This is a short summary of my PAGE21 YR scientific exchange visit to AWI, Potsdam in December 11-12, 2014

I work on developing thermokarst lakes in a land surface model (ORCHIDEE, as land part of IPSL coupled earth system model) and doing simulations for historical and future changes in thermodynamic and carbon cycle over permafrost regions. This work is related to PAGE21 WP6 and WP7 (MS49 and Task 6.2.1, 6.2.2 and Task 6.3.1).

During the Twente PAGE21 general assembly in November, a small group started to develop ideas on how to improve thermokarst modeling and found out that many of the details discussed were only waiting to be implemented. Following, I contacted Julia Boike and Sina Muster at AWI to fix a date for a visit hoping to be able to finish these discussions in our two day meeting.

I visited AWI Potsdam in December 11-12, 2014. The main objectives of my visit were (1) to improve the framework of thermokarst model in ORCHIDEE; (2) to discuss how to calibrate and validate thermokarst lakes fraction with distribution of water bodies from high-resolution satellite images; and (3) to discuss the ground ice-content parameterization in modeling thermokarst lakes.

I took a flight to Berlin in the morning and it was very easy to take the S-Bahn further to Potsdam. We started our meeting as soon as I got to Potsdam, at the noon of December 11, with discussions in Julia's office, which is in a very nice and small building in the famous science park for climate research (AWI, PIK...). There are some symbols of Siberia in Julia's office, such as a mammal doll, which let us easily to the right track with our discussion on permafrost in Siberia.

In the afternoon, Julia, Sina and I discussed about several key, but unknown, questions for me.  I briefly showed them the general framework of thermokarst modeling in ORCHIDEE and together we tried to find out how it would be best to parameterize the ground ice content in the model. We also discussed the bathymetry of thermokarst lakes from the measurement data and the parameters of lakes bathymetry. Sina gave me some suggestions on how to use her lake distribution data to parameterize and validate model outputs. Finally, we discussed about the drainage of thermokarst lakes. Julia and I continued in the next morning finalizing the discussion of the previous day, especially on the lakes bathymetry.

We found also some time to discuss Flake model and how to couple Flake model into thermokarst modeling and a little bit about the Svalbard data and my work on the downward longwave radiation and soil temperature. 

We planned to continue the cooperation by exchanging emails.

Thanks a lot to Julia and Sina. Without their help, my thermokarst modeling work cannot get through the thorns. I hope that I can have a better thermokarst lakes model and finish the draft in this year.

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