School of Earth and Environment
Untitled Document

Piers Forster Prof Piers Forster

Professor of Physical Climate Change; Royal Society Wolfson Merit Award holder

Telephone number: +44(0) 113 34 36476
Email address: p.m.forster@leeds.ac.uk
Room: 11.109

Physical Climate Change Group

Biography

  • Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Award holder (2011-present)
  • Professor of Physical Climate Change, University of Leeds (2008-present)
  • Roberts Research Fellow/ Reader, University of Leeds (2005-2008)
  • NERC Advanced Research Fellow, University of Reading (2000-2005)
  • Visiting Researcher, CRC for Southern Hemisphere Meteorology, Melbourne (1999)
  • PDRA, University of Reading (1994-1998)

Qualifications

  • PhD Meteorology, University of Reading (1994)
  • BSc Physics, Imperial College, London (1990)

Memberships/Fellowships

Royal Meteorological Society, American Geophysical Union, American Meteorological Society, Sustainable Aviation Stakeholder Panel

Teaching Interests

Publications

  • Spracklen, D; Carslaw, K; Pöschl, U; Rap, A; Forster, PM (2011) Global cloud condensation nuclei influenced by carbonaceous combustion aerosol , Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 11, pp.9067-9087. doi:10.5194/acp-11-9067-2011
  • Crook, JA; Jones, LA; Forster, PM; Crook, R (2011) Climate change impacts on future photovoltaic and concentrated solar power energy output , Energy and environmental science, 4, pp.3101-3109. doi:10.1039/c1ee01495a
  • Crook, JA; Forster, PM (2011) A balance between radiative forcing and climate feedback in the modeled 20th century temperature response , Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres, 116, . doi:10.1029/2011JD015924
  • Spracklen, DV; Jimenez, JL; Carslaw, KS; Worsnop, DR; Evans, MJ; Mann, GW; Zhang, Q; Canagaratna, MR; Allan, J; Coe, H; McFiggans, G; Rap, A; Forster, P (2011) Aerosol mass spectrometer constraint on the global secondary organic aerosol budget , ATMOSPHERIC CHEMISTRY AND PHYSICS, 11, pp.12109-12136. doi:10.5194/acp-11-12109-2011
  • Forster, PM; Thompson, DWJ; Baldwin, MP; Chipperfield, MP; Dameris, M; Haigh, JD; Karoly, DJ; Kushner, PJ; Randel, WJ; Rosenlof, KH; Seidel, DJ; Solomon, S; Beig, G; Braesicke, P; Butchart, N; Gillett, NP; Grise, KM; Marsh, DR; McLandress, C; Rao, TN; Son, SW; Stenchikov, GL; Yoden, S (2011) Stratospheric changes and climate , In: (Ed) Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion: 2010, Global Ozone Research and Monitoring Project, Report , World Meteorological Organization, pp.516.
  • Crook, JA; Forster, PM; Stuber, N (2011) Spatial Patterns of Modeled Climate Feedback and Contributions to Temperature Response and Polar Amplification , Journal of Climate, 24, pp.3575-3592. doi:10.1175/2011JCLI3863.1
  • Forster, PM; Fomichev, VI; Rozanov, E; Cagnazzo, C; Jonsson, AI; Langematz, U; Fomin, B; Iacono, MJ; Mayer, B; Mlawer, E; Myhre, G; Portmann, RW; Akiyoshi, H; Falaleeva, V; Gillett, N; Karpechko, A; Li, JN; Lemennais, P; Morgenstern, O; Oberlander, S; Sigmond, M; Shibata, K (2011) Evaluation of radiation scheme performance within chemistry climate models , Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres, 116, . doi:10.1029/2010JD015361
