Staff Notes Daily Announcements

Please view the New Hires and Departures as of Friday, September 20, 2019 at the link below:

https://operations.ucar.edu/hr/new-hires-and-departures

Title: The seasonal cycle of sea-air CO2 fluxes in the Southern Ocean: diagnosing anomalies in CMIP5 Earth Systems Models

Speaker:  Precious Mongwe, NCAR

Date:  Tuesday, 24 September, 2019

Time:  11 am - 12 pm

*Refreshments at 10:45*

Location:  Mesa Lab, Main Seminar Room, ML - 132

Abstract:  The Southern Ocean forms a vital component of the earth system as a sink of CO2 and heat, taking over 40% of the annual oceanic CO2 uptake (75% of global heat uptake). Recent studies based on the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project version 5 (CMIP5) Earth System Models (ESMs) show that CMIP5 ESMs disagree on the phasing of the seasonal cycle of the CO2 flux (FCO2) and compare poorly with available observed estimates in the Southern Ocean. Because the seasonal cycle is the dominant mode of variability for CO2 and chlorophyll in the Southern Ocean, these biases raise important concerns about ESMs long-term projection skill in the Southern Ocean. This study is two parts; first, uses 10CMIP5 models to investigate the mechanistic basis for the seasonal cycle of FCO2 biases in these models. We find that FCO2 biases in CMIP5 models can be grouped into two main categories, i.e., group-SST and group-DIC. Group-SST models are characterized by an exaggeration of the seasonal rates of change of Sea Surface Temperature (SST). These faster than-observed rates of change of SST exaggerate the role of temperature-driven solubility in surface pCO2 and FCO2.While almost all analyzed models show these SST-driven biases, 3 out of 10 (namely NorESM1-ME, HadGEM2-ES, andMPI-ESM, collectively the group-DIC models) compensate the solubility bias because of their excessive primaryproduction, such that biologically-driven DIC changes become primary regulators of the seasonal cycle of FCO2 which also contrary to observed estimates. In the second part, 7 of the 10 are used to investigate what role these present climate seasonal cycle of CO2 biases might play on the simulated (2090 - 2099) net CO2 sink change and its driving mechanism under the RCP8.5 climate scenario. We find the analyzed models generally agree on the entire Southern Ocean CO2 sink increase but disagrees on the mechanism driving the increased sink. Biological CO2 uptake is the primary driver in group-DIC models linked to decreasing of the CO2 buffering capacity, which also amplifies the FCO2 seasonality.On the contrary, temperature-driven CO2 solubility is the primary driver for group-SST models. This outcome highlights that CO2 seasonality biases propagates to the end of the century and maybe an important uncertainty for predicting seasonal scale marine ecosystem anthropogenic impacts in the Southern Ocean.

For more information contact Tracy Baker, tbaker@ucar.edu, x1366

Do you struggle to intervene when you see something going on? Do you avoid difficult conversations because you're not sure how to have them or are worried they may backfire? 

UCAR's Office for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (ODEI) is holding regular Bystander Intervention and Difficult Conversations trainings to help prepare all staff for these kinds of conversations. We will discuss the barriers that prevent us from intervening. You will learn skills and techniques to intervene in difficult workplace situations. We will provide you with a model for difficult conversations and you will practice effective ways to have these challenging conversations with supervisors, peers, and direct reports. These are stand-alone sessions and no prior experience is needed. We welcome people from all job categories and levels of seniority at the organization. 

To sign up please visit the Connect website. From the home screen, click "View the EOD training calendar and register for courses" and search for "PRO158" to select the session you want to attend.

• Tuesday, November 12, 8am-12pm, ML-Damon Room

New Dates for 2020 coming soon! Registration will be avalbe on Workday.

If you have questions please contact Kristen Aponte x1657 or Katy Putsavage x8844. We are still working to identify a way to provide to off-site staff.

When: October 16-17, 2019

Where: University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, 3090 Center Green Drive, Boulder, CO

* Registration is free and ends October 1 *

Please join us for this excellent opportunity to network with Senior Scientists and other Early-Career Scientist. The primary purpose of the workshop is to reinvigorate the growing US iLEAPS community while continuing the momentum leading to the 2021 meeting in New Zealand. This will be accomplished through illustrating the iLEAPS science plan on air pollution effects on the ecosystems and human health.

Presentations will include state of the art atmospheric measurements and ecosystem and health modeling as they relate to atmospheric chemistry, as well as ecosystem processes and interactions/feedbacks between the land and atmosphere. The workshop will consist of presentations from a panel of experts in their fields:

• Eleanor Blyth - Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, UK • Vinayak Sinha - Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali, Punjab, India • Silvano Fares – Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, Research Centre for Forestry and Wood, Italy • Sebastian Leuzinger – Auckland University of Technology, NZ • Allison Steiner - University of Michigan • Ben Poulter - NASA • Xuemei Wang - Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China • Garry Hayman - Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, UK • David Odee – Kenya Forestry Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya • Christine Wiedinmyer – CIRES • Dennis Ojima – CSU • Jean Francois Lemarque – NCAR CGD Group • Clare Granier – GEIA; CIRES • Olivia Clifton – NCAR • Danica Lombardozzi – NCAR

Agenda and additional information can be found at: (https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/early-career-workshop-air-quality-ecosyst...)

Funding support is available for accommodations. For questions, please contact ileaps@ceh.ac.uk