(1) Asian climate variability - How do major Asian circulation features (eg., Asian monsoon, westerlies, polar air masses, Siberian and Tibetan Highs) vary on annual to longer scales? What factors (eg., solar variability, volcanic activity, greenhouse gases) control changes in the major circulation features impacting Asia? What are the associations between Asian climate and global (e.g., ENSO, cross-equatorial flow, NAO, PNA, WPO, AO, PDO) circulation features? Can Asian climate be simulated and predicted from the state of past atmospheric circulation patterns (analog modeling)? How does the interaction between tropical and ex-tropical circulation impact climate over Asia? What are the regional climatic changes to be expected in near future based on trends? Is there evidence of climate events such as the LIA and MWP in Asia? Are Asian climate change events related to climate change in other regions?

(2) Environmental change over Asia - How have natural versus anthropogenic sources for chemical species (notably sulfate, nitrate, and select heavy metals and trace and major elements (Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu, Pb, Bi, U, As, Tl, Al, S, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn) varied in the atmosphere over central Asia? Are spatial and temporal variations in contaminants related to changes in contaminant source areas or production? Have changes in atmospheric circulation impacted distribution of chemical species in the atmosphere over central Asia?

Home>Projects>AICA