Talks

The tropical climate varies in a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. The tropical climate variability is more complex than the climate of the mid-latitudes because of the important role played by latent heat of condensation. The land-sea contrast theory that was proposed more than 300 years ago has been shown to be inadequate. A new paradigm based on the moist static energy budget has gained currency. I will discuss how this new paradigm provides new insight into the variability of the monsoon and the role land and oceans play in the evolution of tropical climate variability

The main focus of these pedagogical talks will be on discussing the interplay between statistics and climate science as a two-way street. On one hand, thinking about the climate helps us understand many aspects of statistics, from the fundamental to conceptual to practical. On the other, statistical thinking is crucial and indispensable in studying climate. I will also emphasize that statistics plays an important role not just in climate studies, but more generally in understanding any complex system such as those from biological and social sciences as well. Another thread will be the discussion of interplay between uncertainty and dynamics, with an emphasis on the role of dynamical instabilities.