeb, Taikan Oki, Pete RobertsonThere is an increasing variety of global water and energy data sets available that can be used to examine closure of the energy and water budgets. This session solicits papers on innovative ways that observations and reanalyses have been used to gain insight into processes that govern these cycles or alternatively, gain insight into one or more of the products that make up the budgets. Papers that address how retrieval or analysis uncertainty propagates through water and budgets characterizing various modes of climate variability or climate change, and their regional to global expression, are especially relevant.
• Progress and challenges for predicting monsoon precipitationHarry Hendon, Dave Gochis, Jun MatsumotoSkilful predictions of monsoon rainfall have the potential to provide resiliency to many societies around the world, but predicting monsoon rainfall from intraseasonal to seasonal timescales has proven to be a major challenge. This session requests papers on all aspects of predicting monsoon rainfall, including short term prediction of extreme events, multi-week prediction of monsoon intraseasonal variability, seasonal prediction, and the role of land. Papers that focus on key model and data limitations and on impacts of climate change on monsoon predictability are especially welcomed.
• Characterizing, validating, and improving the water cycle in modelsYukari Takayabu, Paul O’GormanThis session seeks analyses of precipitation characteristics (accumulations, frequency, intensity, duration, diurnal cycle, extremes, rain type) and their relationship to the large-scale environment as depicted by the models and especially CMIP5 models vs observations. Papers are also sought on validating and improving other aspects of the water cycle in models. Papers may consider methodologies, new metrics, sampling and statistical issues (point vs grid-square), tropical and extratropical regimes, and multi-variate analyses.
• Analyzing, validating, and improving global precipitation productsRobert Adler, George HuffmanThis session seeks to validate and improve analyses of precipitation characteristics (accumulations, frequency, intensity, duration, diurnal cycle, extremes, rain type) over the ocean; including climate means, variations and error estimates thereof, and finer scale properties, and the multi-scale processes resulting in these properties. Validation methods and results are also a focus, including use of atoll data, buoys, radar, and issues related to sampling. Results utilizing TRMM, Cloudsat, SSM/I, and current merged analyses (e.g., GPCP) along with proposed new approaches (the Global Precipitation Mission) or new data sets are encouraged.

