Modeling the potential impacts of future vegetation change on the climate of southern Africa (Myra Naik)
The aim of this study is to examine the potential impacts of vegetation change on the future climate of southern Africa. Two regional climate models (RegCM4 and WRF) forced by a global climate model (ECHAM5), for each of The RCP 4.5 and 8.5 scenarios, will be used to assess the potential impacts for the near future (2031-2061). Objectives include examining how well the regional models simulate the southern Africa climate (validation) and projecting the future climate change over the region due to emissions change. Two sensitivity tests will then be used to assess the potential climatic impacts for different scenarios of land cover and land use change in South Africa. The research findings will enhance our current understanding of regional land-atmosphere interactions.
Ability of CORDEX models to simulate extreme rainfall events over Southern Africa (Sabina Abba Omar)
The project aims to assess the ability of 7 regional climate models (RCMs) to simulate extreme rainfall events and the synoptic features that produce the events over southern Africa. The simulations of 7 CORDEX RCMs were analyzed for the study. Using the 95th percentile of daily rainfall as a threshold for extreme rainfall events, the study obtained the spatial distribution of extreme rainfall events over Southern Africa for 12 years (1996-2008) from simulations, and compared the results with those from observation (TRMM) and reanalysis (ERAIM) data. In addition, the study used RCA4, forced with different global climate models (GCMs), to study the role of lateral boundary forcing in simulating extreme rainfall events over southern Africa.
Long-range transport of tropospheric ozone to Cape Town (Claude-Michel Nzotungicimpaye)
The main purpose of my MSc project is to investigate the long-range transport of tropospheric ozone to Cape Town, to identify the potential remote sources as well as the major advection paths. Results of the project will contribute to understand the sources of air pollution in Cape Town by complementing other recent studies that have focused on the transport of sulphur and nitric compounds to Cape Town.
An assessment of carbon storage potential of forestation in Southern Africa (Shakirudeen Lawal)
The aim of this study is to assess the economic feasibility of some tree species (in Southern Africa) for carbon sequestration. The tools employed in the study are IPCC Tier 1, 2, and 3 (CO2FIX v3.1 model) in assessing the carbon sequestration capacity of most tree species that are grown in Southern Africa under various feasible scenarios. The results from this study will show the species with greatest economic potential for carbon storage. Results of this study will help in the long term mitigation scenarios in Southern Africa (South Africa, Namibia and Botswana) and will contribute to the third national communication in some Southern African countries.