Welcome to the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology (MPI-M), Hamburg

The Max Planck Institute for Meteorology (MPI-M) is an internationally renowned institute for climate research. Its mission is to understand Earth's changing climate.

The MPI-M comprises three departments:

The Atmosphere in the Earth System

Scientists at the MPI-M investigate what determines the sensitivity of the Earth system to perturbations such as the changing composition of its atmosphere, and work toward establishing the sources and limits of predictability within the Earth system. MPI-M develops and analyses sophisticated models of the Earth system, which simulate the processes within atmosphere, land and ocean. Such models have developed into important tools for understanding the behaviour of our climate, and they form the basis for international assessments of climate change. Targeted in-situ measurements and satellite observations complement the model simulations.

Together with several other non-university research institutions the MPI-M and the University of Hamburg constitute the KlimaCampus, a centre of excellence for climate research and education in Hamburg, Germany.

Focus on

Ocean biogeochemistry in the framework of "climate engineering"

Climate Engineering employs technical methods to mitigate climate change without lowering anthropogenic CO₂ emissions. One of these methods, the artificial increase of ocean alkalinity, has been proposed to enhance the oceanic uptake of atmospheric CO₂ and counteract the ongoing ocean acidification. Scientists at the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology used a global biogeochemical model to show that artificial ocean alkalinity input must be 200 times higher than the input by natural weathering flux to hold the global seawater pH close to today's value. The effects on ocean biogeo-
chemistry would be substantial.

Scenario: RCP 8.5
Simulation period: 1950 - 2300
Model: Earth system model MPI-ESM

The animation shows how surface ocean pH drops in different regions. Today, ocean surface water has a pH from 7.9 to 8.25, with an average of 8.1. The decrease in the pH of sea water caused by the uptake of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is called ocean acidification. Learn more about the study.