Helge Goessling

Dr. Helge Goessling is a climate physicist and group leader at the Alfred Wegener Institute (AWI), specializing in climate modeling and polar research. His work focuses on advancing coupled climate models (e.g., AWI Climate Model, FESOM) to study sea ice dynamics, climate change impacts, and extreme weather events. He contributed to the IPCC’s Sixth Assessment Report and leads projects like the MOSAiC Distributed Network, integrating observational data with high-resolution simulations. His research emphasizes 'storylines'—a method to contextualize extreme events within climate change scenarios—to enhance decision-making. Key interests include Arctic and Antarctic systems, ocean-atmosphere interactions, and subseasonal-to-decadal climate predictions.

Goessling’s team develops models that resolve regional details (e.g., Gulf Stream dynamics) while optimizing computational efficiency. He explores geoengineering’s potential for Arctic sea ice management and investigates feedback mechanisms like planetary albedo changes. Collaborations span international expeditions, such as the MOSAiC drift campaign, and data assimilation frameworks for improved sea ice forecasts. His work bridges fundamental climate science with policy-relevant insights.