| definition |
- The Earth System Science Interdisciplinary Center (ESSIC) is a joint center
between the University of Maryland Departments of Meteorology, Geology,
Geography, and the Earth Sciences Directorate at the NASA/Goddard Space Flight
Center. ESSIC also administers the Cooperative Institute for Climate Studies
(CICS), which is joint with the NOAA National Satellite, Data, and Information
Services (NESDIS) and the NOAA National Centers for Environmental Prediction
(NCEP). The goal of ESSIC is to enhance our understanding of how the
atmosphere, ocean, land, and biosphere components of the Earth interact as a
coupled system and the influence of human activities on this system. This is
accomplished via studies of the interaction between the physical climate system
(e.g., El Nino) and biogeochemical cycles (e.g., greenhouse gases, changes in
land use and cover).
The major research thrusts of the center are studies of Climate Variability and
Change, Atmospheric Composition and Processes, the Global Carbon Cycle
(including Terrestrial and Marine Ecosystems/Land Use/Cover Change), and the
Global Water Cycle. The manner in which this research is accomplished is via
analyses of in situ and remotely sensed observations together with component
and coupled ocean-atmosphere-land models. Together this provides a foundation
for understanding and forecasting changes in the global environment and
regional implications. Data assimilation and regional downscaling provide the
means by which the observations and models are linked to study the interactions
between the physical climate system and biogeochemical cycles from global to
regional scales.
Website: http://www.essic.umd.edu/
[Summary provided by the University of Maryland.]
|
