Rapid climate change research in the UK



The Rapid Climate Change programme (RAPID) is a £20 million, six-year (2001-2007) thematic programme of the UK Natural Environment Research Council (NERC). The programme aims to improve our ability to quantify the probability and magnitude of future rapid change in climate, with a main (but not exclusive) focus on the role of the Atlantic Ocean's thermohaline circulation.

Using a novel combination of present day observations, palaeo data and a hierarchy of models (from local process models to global general circulation models) the programme will improve our understanding of the roles of the THC and other processes in rapid climate change, and of the global and regional impacts of such change. As a result, our ability to monitor and predict future rapid climate change, particularly in the North Atlantic region, will be enhanced. This will be achieved by undertaking improved observations of the Atlantic THC and the processes that influence it; by using improved palaeo data to reconstruct past changes; by combining the present-day and palaeo observations with models, in order to test and improve them; and by using the understanding gained to assess the probability and magnitude of future rapid climate change.

With regard to the Joint International Call for proposals on Rapid Climate Change with Norway and The Netherlands, all aspects of RAPID are relevant to the present call.

Useful information

Information (in English) about the objectives and strategic aims of the NERC Rapid Climate Change programme can be found on the RAPID web site (http://rapid.nerc.ac.uk/). In particular, you will be able to access essential information about RAPID such as:
Further research relevant to Rapid Climate Change can be found in some aspects of the NERC COAPEC (Coupled Ocean Atmosphere Processes and European Climate) programme, as well as in research activities at the UK Hadley Centre (part of the UK Met. Office), and the UK Tyndall Centre. The RAPID programme is also maintaining strong links with the Arctic-Subarctic Ocean Fluxes (ASOF) programme of observations in the North Atlantic.

Main Contacts:

Any queries about the RAPID programme should be addressed to the RAPID Science Co-ordinators:

Prof Meric Srokosz
Phone: +44 (0) 23 8059 6414
E-mail: mas@noc.soton.ac.uk

Dr Val Byfield
Phone: +44 (0) 23 8059 6405
E-mail: valborg@noc.soton.ac.uk