Researchers H. Hanzlíková and R. Huth from the Institute of Atmospheric Physics have established a new collaboration with the GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel within the international SOLARIS-HEPPA project, which focuses on understanding the impact of solar variability on the Earth’s climate system and on improving climate prediction capabilities.
© Barka Fabiánová Photography
The research team has joined the international SOLARIS-HEPPA (Solar and High Energy Particle Precipitation) initiative, which operates within the APARC (Atmospheric Processes And their Role in Climate) project under the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP). Participation is complemented by a new collaboration with the chemistry-climate modelling group at GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, Germany.
SOLARIS-HEPPA brings together experts from leading international institutions to quantify solar signals across different components of the Earth system, improve the representation of solar forcing in climate models, and assess its role in seasonal-to-decadal climate prediction. Within the project, the team contributes to Working Group 2 (WG2), “Solar influence on climate (solar signals, possible mechanisms and processes) and near-term prediction.” The group investigates the mechanisms through which solar variability affects the climate system and explores how this knowledge can improve near-term and decadal climate predictions. This new collaboration builds directly on our ongoing research into how tropospheric circulation responds to solar variability.
Participation in the SOLARIS-HEPPA project will expand this research by integrating advanced modelling and observational approaches, thereby deepening understanding of the links between solar activity and climate variability, particularly in the troposphere. The knowledge gained may help improve climate prediction capabilities and enhance understanding of the processes that shape Earth's environmental conditions. In addition, the collaboration will provide opportunities to test new hypotheses about the propagation of solar signals through the atmosphere and their influence on regional climate patterns.
