Work Package 1

"Processes": Quantitative observational diagnostics

In this work package, we are deriving and identifying quantitative observational diagnostics and related datasets for relationships and feedbacks leading to droughts (Project 1) and heatwaves (Project 2), and related impacts (e.g. modified land carbon uptake). The DROUGHT-HEAT data manager is assisting the PhD students in their work, collects datasets, provides technical support for the analyses, and builds up and manages the project database. The main deliverables of this work package are as follows:

• An advanced understanding of the processes and feedbacks leading to droughts and heatwaves, and affecting their impacts on the climate system, based on observational data analyses.
• A consolidation of the gained knowledge through established observational diagnostics, quantifying the underlying relationships.
• The provision of datasets of the key identified diagnostics to the research community.

We will address the main following research questions:

• How sensitive are ecosystems to (soil moisture) drought, how do these relationships vary in space and time, and what are the resulting impacts on moisture, energy and carbon fluxes, and the atmosphere? (Project 1)
• How sensitive are temperature extremes to land surface conditions, including soil moisture levels, evaporative fraction, albedo and land cover type? (Project 2)