The Nansen Center has been granted a project allocation through the prestigious “Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions” mobility program. Through the program, early career researchers are invited to develop their expertise through stays at other research institutions.
During the project period, Quentin Dalaiden from Belgium will be employed at the Nansen Center to investigate the climate of the past and its significance for the future. Dalaiden came into contact with the Nansen Center through his PhD and postdoctoral supervisor, and became particularly interested in the research work carried out in the Climate Dynamics and Prediction group. Research leader François Counillon and Dalaiden jointly came up with a research question that they wanted to solve. Through the allocation of “Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions” funds, the Prey4PDV project was established. The aim of the project is to understand how processes in the ocean and atmosphere affect the climate in the Pacific region over long periods of time using data describing the climate of the past.
Prey4PDV stands for “New paleo reanalysis for improved understanding of Pacific Decadal Variability”. Pacific Decadal Variability (PDV) is defined as a natural fluctuation in the temperature of the Pacific Ocean’s sea surface over several decades. These changes affect the climate regionally, with effects such as floods and droughts on the surrounding continents. PDV can also affect the climate globally. It is not entirely clear what drives this variability. There is no data to follow the development of PDV over sufficiently long periods to date, making it difficult to predict future climate variations.
Through the Prey4PDV project, Dalaiden and colleagues at the Nansen Center will create a 500-year climate reanalysis. They will use NorESM, an advanced Earth system model that the Nansen Center has helped to develop, to simulate the climate of the last 500 years. What makes this reanalysis special is the use of so-called paleo-data. These are ancient climate records from nature, such as tree rings, ice cores and corals. This data provides information about how wind, temperature and ocean conditions have changed over the past centuries. By including this data, the researchers hope to gain a better understanding of what drives the PDV, both in terms of the ocean and the atmosphere.
The project will provide valuable insight into the relationship between natural climate variations and man-made climate change. This will help scientists to produce more accurate climate forecasts, especially for the coming decades. In addition, the project results will be used to provide a better understanding of how anthropogenic climate change has contributed to specific weather events such as hurricanes or droughts.
Dalaiden says he is looking forward to exchanging knowledge with new colleagues. He goes on to say that he has always wanted to experience the weather and the beautiful nature of the Scandinavian countries, especially because he prefers cooler climates to hot weather. In addition, he mentions the emphasis on a good work-life balance in Norwegian workplaces, which makes Norway and the Nansen Center an ideal place for him to further develop his research expertise.
Key researchers: Quentin Dalaiden, François Counillon
