Speaker

Iury Simoes-Sousa, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Investigator, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Big Ocean, Big Data: The Interplay of Multi-Scale Dynamics and Local Impacts

Abstract

We are at a pivotal moment in history where climate change is no longer a distant forecast but a present reality. Scientific efforts to understand and mitigate its effects broadly follow two complementary approaches. The first seeks to improve circulation models by examining how small-scale oceanic dynamics influence large-scale climate systems. The second approach downscales global climate projections to better assess local impacts, often focusing on extreme events. This presentation highlights how high-performance computing can effectively bridge these scales. Through selected examples, we illustrate how computational methods help reveal the role of oceanic vortices in global biogeochemical processes, predict how coastal ocean changes may affect conservation efforts for endangered marine species, and unravel the complex causes and impacts of recent climate-driven disasters. By integrating computational science with multi-scale climate research, this work provides critical insights into the challenges—and opportunities—in addressing climate change.