Project description DEENESFRITPL Quantifying the Atlantic instrumental hydroclimate Throughout the years, variations in precipitation and runoff have led to major social and economic disruptions, especially in the Atlantic basin, which contains the world’s largest river systems and rainforests. The EU-funded AQUATIC project aims to extend the record of Atlantic-sector hydroclimate variability during the 1880–1950 period. The project will combine analysis of early instrumental historical climate data with state-of-the-art reanalysis and model output to shed light on the mechanisms of hydroclimate variability in and around the Atlantic and to minimise uncertainties for the future in this climatologically important region. Show the project objective Hide the project objective Objective Precipitation (P) and runoff (R) variability around the tropical and subtropical Atlantic is of fundamental importance to the biosphere and carbon system, and to human livelihood. Over recent decades, decadal variations in P and R — including droughts in the Sahel region of West Africa, northeast Brazil, the Caribbean, and the Amazon basin — have caused large social and economic disruptions. However, understanding the causes of these events, as well as projecting regional 21st century climate change hydroclimate impacts, are complicated by the relative shortness in the instrumental record, which reduces confidence in the attribution of external forcings.AQUATIC will extend the record of Atlantic-sector hydroclimate variability during the 1880–1950 period. We will: (1) compile an integrated hydroclimate dataset including newly-recovered P station gauge data, long-term river R measurements, and a unique long-term record of Atlantic sea surface salinity which we will use as an “ocean rain gauge” to infer the surface evaporation (E)–P–R balance. We will then (2) examine these integrated hydroclimate data along with atmospheric and ocean reanalysis output to characterize mechanisms of decadal-to-multidecadal hydroclimate variability, including shifts of the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) and expansion and contraction of the Hadley circulation. This will allow us to (3) evaluate the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) simulations to attribute long-term hydrological change to different external forcings, and constrain future climate projections.AQUATIC will combine analysis of early instrumental historical climate data with state-of-the-art reanalysis and model output to understand mechanisms of hydroclimate variability in and around the Atlantic and to narrow uncertainties for the future in this climatologically important region. Fields of science natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesatmospheric sciencesmeteorologybiospheranatural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesatmospheric sciencesclimatologyclimatic changes Keywords Historical climate data Tropical climatology Atlantic climate Detection and attribution Programme(s) H2020-EU.1.3. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions Main Programme H2020-EU.1.3.2. - Nurturing excellence by means of cross-border and cross-sector mobility Topic(s) MSCA-IF-2019 - Individual Fellowships Call for proposal H2020-MSCA-IF-2019 See other projects for this call Funding Scheme MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF) Coordinator UNIVERSITAET BERN Net EU contribution € 203 149,44 Address HOCHSCHULSTRASSE 6 3012 Bern Switzerland See on map Region Schweiz/Suisse/Svizzera Espace Mittelland Bern / Berne Activity type Higher or Secondary Education Establishments Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Website Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Total cost € 203 149,44
