Heatwave research - a hot topic at IAC
IAC researchers gathered on 16 January 2024 to discuss current state and prospects of heatwave research at the institute. Overview presentations by five groups, more than 20 poster presentations from IAC researchers, and lively round table discussions underlined the importance of heatwave research at IAC and fostered the exchange of ideas and visions for future heatwave research across groups.
Heatwaves are a quite literally a hot topic in today’s weather and climate science. Record-shattering heatwaves such as the infamous June 2021 Pacific Northwest heatwave, during which nearly 50°C were measured in Canada, but also the southern European heatwaves of the 2023 summer have become a hallmark of the ongoing climate change and call for multifaceted heatwave research across disciplines, from climate modelling to impact research.
To foster the exchange of ideas, research tools, and visions regarding heatwave research at IAC, more than 60 IAC researchers gathered on 16 January 2024 for the first IAC heatwave day. Five groups elaborated on their grand challenges in heatwave research and presented ongoing and planned heatwave research in overview presentations. Topics included research on riverine heatwaves, physically plausible worst-case heatwaves, predictability of heatwaves and new public warning schemes for heatwave impacts, land-atmosphere interactions during heatwaves as well as novel tools to assess the physical functioning of simulated and observed heatwaves. Furthermore, over 20 posters showcasing individual projects were presented, facilitating lively discussions and fostering the exchange of specific heatwave expertise among different groups.
The group presentations and poster sessions were followed by a round table discussion on future research topics. Examples of the latter include litigation and climate change, standardized attribution studies and extreme event detection, as well as the need for fundamental research to understand compounding drivers of heatwaves. Moreover, a higher degree of exchange among the different groups of scientists, e.g., between climate and social scientists, is required to improve the understanding of the societal impacts of these events.
Heatwave research will continue to be a focal theme at IAC, supported by a strengthened exchange of tools and ideas across groups on all academic levels.