  • Frieler, K; Meinshausen, M; von Deimling, TS; Andrews, T; Forster, P (2011) Changes in global-mean precipitation in response to warming, greenhouse gas forcing and black carbon , Geophyiscal Research Letters, 38, . doi:10.1029/2010GL045953
  • Andrews, T; Doutriaux-Boucher, M; Boucher, O; Forster, PM (2011) A regional and global analysis of carbon dioxide physiological forcing and its impact on climate, CLIM DYNAM, 36, pp.783-792. doi:10.1007/s00382-010-0742-1
  • Fueglistaler, S; Haynes, PH; Forster, PM (2011) The annual cycle in lower stratospheric temperatures revisited , Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, 11, pp.3701-3711. doi:10.5194/acp-11-3701-2011
  • Korhonen, H; Carslaw, KS; Forster, PM; Mikkonen, S; Gordon, ND; Kokkola, H (2010) Aerosol climate feedback due to decadal increases in Southern Hemisphere wind speeds , Geophysical Research Letters, 37, . doi:10.1029/2009GL041320
  • Rap, A; Forster, PM; Jones, A; Boucher, O; Haywood, JM; Bellouin, N; De Leon, RR (2010) Parameterization of contrails in the UK Met Office Climate Model , J GEOPHYS RES-ATMOS, 115, . doi:10.1029/2009JD012443
  • Wuebbles, D; Forster, P; Rogers, H; Herman, R (2010) Issues and uncertainties affecting metrics for aviation impacts on climate , Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 91, pp.491-496. doi:10.1175/2009BAMS2840.1
  • Rap, A; Forster, PM; Haywood, JM; Jones, A; Boucher, O (2010) Estimating the climate impact of linear contrails using the UK Met Office climate model , Geophyscial Research Letters, 37, . doi:10.1029/2010GL045161
  • Andrews, T; Forster, PM (2010) The transient response of global-mean precipitation to increasing carbon dioxide levels , Environmental Research Letters, 5, . doi:10.1088/1748-9326/5/2/025212
  • Heymsfield, A; Baumgardner, D; DeMott, P; Forster, P; Gierens, K; Karcher, B (2010) Contrail Microphysics , Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society, 91, pp.465-472. doi:10.1175/2009BAMS2839.1
  • Murphy, DM; Forster, PM (2010) On the Accuracy of Deriving Climate Feedback Parameters from Correlations between Surface Temperature and Outgoing Radiation, J CLIMATE, 23, pp.4983-4988. doi:10.1175/2010JCLI3657.1
  • Andrews, T; Forster, PM; Boucher, O; Bellouin, N; Jones, A (2010) Precipitation, radiative forcing and global temperature change , Geophysical Research Letters, 37, . doi:10.1029/2010GL043991
  • Fomichev, V; Forster, PM (2010) Chapter 3. Radiation , In: Eyring, V; Shepherd, T; Waugh, D (Ed) SPARC Report on the Evaluation of Chemistry-Climate Models, Sparc Reports No 5, WCRP-132, WMO/TD-No. 1526 , SPARC Reports No 5, WCRP-132, WMO/TD-No. 1526.
  • Jackson, LS; Forster, PM (2010) An Empirical Study of Geographic and Seasonal Variations in Diurnal Temperature Range, Journal of Climate, 23, pp.3205-3221. doi:10.1175/2010JCLI3215.1
  • Andrews, T (2009) Forcing and response in simulated 20th and 21st century surface energy and precipitation trends , Journal of Geophysical Research - Atmospheres, 114, . doi:10.1029/2009JD011749
