Tipping Behavior in the Climate System

Lecturer: Prof. Henk Dijkstra (DICAM/Utrecht)

Timetable: 5 - 16 February 2024 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Classes will be held on-site at DICAM in room 1H.

Program: When critical conditions on global mean surface temperature are exceeded, climate subsystems may undergo relatively rapid transitions, so-called tipping behavior, compared to the change in their forcing. Based on paleoclimate evidence several of such subsystems, so-called tipping elements, have been identified. Examples are the Atlantic Ocean circulation, the polar ice sheets, and the Amazon rainforest. In this course, an introduction into tipping phenomena will be given focusing on (i) the basis in (stochastic) dynamical systems theory, (ii) conceptual models of tipping elements and (iii) applications to specific cases to determine the probability of tipping under climate change. Students will be working on two projects and grading will be based on the project reports.

Overview:
Week 1:
05/2, (2h): Climate Tipping Elements
         (1h): Introduction projects
07/2, (2h): Dynamical Systems Background
         (1h): Project work
09/2, (2h): Tipping Dynamics
         (1h): Project work
Week 2:
12/2, (2h): Case Study 1: Ocean Circulation
         (1h): Project work
14/2, (2h): Case Study 2: Polar Ice Sheets
         (1h): Project work
16/2, (3h): Finishing project work

Duration: 18 hours (2 credits)

Registration: in order to register for the course please send an email to dicamphd [at] unitn.it