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Centre for Atmospheric Science

Earth System Feedbacks in Past Climates

I am a second year PhD student in Dr Alex Archibald's group. I am investigating how changes in the levels of trace gases and particles in past atmospheres affected the climate. I use a range of tools from a 1D photolysis model to state-of-the-art Earth system models.

Phanerozoic Oxygen Variability

Atmospheric oxygen has varied from as little as 15% to as much as 30% over the last ~500 million years. The resulting changes in atmospheric pressure have profound implications for past climates. However, the production of ozone is likely to be substantially altered in atmospheres with different oxygen levels. I am using HadGEM3-AO, an atmosphere-ocean general circulation model with interactive atmospheric chemistry to investigate how ozone changes affect the sensitivity of the climate to changes in oxygen levels.

Earth System Feedbacks in the Pliocene

The Pliocene is often used as a proxy for future climate change, as CO2 levels were around those of the present day but the climate was much warmer and sea levels considerably higher. However, most simulations of the Pliocene neglect potentially important Earth system feedbacks such as aerosol and atmospheric chemistry changes. I am investigating the impacts that including these processes have on climate simulations of the Pliocene, using HadGEM3-A, a general circulation model with interactive tropospheric and stratospheric chemistry and a microphysical aerosol scheme.

Centre Highlights

• January 2024: The CCPG have successfully submitted a proposal for PACESETTERS!

• September 2nd 2023: Dr Annela Anger-Kraavi has co-authored a paper analysing just transition narratives in European coal regions. Read the paper here

• December 13th 2022: The CCPG have co-authored a paper on game-changing innovations towards net-zero, published in Energy Strategy Reviews. Read the open access paper here.

• November 15th 2022: The final conference of PARIS REINFORCE is taking place today in Sorbonne. Read more about the event here

• October 24th 2022: The CCPG have successfully submitted a proposal for the Cambridge-Tsinghua joint research initiative! 

• May 5th 2022: We've submitted to the UNFCCC's Global Stocktake (GST). More information is available on our news page. 

• March 23rd 2022: Multiple CAS academics have published a paper investigating the future role of anthropogenic methane emissions. Read the open access paper here.

• Feb 18th 2022: Dr Parris and Dr Anger-Kraavi have co-authored a paper that develops a tool to support co-designed transformative change. Read the open access paper here.

• Dec 16th 2021: Dr Parris has co-authored a paper that introduces a tool to support plastic pollution policy. Read the open access paper here.

• Nov 22nd 2021: Dr Anger-Kraavi has co-authored a paper with Paris Reinforce. Read the open access version here


Want to know more about our high-profile publications? Check out our Publication Highlights!


 

Graduate student

Telephone number

01223 748895