Development and Application of Indices for Assessing the Potential Impacts of Climate Change

Dear Colleagues,

Indices are a well-known tool and have proven fundamental importance in the detection and understanding of global teleconnection patterns (e.g., El Niño, Atlantic Oscillations, Indian Ocean Dipole, Arctic Oscillations). A number of indices have been used to define and calculate the length of dry/wet spell, strength of monsoon, heat degrees, teleconnection, comfort and mood of humans, and other climate–weather issues. Most of the indices are based on air temperature, precipitation, air pressure, and sea surface temperature. However, very few such indices are used to address the issues of future projections and climate change.

In order to assess the impact of climate change on local environments (i.e., agriculture, hydrological resources, floods), efforts have focused on high-resolution modeling and downscaling. Anthropogenic global warming is ongoing today, so we need to adapt to climate change. There are, however, so many uncertainties in climate change projections; nevertheless, using climate indices, people who are not able to handle super high-resolution models and non-specialists can predict changes in weather and local climate.

Futuristic datasets from satellites and modeling might provide new opportunities to define some new indices for climate change. Computation at the microphysics level and high-resolution modeling have brought many new parameters for a deeper understanding of weather and climate at greater depth. Those new variables (cloud mixing ratio, buoyancy, radar reflectivity, etc.) can be utilized to define new indices. New fields, e.g., thunderstorms, cloud physics, artificial intelligence in meteorology, hydrology, aerology, polar ice melt, and biosphere, including human health and wellbeing, are being greatly influenced by climate change. Indices from multidisciplinary areas might offer an insight for climate change and global warming problems using indices.

Dr. Vinay Kumar
Prof. Akiyo Yatagai
Dr. Elena Grigorieva
Prof. Dr. Sevinc A. Sirdas
Guest Editors

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