  • Simelton, E; Fraser, EDG; Termansen, M; Forster, PM; Dougill, AJ (2009) Typologies of crop-drought vulnerability: an empirical analysis of the socio-economic factors that influence the sensitivity and resilience to drought of three major food crops in China (1961-2001) , Environmental Science & Policy, 12, pp.438-452. doi:10.1016/j.envsci.2008.11.005
  • Haywood, JM; Allan, RP; Bornemann, J; Forster, PM; Francis, PN; Milton, S; Radel, G; Rap, A; Shine, KP; Thorpe, R (2009) A case study of the radiative forcing of persistent contrails evolving into contrail-induced cirrus, J GEOPHYS RES-ATMOS, 114, . doi:10.1029/2009JD012650
  • Andrews, T; Forster, PM; Gregory, JM (2009) A surface energy perspective on climate change , Journal of Climate, 22, pp.2557-2570. doi:10.1175/2008JCLI2759.1
  • Murphy, DM; Solomon, S; Portmann, RW; Rosenlof, KH; Forster, PM; Wong, T (2009) An observationally based energy balance for the Earth since 1950 , Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres, 114, . doi:10.1029/2009JD012105
  • Grise, KM; Thompson, DWJ; Forster, PM (2009) On the Role of Radiative Processes in Stratosphere-Troposphere Coupling , Journal of Climate, 22, pp.4154-4161. doi:10.1175/2009JCLI2756.1
  • Myhre, G; Kvalevag, M; Radel, G; Cook, J; Shine, KP; Clark, H; Karcher, F; Markowicz, K; Kardas, A; Wolkenberg, P; Balkanski, Y; Ponater, M; Forster, P; Rap, A; de Leon, RR (2009) Intercomparison of radiative forcing calculations of stratospheric water vapour and contrails, METEOROL Z, 18, pp.585-596. doi:10.1127/0941-2948/2009/0411
  • Lee, DS; Fahey, DW; Forster, PM; Newton, PJ; Wit, RCN; Lim, LL; Owen, B; Sausen, R (2009) Aviation and global climate change in the 21st century , Atmospheric Environment, 43, pp.3520-3537. doi:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2009.04.024
  • Austin, J; Wilson, RJ; Akiyoshi, H; Bekki, S; Butchart, N; Claud, C; Fomichev, VI; Forster, P; Garcia, RR; Gillett, NP; Keckhut, P; Langematz, U; Manzini, E; Nagashima, T; Randel, WJ; Rozanov, E; Shibata, K; Shine, KP; Struthers, H; Thompson, DWJ; Wu, F; Yoden, S (2009) Coupled chemistry climate model simulations of stratospheric temperatures and their trends for the recent past , Geophysical Research Letters, 36, . doi:10.1029/2009GL038462
  • Gregory, JM; Forster, PM (2008) Transient climate response estimated from radiative forcing and observed temperature change , Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres, 113, . doi:10.1029/2008JD010405
  • Forster, PM; Jones, R; Rogers, HL; Shine, KP (2008) A calculated risk? , The Parliamentary Monitor, 1, .
  • Andrews, T; Forster, PM (2008) CO2 forcing induces semi-direct effects with consequences for climate feedback interpretations , GEOPHYS RES LETT, 35, . doi:10.1029/2007GL032273
  • Forster, PM; Rogers, H (2008) Aviation Climate Change Research Initiative (ACCRI): Metrics for Climate Impacts, In: (Ed) Aviation Climate Change Research Initiative (ACCRI, Federal Aviation Authority.
  • Forster, PM; Ramaswamy, V; et al. (2007) Changes in Atmospheric Constituents and in Radiative Forcing , In: Solomon; S; Qin, D; Manning, M; Chen, Z; Marquis, M; Averyt, KB; Tignor, M; Miller, HL (Ed) Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis. Contribution of Working Group I to the Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Cambridge University Press.
