Center for Prototype Climate Modeling

CPCM is an interdisciplinary research unit at New York University Abu Dhabi, generously supported by the NYU Abu Dhabi Research Institute.

Our mission is to bridge the gap between climate theory, modeling, and observation, with the goal of better understanding fundamental processes in the earth system, and improving our ability to predict future climate.

To learn more about our research, please visit our website. 

Atmospheric conditions over the Middle East

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Read more about our center and ongoing research.

Our center encompasses three central research areas:
  • Prediction of Low Frequency Variations of South Asian Monsoon using Nonlinear Models, led by Primary Investigator Andrew Majda
  • Regional climate modeling for the Arabian Peninsula and South Asia, led by Co-Primary Investigator, Olivier Pauluis
  • The biogeochemistry of the Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean, led by Co-Primary Investigator, Shafer Smith

To learn more about our research, please visit our website.

The core activities supporting our research include: 
  • the development of new methods, including parameterizations, diagnostics, and low-order predictive models;
  • the application of these methods to critical problems in the dynamics of the tropical and subtropical atmosphere and ocean; 
  • and the modeling the interaction of biogeochemical cycles and climate.

Discover more about our research.

News coverage:
  • January 23, 2020: Shifting Desert Winds Could Turn Arabian Fisheries Barren, Al Fanar Media
  • November 16, 2019: And Human Said "Let There be Rain," The Gazelle 
  • October 28, 2019: No Oxygen, No Life Feature, The Sustainabilist Magazine, October Issue
  • September 26, 2019: Desert dust is key to sustaining marine ecosystem, Dubai Gazette 
  • September 25, 2019: Desert dust is key to sustaining Arabian Sea’s marine ecosystem: Study Emirates News Agency
  • September 25, 2019: Desert dust sustains life in Arabian Sea, UAE research finds Khaleej Times | NYUAD Press Release 
  • August 30, 2019: Polar winds stir desert dust, Nature Asia
  • August 30, 2019: Winds of change: UAE study warns of rise in dust storms, The National 
  • June 16, 2019: World's largest marine dead zone may reach UAE’s shores, The National
  • June 16, 2019: NYUAD researchers look into Arabian Sea dead zone expansion, Gulf News UAE
  • May 17, 2019: Atlantic sea-surface temperatures could impact monsoons, The Telegraph
  • May 17, 2019: New weather model to spot India's massive monsoons coming, The National
  • May 10, 2019: Atlantic Nino to play tricks with Indian summer monsoon, Deccan Herald
  • July 17, 2018:  Expanding ‘dead zone’ in Arabian Sea raises climate change fears, Arabian Business | Yahoo News | France 24 | Gulf News
  • April 28, 2018:  How NYUAD research hopes to predict crucial changes to India’s monsoons, The National

 

UAE Rainfall Enhancement Project

A major sub-award from UAE Rainfall Enhancement Project was awarded earlier this year to Co-PI Olivier Pauluis and Dr. Ajaya Ravindran to study cloud microphysical aspects of cloud seeding projects over UAE. The sub-project titled “Using Advanced Experimental – Numerical Approaches to Untangle Rain Enhancement (UAE-NATURE)” is a one of multiple projects and Professor Pauluis is will work with PI Dr. Lulin Xue, of the Hua Xin Chuang Zhi Science and Technology LLC in China on it. The award (part of a 5 million-dollar grant shared with two other projects) was announced at the Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week at ADNEC on January 17th, 2018.

Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IIT-M) – Monsoon Mission

A Monsoon Mission Grant of more than USD 500,000 was awarded to PI Andrew Majda and Dr. Ajaya Ravindran for their work on “A novel approach for improving rain-gauge data assimilation and extended range prediction of sub-seasonal variability over India.” The three year award from the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology is a collaboration with Dimitris Giannakis from Courant Institute of Mathematical Science, NYU New York and a selected number of scientists based in India. Their joint research between 2015 to now focuses on developing the world’s best coarse resolution operational model to predict monsoon and MJO.


Researcher Spotlight

On December 16, 2020 the Center hosted a guest lecture on the Dynamic and energetic constraints on the tropical rain belt. The speaker was Dr. Ori Adam, a Senior Lecturer with the Fredy and Nadine Herrmann Institute of Earth Sciences at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Researchers from both CPCM and CSLC were in attendance online. The abstract may be found here.

Oceans Under Climate Stress

Watch the seminar by Senior Research Scientist, Zouhair Lachkar from October 30, 2019.


Researcher Team

Researchers Title Affiliation
Olivier Pauluis Principal Investigator NYU New York
Shafer Smith Co-Principal Investigator NYU New York
Francesco Paparella Co-Principal Investigator NYU Abu Dhabi
Zouhair Lackhar Senior Research Scientist NYU Abu Dhabi

Cecile Guile

 

Visiting Scientist
Laboratoire d’Océanographie de Villefranche
Alain DeVerneil Research Scientist NYU Abu Dhabi
Sourav Taraphdar Research Scientist NYU Abu Dhabi

Sabeerali Thelliyill

 

Research Associate NYU Abu Dhabi
Hamza Bangalath Postdoctoral Associate NYU Abu Dhabi
Deepak Gopalakrishnan Postdoctoral Associate NYU Abu Dhabi
Michael Mehari  Research Associate NYU Abu Dhabi 
Noor Al Shamsi  Research Assistant NYU Abu Dhabi

Contact Us

Email: cpcm.nyuad@nyu.edu | Phone: +971 2 628 5333

Bianca Arkeen, Center Manager 

Computational and Research Building (A2) Level 1

New York University Abu Dhabi
Saadiyat Island
PO Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, UAE