Frequently Asked Questions
What is paleoclimate data assimilation?
Paleoclimate data assimilation is a mathematical way of combining information from proxy data and climate models to create spatially complete reconstructions of past climate. It has been used to explore the past 2000 years (e.g., Hakim et al., 2016, Steiger et al., 2018) as well as longer periods (e.g., Osman et al., 2021, Erb et al., 2022). In contrast with modern data assimilation, which is used to reconstruct climate over the instrumental period (e.g., ECMWF), paleoclimate data assimilation typically uses an offline framework in which pre-run model states are utilized instead of running new simulations.
At its core, paleoclimate data assimilation combines proxy data with climate model output, using modeled covariances to reconstruct climate in poorly sampled regions based on available data.
Where and when will the workshop take place?
This is an online workshop taking place on August 21-23, 2023. Some parts of the workshop will be live on Zoom and some parts will be asynchronous. Participants will also be able to chat with organizers and fellow participants on Slack. The live parts of the workshop will occur at ~9am-3pm Pacific Time (16-22 UTC; see the schedule) but will be recorded, so participants in other time zones can watch talks and lessons at their leisure. Live participation is recommended when possible.
What will I be doing at the workshop?
The workshop will involve:
- Research talks: Hear about current and ongoing research.
- Lessons: Learn about proxies, transient model simulations, and paleoclimate data assimilation.
- Hackathon: Use interactive Python notebooks, either alone or in groups, to analyze climate products and run data assimilation code.
- Chat: Talk online with other workshop participants and organizers to ask and answer questions.
Do I need to know anything beforehand?
A basic understanding of Python is recommended. The workshop will involve running, modifying, and writing Python code in interactive online notebooks hosted on Google Colaboratory. If you are a capable programmer who knows a different programming language (e.g., R) and want to learn a bit of Python, that will probably be fine. Users with no programming experience may find the workshop difficult.
Is there any fee for the workshop?
No, the workshop will be completely, absolutely, genuinely free!
Great, how do I apply for the workshop?
Application for the workshop is now closed. If you have a great reason for wanting to join, please email michael.erb@nau.edu. However, further acceptance will be rare.
What if I don’t get accepted?
Depending on enrollment, we may not accept everyone. We will base acceptance on a variety of factors, so don’t take it personally. That just means you have more time to work on other things! :)