Jayasankar Pillai

At Northumbria University, I work with Prof. Adrian Jenkins on a project where the main objective is to improve the representation of ice-sheet-ocean interactions in the coupled models that are used to project future ice sheet evolution.

During my PhD I studied 1) the coupled dynamics of the Indo-Pacific Ocean using regional ocean modelling; 2) the Indian Ocean deep Meridional Overturning Circulation (MOC); and 3) the Atmosphere-Ocean contribution to the equatorial Pacific sea surface temperatures (drivers of ENSO events). The study was motivated by the growing influence of the rapidly warming Indian Ocean on the Pacific Ocean and the overwhelming influence of the Pacific Ocean on the global climate.

The project I am currently involved in is known as ‘PROjecTing sEa-level rise: from iCe sheets to local implicaTions (PROTECT)’. The research involves the Investigation of the potential future sea level contribution of the Antarctic Ice Sheet. The main aim of the work is to improve the representation of ice-sheet-ocean interactions in the coupled models that are used to project future ice sheet evolution. This involves development, implementation and evaluation of algorithms that facilitate the passing of key variables between the ocean and ice sheet component models.

My other research interests are the future of Deep Meridional Overturning Circulations (MOCs) and El Niño Southern Oscillations (ENSO) in a warming climate. I am also interested in regional climate impact assessment studies.