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Palaeocloud Reconstruction Project

Project description

Biological proxies for past cloud reconstructions

Simulated cloud-related variation is important in climate models and has large surface temperature effects. But it remains impossible to validate model predictions for the future. While the reconstruction of major patterns in mid-Piacenzian Warm Period (mPWP) cloud can provide verification data from an analogous past climate, there are no known biological proxies for the cloud in deep time. The EU-funded PReP project will develop proxies able to reconstruct past clouds. The project will use them to establish a global cloud database for the mPWP to test cloud model prediction performance. The project will develop biological proxies applying statistical and experimental methods.

Objective

Clouds are a key component of global climate. Alteration to simulated cloud in climate models has large surface temperature effects, yet we cannot validate model predictions for the future against observations. Reconstructions of major patterns in mid-Piacenzian Warm Period (mPWP) cloud can provide critical verification data from an analogous past climate to assess the cloud prediction ability of state-of-the-art climate models, however there are no known biological proxies for cloud in deep-time.
The aim of PReP is to develop proxies capable of reconstructing past cloud and to use them to establish a global cloud database for the mPWP, for testing cloud model prediction performance.
The development of biological proxies for cloud characteristics in deep-time will be pursued in two streams: statistical methods – testing cloud as an emergent property of existing palaeoclimate estimates and testing the extent to which existing palaeoclimate schemes can be expanded to predict cloud – and experimental methods – investigating a novel proxy for cloud through leaf micromorphological variation under cloud-mimicking light schemes. The methods will be used to reanalyse existing data for mPWP sites with the aim of establishing a global palaeocloud dataset for model verification within the Pliocene Modelling Intercomparison Project.
My experience in multiproxy palaeoclimate analysis, and Pliocene palaeoclimate specifically, combined with the interdisciplinary expertise at the University of Leeds in Pliocene climate modelling and applied statistics, and at the National University of Ireland, Galway in palaeobotany, will create the optimal intellectual environment to deliver the aims of the project. The experience of my host as a supervisor and mentor for early career researchers, and the supporting resources of the university for dissemination of results and exceptional training opportunities in both hard and soft skills, will facilitate independence in my research career.

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MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)

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Call for proposal

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(opens in new window) H2020-MSCA-IF-2020

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Coordinator

UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 224 933,76
Address
WOODHOUSE LANE
LS2 9JT Leeds
United Kingdom

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Region
Yorkshire and the Humber West Yorkshire Leeds
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 224 933,76
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