Adaptive Multi-Scale Methods
In principle, multi-scale interactions need to be accurately represented in climate models; yet many climate processes expose their true character only if small scale processes interacting with large-scale processes are accurately resolved, i.e., if sufficient spatial resolution is available.
Normally this is not affordable in long climate simulations. In our research project, previously developed multi-scale methods will be applied to various multi-scale interaction applications. A typical example is that of the dynamics of ice sheets at their interface between land and the ocean. A second example is the numerical simulation of tropical cyclones. High spatial resolution is required to resolve physical processes within the cyclone, but a large spatial extent with a moving cyclone requires dynamically changing refinement areas. A third example is the large scale wave propagation of tsunami waves, interacting with small-scale topographic features near the shore, such that the wave behavior exposes high complexity.
This relates to the representation of multi-scale processes in coarse-resolution climate models. It also relates to uncertainty propagation and quantification methods, developed in the context of tsunami early warning (Behrens et al., 2010).