The Centre for Australian Weather and Climate Research

A partnership between CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology

 

CAWCR

Research

The Centre has three main research objectives. These objectives encapsulate major areas of science, and meeting them requires effort from across the Centre. The objectives are:

1. Earth system simulation: To lead the Australian science community in the development of a world-competitive coupled climate and earth system simulator and modelling system.
2. An Australian earth system observatory: To transform the Centre's current observational science into a comprehensive, integrated information system that informs decisions.
3. Water in the earth system: To advance scientific knowledge of the major drivers of Australia's water cycle and their predictability, characterise and, where possible, reduce prediction uncertainty based on this knowledge, and deliver the strategic science to underpin strategies for managing water use across the nation.

The Centre is arranged into five research programs with interactivity between programs being a key aspect of the Centre.

The programs and their overall objectives are:

• Atmosphere and Land Observation and Assessment (ALOA)
  To develop the techniques and knowledge to monitor, observe and understand atmospheric and land processes, their interaction, and the roles they play in Australia's environment.
  

• Ocean Observation, Assessment and Prediction (OOAP)
  To observe, monitor and understand the key global processes that drive variability and change in Australia's regional ocean waters and apply that understanding to model and predict the behaviours of the oceans of the Australian region and their role in regional and global climate.

• Earth System Modelling (ESM)
  To lead development of a world-competitive coupled climate and earth system simulation and modelling system for the Australian community.

• Weather and Environmental Prediction (WEP)
  To improve understanding of atmospheric processes and develop and apply numerical weather prediction systems for advanced weather forecasting and related environmental services including prediction and monitoring of severe weather and air pollution hazards.

• Climate Variability and Change (CVC)
  To provide predictions of future Australian climate from seasonal to century scales and deliver climate information to inform policy for managing Australia's environmental resources, climate dependent industries, and climate change mitigation and adaption strategies.