On 13 November 2018 (3:00 pm CET), Centro Euro-Mediterraneo sui Cambiamenti Climatici (CMCC) is hosting a webinar on Machine Learning and Cloud Process Parameterization for Weather and Climate Models.
Machine learning is well suited for problems which have a complex structure that we don’t understand well, but about which we have huge amounts of information. For global weather and climate models, cumulus cloud systems present such a problem. They produce most of the world’s rainfall. They involve interactions between air motions, clouds, liquid and ice precipitation, all poorly resolved by a typical model horizontal grid spacing of 10-100 km, which we represent with uncertain ‘subgrid parameterizations’. We can simulate these interactions well with a much finer model grid of 1-5 km that explicitly simulate individual cumulus clouds, but this is too computationally expensive for normal use in a climate model. This webinar explores machine learning for the development of new parameterizations of cloud processes for climate models, based on large amounts of training data from 1-5 km models. Our goal is that such parameterizations be easier to develop, more consistent with observations, and more efficient than what we use now.
Chris Bretherton is an atmospheric scientist who studies cloud formation and turbulence and improves how they are simulated in global climate and weather forecast models. His research includes participating in field experiments and observational analyses, three-dimensional modeling of fluid flow in and around fields of clouds, and understanding how clouds will respond to and feedback on climate change. Computer code developed by his research group for simulating cloud formation by atmospheric turbulence is used in the two leading US climate models. He was a lead author of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fifth Assessment Report in 2013, Chair of a 2012 National Academy report entitled A National Strategy for Advancing Climate Modeling and a former director of the University of Washington Program on Climate Change.
03:00 pm – Welcome and intro – Giovanni Aloisio – CMCC03:05 pm – Presenter’s talk – Chris Bretherton – University of Washington03:35 pm – Q&A03:50 pm – End of webinar
Working language: English
The seminar will be broadcasted via Go-to-Webinar. Please click, on the following link for registration:
https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/2509161794872738051
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
For more information, please inquire at info@cmcc.it