How do large bushfires impact subsequent local climate?

Synopsis

Large bushfires often leave huge areas of forest blackened and denuded of leaves and undergrowth. These changes in surface albedo and roughness impact the local climate, but how large are these impacts? The project ‘How do Large Bushfires Impact Subsequent Local Climate?’ will use high-resolution regional climate model simulations and satellite observations of albedo and vegetation cover to quantify this effect.

Aims

This project will analyse regional climate model simulations to quantify the lasting effect of bushfire on local climate.

Student benefits

The student will learn how to:

• Manipulate large datasets (programming skills are required).
  
• Understand local land-atmosphere feedbacks and regional climate processes.
• Help quantify long-lasting climatic effects of these natural disasters.