Institut für Bio- und Geowissenschaften (IBG)

Agrosphäre (IBG-3)

Integrated Modelling of Terrestrial Systems

Terrestrial systems are characterized by nonlinear interactions and coupling of the moisture, energy and biogeochemical cycles across a number of spatial and temporal scales from sub-centimeters to thousands of kilometers, and seconds to decades, respectively. Since these cycles are coupled from the subsurface across the land surface into the atmosphere, integrated theoretical and experimental approaches are needed in studies of the terrestrial systems. Developing and applying integrated physics-based simulation platforms, we strive ultimately for better quantitative predictions of, for example, moisture and energy fluxes, and greenhouse gas emissions. These include uncertainty estimates by combining modelling with measured data and remote sensing information in various inversion frameworks. The modelling technologies we are developing are needed to assess and manage water resources in the context of global change that impacts socioeconomic well-being, human health and security worldwide.

Our parallel modelling technologies rely on the state-of-the-art supercomputing environment of the Jülich Supercomputing Centre. This enables us to simulate large-scale terrestrial systems at high spatial and temporal resolution, while capturing the complex nonlinear physical processes of the coupled moisture, energy, and biogeochemical cycles. The research topic is part of the Centre for High-Performance Scientific Computing in Terrestrial Systems that synthesizes and coordinates the modeling activities of the ABC/J Geoverbund (www.geoverbund-abcj.de).

Publications of Prof. Stefan Kollet (PDF, 36 kB)