Mid-level clouds form with a predictable daily cycle over the Sahara in north Africa. The clouds affect the radiation budget for the region, but form in thin layers that are challenging to correctly simulate in weather and climate models. It has been observed that these clouds tend to form over regions with lower surface albedo and high surface elevation – but the explanation of the processes at play remains uncertain. In this project the student will run idealised model simulations to experiment with different surface properties, varying albedo and elevation, to try to explain these observations.
To apply: the Undergraduate Scholarship application form can be found here.
Requirements: Experience running weather models a plus but not required.
Availability: Any time.
Supervisor: Dr Tim Raupach
This project will be based at UNSW.