  • Forster, PM (2007) Climate with care, New Scientist, 2596, .
  • Saunders, RW; Forster, PM; Plane, JMC (2007) Potential climatic effects of meteoric smoke in the Earth's paleo-atmosphere, GEOPHYS RES LETT, 34, . doi:10.1029/2007GL029648
  • Keeley, SPE; Gillett, NP; Thompson, DWJ; Solomon, S; Forster, PM (2007) Is Antarctic climate most sensitive to ozone depletion in the middle or lower stratosphere?, GEOPHYS RES LETT, 34, . doi:10.1029/2007GL031238
  • Stuber, N; Forster, P (2007) The impact of diurnal variations of air traffic on contrail radiative forcing, ATMOS CHEM PHYS, 7, pp.3153-3162.
  • Randel, WJ; Wu, F; Forster, P (2007) The extratropical tropopause inversion layer: Global observations with GPS data, and a radiative forcing mechanism, J ATMOS SCI, 64, pp.4489-4496. doi:10.1175/2007JAS2412.1
  • Forster, PMD; Shine, KP; Stuber, N (2007) It is premature to include non-CO2 effects of aviation in emission trading schemes (vol 40, pg 1117, 2006), ATMOS ENVIRON, 41, pp.3941-3941. doi:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2005.11.081
  • Cagnazzo, C; Manzini, E; Giorgetta, MA; Forster, PMD; Morcrette, JJ (2007) Impact of an improved shortwave radiation scheme in the MAECHAM5 General Circulation Model, ATMOS CHEM PHYS, 7, pp.2503-2515.
  • Forster, PM; Hegerl, G; Knutti, R; Ramaswamy, V; Solomon, S; Stott, P; Zwiers, F (2007) Assessing uncertainty in climate simulations , Nature, 4, pp.63-64. doi:10.1038/climate.2007.46a
  • Forster, PM; Bodeker, G; Schofield, R; Solomon, S; Thompson, D (2007) Effects of ozone cooling in the tropical lower stratosphere and upper troposphere, GEOPHYS RES LETT, 34, . doi:10.1029/2007GL031994
  • Forster, PMD; Taylor, KE (2006) Climate forcings and climate sensitivities diagnosed from coupled climate model integrations, J CLIMATE, 19, pp.6181-6194.
  • Randel, WJ; Wu, F; Vomel, H; Nedoluha, GE; Forster, P (2006) Decreases in stratospheric water vapor after 2001: Links to changes in the tropical tropopause and the Brewer-Dobson circulation, J GEOPHYS RES-ATMOS, 111, . doi:10.1029/2005JD006744
  • Collins, WD; Ramaswamy, V; Schwarzkopf, MD; Sun, Y; Portmann, RW; Fu, Q; Casanova, SEB; Dufresne, JL; Fillmore, DW; Forster, PMD; Galin, VY; Gohar, LK; Ingram, WJ; Kratz, DP; Lefebvre, MP; Li, J; Marquet, P; Oinas, V; Tsushima, Y; Uchiyama, T; Zhong, WY (2006) Radiative forcing by well-mixed greenhouse gases: Estimates from climate models in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report (AR4), J GEOPHYS RES-ATMOS, 111, . doi:10.1029/2005JD006713
  • Forster, PMD; Shine, KP; Stuber, N (2006) It is premature to include non-CO2 effects of aviation in emission trading schemes, ATMOS ENVIRON, 40, pp.1117-1121. doi:10.1016/j.atmosenv.2005.11.005
  • Stuber, N; Forster, P; Radel, G; Shine, K (2006) The importance of the diurnal and annual cycle of air traffic for contrail radiative forcing, NATURE, 441, pp.864-867. doi:10.1038/nature04877
  • Cordero, EC; Forster, PMD (2006) Stratospheric variability and trends in models used for the IPCC AR4, ATMOS CHEM PHYS, 6, pp.5369-5380.
  • Forster, PMD; Gregory, JM (2006) The climate sensitivity and its components diagnosed from Earth Radiation Budget data, J CLIMATE, 19, pp.39-52.
