Author: pfilmer@nsf.gov (Paul E. Filmer) at NOTE Date: 5/29/96 8:58 AM Priority: Normal TO: jmayi at nsf12 Subject: Magana Abstract (29810) Message Contents --========================_13293532==_ Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" --========================_13293532==_ Content-Type: text/plain; name="AB29810.DOC"; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="AB29810.DOC" 9529810 Maga=F1a-Rueda This proposal will organize a group of scientists from Mexico, the United States, Central America, and the Caribbean with the main objective of bringing together, into an Inter-American Institute (IAI) Regional Center, members of those scientific communities with common interests in the study of the IAI scientific theme "El Ni=F1o Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Interannual Climate Variability," as well as in the theme "Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Interactions in the Intertropical Americas." Specifically, the objectives of the Regional Center will be achieved through periodic meetings during which members of the group will inform, discuss and examine their work within the framework of the IAI Science Agenda. The objectives of the meeting are: to promote greater collaboration and flow of information and expertise among the members of the IAI Regional Center; to constitute a scientific forum where critical discussions abut the achievements in joint scientific projects can be held; to encourage participation of individuals at all levels in multinational projects in the field of climate variability; and to promote educational and training activities in the field of climate change. Meteorological and climatological data bases for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean will also be compiled. Preliminary versions of these data bases will be distributed among members of the Research Center to prepare stud ies aimed at proposal preparation for joint work. The proposed Regional Center would be composed of a group of research institutions which share their resources for the study of particular problems. The Regional Center would also be a forum in which critical discussions of the collaborative studies could be held, and it would promote scientific excellence. The collaborative projects of this proposed Regional Center would enhance the interest in studying various aspects of climate change and would educate new generations of scientists. The results of these projects would be made available to other scientists studying cross-cutting issues such as human dimensions of climate change and training and education. %%% This proposal will organize a group of scientists from Mexico, the United States, Central America, and the Caribbean with the main objective of bringing together, into an Inter-American Institute (IAI) Regional Center, members of these scientific communities with a common interests in the study of the IAI scientific theme "El Ni=F1o Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Interannual Climate Variability," as well as in the theme "Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Interactions in the Intertropical Americas." Specifically, the objectives of the Regional Center will be achieved through periodic meetings during which members of the group will inform, discuss and examine in a critical manner their work within the framework of the IAI Science Agenda. The objectives of the meeting agenda are: to promote grater collaboration and flow of information and expertise among the members of the IAI Regional Center; to constitute a scientific forum where critical discussions abut the achievements in joint scientific projects can be held; to encourage participation of individuals at all levels in multinational projects in the field of climate variability; and to promote educational and training activities in the field of Climate Change. There is also a plan for the cr eation of a meteorological and climatological data bases for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean. Preliminary versions of these data bases will be distributed among members of the Center to prepare studies aimed at proposal preparation for joint work. ENSO and other climatic events involve interactions between the ocean and atmosphere. The signal of ENSO on Mexican climate also relates to interactions with land, on local and on regional scales. It has not been until the last decade that some physical mechanisms associated with the summer rainy season over Mexico have been identified. For example, cold sea surface temperature anomalies along the equatorial eastern Pacific seem to lead to a strengthening of moisture convergence along the western coast of Mexico and to an enhanced rainy season over the Mexican western coast. Most of the climatic processes that affect Mexico are not geographically unique. The richness of the climatic phenomena in Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean has not been examined in as much detail as its mid-latitude or tropical western Pacific counterparts. This is due in part to the small number of atmospheric scientists in the region, their traditional and empirical approaches used to study meteorology and climate in the operational centers, along with often incomplete databases. In addition, inter-institutional collaboration in studying climate has been meager. A potential solution for these problems is cooperation through this proposed Regional Center for the study of El Ni=F1o Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Internal Climate Variability, as well as Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Interactions in the Intertropical Americas. The following countries are participating in this proposal: Costa Rica; Cuba; Mexico; Panama; and the United States. These countries are Members States of the IAI, a U.S. initiative to stimulate cooperative research on global change issues among the scientific institutions of the Americas . The U.S. National Science Foundation is the U.S. Government agency designated to carry out U.S. responsibilities within the IAI. *** --========================_13293532==_--
