ENIGMA
Re-evaluating ElevatioN-Dependent Warming in HIGh Mountain Asia.
About the project
The world is warming, but the rate of warming is not homogenous and has been documented to be elevation-dependent, with higher elevations experiencing a greater degree of warming than lower elevations. However, debate remains as to whether elevation dependent warming (EDW) is a global phenomenon in all mountain regions and to what degree it may govern current and future trends of cryospheric decline. An improved process understanding of EDW, its magnitude, its variability and its key drivers is thus paramount to bring about a new understanding of climate change in the world’s mountains, its cryosphere and water resources.
The ENIGMA project (Re-evaluating ElevatioN-Dependent Warming in HIGh Mountain Asia) re-addresses the question of EDW in the world’s largest water tower using high resolution and long-term atmospheric model simulations which consider unprecedented surface schemes for the treatment of snow and ice. The key aim of the ENIGMA project is to re-evaluate the elevation dependency of multi-decadal temperature trends in HMA, establish where and when EDW occurs, and identify its causes. The project leverages strong collaboration with scientists in Japan and links to previous projects exploring the role of mountain glaciers in cooling their surrounding environments.
FUNDING: ISTA BRIDGE (EU Marie-Curie funding)
PERIOD: 2024-2026
What have we found?
This project is still in its infancy.
Watch this space for new updates and results coming from the project!