  • Eyring, V; Harris, NRP; Rex, M; Shepherd, TG; Fahey, DW; Amanatidis, GT; Austin, J; Chipperfield, MP; Dameris, M; Forster, PMF; Gettelman, A; Graf, HF; Nagashima, T; Newman, PA; Pawson, S; Prather, MJ; Pyle, JA; Salawitch, RJ; Santer, BD; Waugh, DW (2005) A strategy for process-oriented validation of coupled chemistry-climate models, B AM METEOROL SOC, 86, pp.1117-+. doi:10.1175/BAMS-86-8-1117
  • Pyle, J; Shepherd, T; Bodeker, GE; Caziani, P; Dameris, M; Forster, PM; Gruzdev, A; Muller, R; Muthama, N; Pitari, G; Randel, WJ (2005) Ozone and climate: a review of interconnections, In: (Ed) Special report on safeguarding the ozone layer and global climate system, IPCC/TEAP, Cambridge.
  • Forster, PMD; Burkholder, JB; Clerbaux, C; Coheur, PF; Dutta, M; Gohar, LK; Hurley, MD; Myhre, G; Portmann, RW; Shine, KP; Wallington, TJ; Wuebbles, D (2005) Resolution of the uncertainties in the radiative forcing of HFC-134a, J QUANT SPECTROSC RA, 93, pp.447-460. doi:10.1016/j.jqsrt.2004.08.038
  • Forster, PMD; Joshi, M (2005) The role of halocarbons in the climate change of the troposphere and stratosphere, CLIMATIC CHANGE, 71, pp.249-266. doi:10.1007/s10584-005-5955-7
  • Johnson, BT; Shine, KP; Forster, PM (2004) The semi-direct aerosol effect: Impact of absorbing aerosols on marine stratocumulus, Q J ROY METEOR SOC, 130, pp.1407-1422. doi:10.1256/qj.03.61
  • Forster, PMD; Collins, M (2004) Quantifying the water vapour feedback associated with post-Pinatubo global cooling, CLIM DYNAM, 23, pp.207-214. doi:10.1007/s00382-004-0431-z
  • Gettelman, A; Forster, PMD; Fujiwara, M; Fu, Q; Vomel, H; Gohar, LK; Johanson, C; Ammerman, M (2004) Radiation balance of the tropical tropopause layer, J GEOPHYS RES-ATMOS, 109, . doi:10.1029/2003JD004190
  • Forster, PM (2003) Ozone / role in climate, In: Curry; J; Holdton; J; Pyle; J (Ed) Encyclopedia of Atmospheric Sciences, Academic Press, pp.1649-1655.
  • Forster, PMD; Solomon, S (2003) Observations of a "weekend effect" in diurnal temperature range, P NATL ACAD SCI USA, 100, pp.11225-11230. doi:10.1073/pnas.2034034100
  • Shine, KP; Bourqui, MS; Forster, PMD; Hare, SHE; Langematz, U; Braesicke, P; Grewe, V; Ponater, M; Schnadt, C; Smiths, CA; Haighs, JD; Austin, J; Butchart, N; Shindell, DT; Randel, WJ; Nagashima, T; Portmann, RW; Solomon, S; Seidel, DJ; Lanzante, J; Klein, S; Ramaswamy, V; Schwarzkopf, MD (2003) A comparison of model-simulated trends in stratospheric temperatures, Q J ROY METEOR SOC, 129, pp.1565-1588. doi:10.1256/QJ.02.186
  • Rogers, HL; Lee, DS; Raper, DW; Forster, PM; Wilson, CW; Newton, P (2002) The impacts of aviation on the atmosphere, The Aeronautical Journal, 106, pp.521-546.
  • Forster, PMD; Shine, KP (2002) Assessing the climate impact of trends in stratospheric water vapor, GEOPHYS RES LETT, 29, . doi:10.1029/2001GL013909
  • Forster, PM (2002) Chemistry and Climate, Chemistry and Industry, .
  • Gettelman, A; Forster, PM (2002) Definition and climatology of the tropical tropopause layer, Journal of the Meteorological Society of Japan, 80, pp.911-924. doi:10.2151/jmsj.80.911
