Prof Paul Valdes

BSc(Lond), DPhil(Oxon)

Professor of Physical Geography and Head of School

Head of School (Email: geog-hod@bristol.ac.uk)

Contact

Office: 1.3S
Tel: +44 (0)117 331 7222
Fax: +44 (0)117 9287878
Email: p.j.valdes@bristol.ac.uk

Research interests

My work is focussed on developing a quantitative understanding of the processes that cause natural Earth system change. This enables us to better identify future, human-made change and helps us assess our confidence in predictions of its impacts and significance. This work is done through the use of computer models of the Earth system. Originally my work was focussed on theoretical issues related to the present day atmospheric circulation and future climate change, especially storm tracks and planetary waves. However, this has now developed to include the interactions a nd feedbacks between the atmosphere, ocean, biosphere, cryosphere, and chemosphere. The work is highly interdisciplinary and the vast majority of publications have been jointly authored. Some research highlights are:

The first ever high resolution model integration for the Last Glacial Maximum.
The first successful general circulation model simulation of the initiation of an ice sheet.
A new interpretation of the degree of Cretaceous climate equability.
Simulations of the terrestrial carbon cycle in the Cretaceous, Jurassic, and Carboniferous periods.
Calculation of the global climate response to Amazonian deforestation.
First quantitative process based model simulations of the Last Glacial Maximum methane cycle.

Current work is focussed on the development and use of the Hadley Centre Climate/Earth System model, and the development of a new generation of fast, intermediate complexity models which will allow us to better investigate the transient response of the Earth System. These tools will open up a whole new range of issues that can now be quantitatively tested. However, it is essential that all such models are thoroughly tested against the present and past Earth system.

Selected publications

Haywood, A.M, Dowsett, H.G, Valdes, PJ, Lunt, DJ, Francis, J.E & Sellwood, B.W. 'Pliocene climate: processes and problems', Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London A, 367, (pp. 3-17), 2009.

Haywood, A.M., Chandler, M.A., Valdes, PJ, Salzmann, U., Lunt, DJ & Dowsett, H.J.. 'Comparison of mid-Pliocene climate predictions produced by the HadAM3 and GCMAM3 General Circulation Models', Global and Planetary Change, 68, (pp. 208-224), 2009.

Ridgwell, AJ, Singarayer, JS, Hetherington, AM & Valdes, PJ. 'Tackling Regional Climate Change By Leaf Albedo Bio-geoengineering', Current Biology, 19, (pp. 1-5), 2009. ISSN: 0960-9822 10.1016/j.cub.2008.12.025

Schumann, GJ-P, Lunt, DJ, Valdes, PJ, de Jeu, RAM, Scipal, K & Bates, PD. 'Assessment of soil moisture fields from imperfect climate models with uncertain satellite observations', Hydrology and Earth System Science, 13, (pp. 1545-1553), 2009. ISSN: 1027-5606