Research Themes

Maps of frequencies of overshooting convection Left: map of observed cold point-overshooting convection frequency from Nugent and Bretherton (2023). Right: map of frequencies of observed vs. simulated overshooting convection from Nugent et al. (2024; submitted).

Deep and overshooting convection

  • Land-ocean contrast in convective intensity and the distribution of overshoots
  • Future changes to the frequency and distribution of overshooting convection
  • Representation of convective overshoots in kilometer-scale models

Publications: Nugent et al. (2022), Nugent and Bretherton (2023), Nugent et al. (2024; submitted)

Cold point diagram and maps of cold point temperature and height Left: diagram of the cold point tropopause, defined by the minimum temperature level. Right: maps of time-mean cold point height and temperature in reanalysis data, adapted from Nugent et al. (2024, submitted).

The upper troposphere-lower stratosphere region (UTLS)

  • Cold point tropopause and its controls on water vapor
  • Stratopsheric circulation and how it may change in the future
  • Impacts of overshooting convection on the UTLS and cold point

Publications: Nugent et al. (2024; submitted)

Map of cirrus frequency and diagram of cirrus and the cold point Top: frequency of observed radiatively active cold point cirrus, adapated from Nugent et al. (2024, submitted). Bottom: schematic of the cold point and the tropical tropopause layer (TTL).

Cirrus and cloud microphysics

  • Representation of tropical cirrus in climate models
  • Relationships bewteen cirrus, deep convection, and the UTLS
  • Impacts of overshooting convection on the UTLS and cold point
  • Cloud microphysics in climate models

Publications: Nugent et al. (2022), Turbeville et al. (2022), Perkins et al. (2024), Nugent et al. (2024; submitted)

ERFaci and delta (PD-PI) LWP maps Maps of ERFaci and PD-PI changes in liquid water path (LWP) in the E3SMv3 perturbed parameter ensemble From Nugent et al, in prep.

Aerosol-cloud interactions

  • Constraining effective radiative forcing from aerosol-cloud interactions (ERFaci)
  • Convective invigoration vs. enervation of aerosols
  • Parametric uncertainty in clouds in global climate models
Publications: (in prep!)
Climate model image, picture of CALIPSO satellite, and picture of ENA ARM site Top: 80 km vs. 2.5 km resolution in a climate model (image from ESiWACE). Bottom left: CALIPSO satellite (image from NASA). Bottom right: Eastern North Atlantic ARM site (image from ARM).

Methods

  • Model-observation intercomparisons
  • Global storm-resolving models (GSRMs), which can explicitly simulate deep convectoin
  • Earth system models and global climate models (GCMs)
  • Perturbed parameter ensembles
  • Satellite and ground-based observations
  • Machine learning and emulation