  • Forster, PMF; Tourpali, K (2001) Effect of tropopause height changes on the calculation of ozone trends and their radiative forcing, J GEOPHYS RES-ATMOS, 106, pp.12241-12251.
  • Forster, PMD; Ponater, M; Zhong, WY (2001) Testing broadband radiation schemes for their ability to calculate the radiative forcing and temperature response to stratospheric water vapour and ozone changes, METEOROL Z, 10, pp.387-393.
  • Forster, PM (2001) Climage Change: the hard science, Times Higher Education Supplement, .
  • Forster, PM; Blackburn, M; Glover, R; Shine, KP (2000) An examination of climate sensitivity for idealised climate change experiments in an intermediate general circulation model, CLIM DYNAM, 16, pp.833-849.
  • Sabziparvar, AA; Shine, KP; Forster, PMD (1999) A model-derived global climatology of UV irradiation at the earth's surface, PHOTOCHEM PHOTOBIOL, 69, pp.193-202.
  • Forster, PM (1999) Radiative forcing due to stratospheric ozone changes 1979-1997, using updated trend estimates, Journal of Geophysical Research - Atmospheres, 104, pp.24395-24401.
  • Shine, KP; Forster, PMD (1999) The effect of human activity on radiative forcing of climate change: a review of recent developments, GLOBAL PLANET CHANGE, 20, pp.205-225.
  • Forster, PMD; Shine, KP (1999) Stratospheric water vapour changes as a possible contributor to observed stratospheric cooling, GEOPHYS RES LETT, 26, pp.3309-3312.
  • Shine, KP; Freckleton, RS; Forster, PMD (1998) Comment on "Climate forcing by stratospheric ozone depletion calculated from observed temperature trends" by Zhong et al., GEOPHYS RES LETT, 25, pp.663-664.
  • Sabziparvar, AA; Forster, PMD; Shine, KP (1998) Changes in ultraviolet radiation due to stratospheric and tropospheric ozone changes since preindustrial times, J GEOPHYS RES-ATMOS, 103, pp.26107-26113.
  • Forster, PMD; Freckleton, RS; Shine, KP (1997) On aspects of the concept of radiative forcing, CLIM DYNAM, 13, pp.547-560.
  • Forster, PMD; Shine, KP (1997) Radiative forcing and temperature trends from stratospheric ozone changes, J GEOPHYS RES-ATMOS, 102, pp.10841-10855.
  • Forster, PMD; Johnson, CE; Law, KS; Pyle, JA; Shine, KP (1996) Further estimates of radiative forcing due to tropospheric ozone changes, GEOPHYS RES LETT, 23, pp.3321-3324.
  • Forster, PM; Shine, KP (1995) A comparison of two radiation schemes for calculating ultraviolet radiation, Quarterly Journal of Royal Meteorological Society, 121, pp.1113-1131.
  • FORSTER, PMD; SHINE, KP; WEBB, AR (1995) MODELING ULTRAVIOLET-RADIATION AT THE EARTHS SURFACE .2. MODEL AND INSTRUMENT COMPARISON, J APPL METEOROL, 34, pp.2426-2439.
  • FORSTER, PMD (1995) MODELING ULTRAVIOLET-RADIATION AT THE EARTHS SURFACE .1. THE SENSITIVITY OF ULTRAVIOLET IRRADIANCES TO ATMOSPHERIC CHANGES, J APPL METEOROL, 34, pp.2412-2425.
  • Gardiner, BG; Webb, AR; Bias, AF; Blumthaler, M; Dirmhirn, I; Forster, PM; Gillotay, D; Henriksen, K; Huber, M; Kirsch, PJ; Simon, PC; Svenoe, T; Weihs, P; Zerefos, C (1994) European intercomparison of ultraviolet spectroradiometers, Environmental Technology, 14, pp.25-43.
  • WEBB, AR; GARDINER, BG; BLUMTHALER, M; FORSTER, P; HUBER, M; KIRSCH, PJ (1994) A LABORATORY INVESTIGATION OF 2 ULTRAVIOLET SPECTRORADIOMETERS, PHOTOCHEM PHOTOBIOL, 60, pp.84-90.