Research
Our research group is dedicated to advancing the understanding of climate science and atmospheric physics. We focus on a wide range of topics, including:
- Aerosol-cloud interactions
- Climate modeling
- The impacts of climate change on weather patterns and ecosystems
Our interdisciplinary approach combines theoretical research, computational modeling, and observational studies to address some of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time.
Research Themes
The global water cycle is crucial for life on Earth and has far-reaching impacts on human society and ecosystems. Our research aims to develop a comprehensive theory of the atmospheric general circulation that explicitly considers the roles of water.
We study the interactions between small-scale processes (e.g., convection, boundary layer, clouds, aerosols, and radiation) and large-scale phenomena (e.g., ITCZ, Hadley cells, tropical waves, baroclinic eddies, and Rossby waves). This approach helps us understand the water cycle in a systematic manner and improve climate models.
Variations in regional water resources, whether natural or driven by climate change, have significant human and economic impacts. Our research focuses on predicting future changes in regional water resources and their societal impacts.
We study regions individually, considering local atmospheric water abundance and dynamics. Our work covers major land regions such as the Indian subcontinent, Sahel, Amazon, and North America, as well as semi-arid regions like the Southwest U.S. and Central Asia. We use a combination of theoretical frameworks, idealized modeling, and comprehensive climate models to understand and predict regional hydroclimate changes.
Carbonate geochronology has proven to be a significant challenge due to natural complexities and analytical limitations. Our developmental emphasis will be on the less-frequently tested Sm/Nd system for carbonates, and on the subsequent integration and cross-checking of Sm/Nd and U/Pb data.
Preliminary data show that carbonate minerals datable by Sm/Nd do exist, though the context and identity of the datable mineral’s occurrence is not clear.
Our research is driven by practical societal needs and aims to apply scientific and technological advances to address these needs. We explore areas such as big data and machine learning, geoengineering, the impacts of COVID-19 on climate, air quality and human health, renewable energy, and policy analysis.
By integrating observations, models, and interdisciplinary approaches, we strive to provide actionable insights and solutions for mitigating and adapting to climate change.