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Krishna Kumar Kanikicharla
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Project: Seasonal forecasting of Indian summer monsoon rainfall: Diagnostics and synthesis of regional and global signalsKrishna Kumar Kanikicharla studies how anthropogenic climate change affects the variability and predictability of the Indian and East African monsoons. Monsoonal rains can provide up to 90 percent of a region’s yearly precipitation, and billions of people depend upon them for agriculture, hydroelectric power, and drinking water. Temperature differentials between two areas—principally cooler air over the sea and warmer air over land—drive, in large part, the changing wind and precipitation patterns characteristic of monsoons. Consequently, climate models show that global warming may alter some monsoon behavior, causing more sporadic drought in some places and floods in others. Kanikicharla will work with Balaji Rajagopalan’s group to analyze extensive observational data and design sensitive global models. The ultimate goal is to develop user-friendly interactive Web tools for analyzing and forecasting monsoons and other weather phenomena. While “searching for solutions to monsoon problems,” Kanikicharla says, “I enjoy the unlimited freedom and the occasional satisfaction of unraveling the mysteries of monsoons.” He is also fascinated by the Colorado mountains and excited to be near them. “I never feel like I can get enough of them,” he says. Sponsor: Balaji Rajagopalan |