Category 2: LAND

• Use of climate information and predictions in hydrology and water resources managementEric Wood, Marc Bierkens, Jan VerkadeThe session focuses on advances in regional and global water cycle information systems and their usefulness in understanding water cycle variability and change important for water management over all time scales (short term to multi-decadal). Contributions may include the development, application or assessment of hydrological monitoring and prediction systems (including, for example, GDIS: Global Drought Information Systems; GEOSS: Global Earth Observations System of Systems, and hydrologic ensemble prediction systems such as those related to HEPEX: Hydrologic Ensemble Prediction Experiment); use of in-situ, modeling and remote sensing information for water management and design within such systems; application of climate information to societal benefit areas such as water-related disasters (flood and drought risk), food and/or water security.
• Land Surface Model benchmarking and developmentMartin Best, David Lawrence, Eleanor BlythThis session will focus on evaluation metrics and benchmarks of land model processes utilizing existing and new data streams that can be used to evaluate and discriminate models and to help direct future land model development. Land models, which are a key to climate prediction, weather forecasts, and quantifying the impacts of climate change and extreme weather systems on humans and ecosystems, have evolved rapidly in recent years with improved parameterizations and incorporation of new biogeophysical and biogeochemical processes. The increased complexity of this new generation of models requires innovative techniques and integrative metrics in which the many interacting features of these models can be assessed. Fortunately, there has been an increase in the amount and breadth of data that are available to assess land models including, but not limited to, earth-observation data, networks of in-situ observations, and manipulation experiments.
• The role of land parameters (and land cover change) on weather and climate predictionShinjiro Kanae, Mike Ek, Andy PitmanNumerical weather prediction (NWP) and climate models typically resolve weather and climate with a land-surface model (LSM) providing lower boundary conditions for a “parent” atmospheric model with which the LSM is coupled. The LSM must have relevant processes to adequately represent surface energy, water, and carbon budgets, thereby properly accounting for the exchange of heat, moisture, momentum, and carbon between the surface and lower atmosphere. As the connection between weather and climate models becomes more “seamless,” LSMs must serve multiple time scales. This session will focus on LSM improvements for NWP, as well as seasonal and longer climate time scales. Topics include model improvements through use of new land data sets, higher-resolution vegetation and soil data sets, snow cover and near-real-time vegetation, and the representation of land use and land cover change.
• High resolution hydrological processes, including sub-surface waters, in land surface modelsTaikan Oki, Paul Bates, Soroosh SorooshianWater is a major component of processes and feedbacks that affect the climate on regional to global scales. However, there are considerable uncertainties in predicting long-term changes in the hydrologic cycle, which will likely have an impact on the world’s already limited freshwater supply. Improved modeling tools, which include a more explicit representation of finer scale processes may help develop adaptation strategies for improving sustainability of water resources. This session focuses on the improved terrestrial hydrologic representation in land surface models and their impacts on coupled weather and climate prediction. Topics covered include runoff processes, river routing, ground water dynamics and coupling to rivers and the vadose zone, improved flood-plain parameterizations, riverine transport of sediment, nutrients, and heat, and new parameterizations of lakes, marshes, and estuaries.
• Modeling anthropogenic impacts of land-water-management in Land Surface ModelsRichard Harding, Justin Sheffield, Sue GrimmondMost of the world’s land surface and fresh water systems have been substantially modified and managed by man. Until recently few land surface models used within climate models included the effects of management but, in the last few years, land cover changes, urbanization, agriculture, dams, and water diversions (and irrigation) have been included within these models. This session will consider papers on these developments in land surface models and the anthropomorphic impacts on states, fluxes, and flows within the Earth system.
• Data-assimilation in land surface and hydrological modelsRolf Reichle, Patricia deRosnayThis session highlights advances in the development and applications of land data assimilation systems (LDAS). Such systems merge land surface observations (in situ or remotely sensed) with estimates from land surface models to initialize weather and seasonal climate forecasts, monitor and predict extreme events, provide improved background information for atmospheric data assimilation, improve process understanding, and support model development. Contributions may include studies that evaluate, compare, or improve land data assimilation methods, assess the impact of land data assimilation on model state or flux estimates, use LDAS in NWP, climate or hydrological applications, and address simultaneous assimilation of multiple observation types to obtain a comprehensive picture of the water cycle. Contributions that use current and planned hydrology satellite missions and satellite products (e.g., ASCAT, SMOS, SMAP, and SWOT) are also encouraged.
• Biosphere, water, carbon, and the climate system?Markus Reichstein, Steven StitchEarth’s terrestrial ecosystems are highly coupled with the hydrological, energy and biogeochemical cycles, and this is having a profound impact on guiding land surface model development for a wide range of time and spatial scale applications. The models themselves have evolved rapidly in recent years, increasing in complexity and input requirements. In turn, communities around the world have been investing in modeling both the physical (GEWEX) and biogeochemical (iLEAPS) systems largely in parallel. This session focuses on the evolution of atmospheric models towards fully integrated Earth system models and bridging the gaps between the GEWEX and iLEAPS communities and models. Contributions include the improved understanding of carbon and nitrogen cycle interactions and their influence on the terrestrial carbon sink, and the response of ecosystems to climate change and disturbances from both anthropogenic influences and natural variability.
• New satellite observations for water cycle research and their utility in Land Surface Model developmentJay Famiglietti, Xin Li, Dai YamazakiThe session focuses on the potential of recent and planned satellite missions (SMOS, GCOM-W, GPM, SMAP, SWOT, Sentinel-1, EarthCARE, and others) and their contributions to water cycle research, and usefulness for improved assessment of land surface models and their development. Contributions can include OSSE experiments, simulations of planned observations; development of retrieval algorithms; applications for understanding hydrological processes; data assimilation studies with land surface models; new products; and applications studies of the use of these planned observations.
• Cold season precipitation and projected changes in snow from observations, models, and reanalyses?Sarah Kapnick, Chris Derksen, Ralf BennartzThis session seeks papers dealing with snow in its various forms (i.e., snowfall and snow on the ground) in observations, models, and reanalyses. Of particular interest are those papers that compare and contrast more that one source of information as well as papers dealing with the validation of snow estimates or projections in various environments.
• Hydrology of high elevation areasJohn Pomeroy, Richard Essery, Ma YaomingHigh mountains often receive relatively high precipitation volumes, which can quickly form runoff from rainfall, or are stored as snow and ice and form melt water when energy inputs are sufficient. This session will focus on advances in high mountain hydrology, including precipitation, process understanding, observational advances, model development and validation, applications, climate change impacts and projections of future snow and ice hydrology under a changing climate.
• Land precipitation and drought: observations, modeling, errors and uncertaintyRemy Roca, Olga Zolina, Vincenzo LevizzaniThe session focuses on changes and variability in land precipitation (including temporal and spatial accumulation and statistical distribution) across different scales from local to global, as seen in both models and observations. Papers are welcomed that address quantification of light precipitation, and understanding its impact on in-situ, satellite and NWP data; orographic, lake, and urban effects and their impacts on quantitative precipitation estimation; the diurnal cycle, and validation of satellite retrievals and products including continental, regional, and local scales on multiple time scales.

Category 3: ATMOSPHERE

• Cloud to rainfall transitions – Linking multi-parameter observations to processes and modelsChris Kummerow, Bjorn Stevens, Jay Mace, Hugh Morrison, Ben ShipwayFundamental questions remain regarding the onset of precipitation in warm phase clouds around the globe. This session seeks improved understanding from field campaigns, modeling studies and satellite observations relating cloud processes in various large scale environments. Key aspects of the session will be to lay the foundation for coordinated satellite and in-situ observations intended to improve parameterizations used at cloud resolving model scales and to understand some of the limitations of current parameterizations.
• The coupling of clouds, precipitation, and radiation to the large-scale circulation?Sandrine Bony, Chris BrethertonThis session addresses the coupling of clouds and precipitation to the large-scale atmospheric circulation, both in the present-day climate and under climate change. How does the circulation affect cloud and precipitation distribution and properties, and vice versa? How do these issues feed into uncertainties in climate model simulations of the hydrological cycle? Analyses using observations, climate models, process models or simple models are welcome.
• Improving the representation of precipitation, cloud, and radiation processes in atmospheric models?Jon Petch, Robert Pincus, Steve WoolnoughClouds, precipitation, and radiation are central to atmospheric modeling across time and space scales, from a few hundred meters to global, and from hours to centuries. Submissions are invited on science that can improve the representation of these processes at all scales, including specialized studies of the underlying processes, novel model evaluation techniques, general parameterization development, the innovative use of observations, and especially work applicable across a range of scales.
• Improving the understanding and modeling of the land-atmosphere interface?Paul Dirmeyer, Bert Holtslag, Adrian Lock, Joe SantanelloThis session addresses the advancement of insights into the representation of land-surface states and fluxes, and the complex interactions with the atmospheric boundary layer. Findings from state-of-the-art weather and climate models, single-column models, and large eddy simulations; coupling across scales from local to global, and from the diurnal cycle to decades are welcome.