Evaporation The fluid dynamics of snowmelt An important fraction of snowmelt is driven by the wind. Determining the melt rate is challenging in a landscape that is partially covered by snow patches that remain at the melting temperature, while surrounding land warms up as an effect of incoming solar solar radiation. In a new study, which
Clouds Details of the surface wind matter in tropical convection Tropical clouds play an important role in the energy balance of the earth. Clouds reflect solar radiation into space, but also absorb heat that is emitted from the surface of the earth. Clouds therefore play an important role in setting the global atmospheric temperature. In turn, the atmospheric temperature determines
Hydrology Mississippi’s moisture sources in present and future climate In our new study (led by PhD student Imme Benedict [https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Imme_Benedict]), we have assessed the water budget of the Mississippi River Basin under present and future climate conditions. Our main aim was to find out where the precipitation originates from, and in particular whether
Weather Mega-heatwave amplification due to upstream drought In a new publication led by Dominik Schumacher [https://www.ugent.be/bw/environment/en/research/lhwm/staff/dominik_schumacher.htm] of Ghent University (DRY-2-DRY [http://www.dry2dry.org] project funded by ERC), we have quantified the impact of upstream drought on mega-heatwaves. With the help of satellite observations and
Evaporation Better hydrological cycle with high-resolution global models? To study the global hydrological cycle and its response to a changing climate, we rely on global climate models (GCMs) and global hydrological models (GHMs). In a new paper in HESS [https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-1779-2019], we have evaluated the benefits of increasing the resolution of a GCM and
Clouds Three new papers on land-atmosphere interactions We have published three new papers on land-atmosphere interactions, and the soil moisture-precipitation feedback. The first paper Land-Atmosphere Interactions: The LoCo Perspective [https://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/abs/10.1175/BAMS-D-17-0001.1] is published in BAMS, the American Meteorological Society's flagship journal. The paper presents an overview of the research
Publications Clouds can enhance photosynthesis and evapotranspiration Clouds reflect incoming solar radiation back into space, but also increase the amount of diffuse radiation that reaches the land surface. Our new study [http://journals.ametsoc.org/doi/10.1175/JHM-D-16-0279.1] (lead author Xabier Pedruzo-Bagazgoitia) shows that thin clouds are beneficial for CO2 assimilation and evapotranspiration, due to
Publications More clouds over Western European forests Our new article [http://www.nature.com/articles/ncomms14065] in Nature Communications (lead author Ryan Teuling) presents observational proof of enhanced cloud formation over Western European forests. The related press release of Wageningen University can be found here (in Dutch) [https://www.wur.nl/nl/nieuws/Bossen-bevorderen-wolkenvorming.htm]. The sketch
