This special issue arose from the “6th Workshop on Parameterization of lakes in Numerical Weather Prediction and Climate Modelling”. The workshop was held on 22–24 October 2019 at Météo-France (Toulouse, France): http://www.meteo.fr/cic/meetings/2019/LAKE2019/ .

The special issue “Modelling inland waters in a changing climate” is inviting contributions related to the following aspects of research on inland waters.

• Modelling – lake–atmosphere interactions and coupling (parameterization of lakes in numerical models of the atmosphere, the impact of lakes on atmospheric processes, greenhouse gases transfers); processes in freshwater bodies (including studies related to biochemistry and water quality issues, in frozen and not frozen conditions).
• Parameters – external parameters (raw data sets and generation of external-parameter fields required to use lake parameterization schemes in atmospheric models, e.g. fields of lake depth and lake fraction).
• Data assimilation – snow and ice on lakes, reservoirs and other water bodies (data assimilation of observations and parameterization of snow and ice layers over water surfaces in numerical weather prediction and climate models, interaction air–snow–ice–water); assimilation of observational data on lake surface state (space-borne and in situ observations of lake surface state, assimilation of observational data into atmospheric models using lake parameterization schemes).
• Model validation and intercomparison – validation of numerical weather prediction and climate models that incorporate lake parameterization and lake data assimilation schemes; single-column studies; intercomparison of lake models, e.g. within the framework of the Lake Model Intercomparison Project.
• Remote sensing – remote sensing can offer valuable data for studying lake changes and their interaction with their environment and the impact and feedback of climate change; altimeters provide dense time series of water surface elevation measurements, and multispectral optical, thermal and radar sensors can be used to measure lake area, water quality, temperature and ice cover; time series of satellite products are available for studies on lake changes from local to global scale, e.g. within the framework of the ESA CCI LAKES.
• ISIMIP initiative – the aim of the Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project (ISIMIP) is to better understand climate impacts across sectors using a multi-impact model framework; the second phase of this international effort (ISIMIP2b) is designed to provide robust information about the impacts of 1.5°C and 2°C global warming, as highlighted by the IPCC’s special report on this topic; scientists contributing simulations and analyses to ISIMIP will find a forum to share their results in this special issue.

The glacial–interglacial cyclicity of the climate system varied in the past, most notably during the transition from a 40 ka to a 100 ka world in the mid-Pleistocene. Gases trapped in Antarctic ice are the most direct access available to investigate the composition of the paleo-atmosphere of that age and processes related to climate variability. The International Partnerships in Ice Core Sciences (IPICS) Oldest Ice endeavour aims at obtaining an undisturbed ice-core record older than 1 Ma. In addition to ice cores, time slices of paleo-records, available, for example, in Antarctic blue-ice fields, provide further valuable information, which complements continuous time series based on ice cores. This special issue will assemble contributions dedicated to the preparatory phase of this global effort to obtain ice samples and time series older than 700 000 years. This includes a consideration of glaciogical and geophysical settings which allow the presence of old ice, results from pre-site surveys and modelling studies, aspects of ice-core and other sampling techniques and analyses, and requirements for drilling and core handling.

The Weddell Sea and the ocean off Dronning Maud Land, constituting the Weddell Gyre, are representative of the high-latitude Southern Ocean due to its pronounced seasonality, circumpolar currents, deep-water formation and seasonal sea-ice cover. The Weddell Gyre connects water masses from the Antarctic Circumpolar Current with those shaped by the large ice shelves and sea-ice formation in the southern perimeter of the Weddell Gyre. Biological and biogeochemical processes are strongly influenced by these conditions and contribute to a unique Weddell Sea ecosystem.

A portion of the western Weddell Sea is already experiencing consequences of climate change, including the acceleration of mass loss from ice shelves, enhanced ocean warming and freshening, rising air temperatures, and changes in wind patterns. This likely has an emerging influence on the local biological and biogeochemical processes. The eastern part of the Weddell Gyre, off Dronning Maud Land, however, appears relatively stable but is expected to experience warming, sea-ice retreat and ice-shelf loss in the course of this century. The re-emergence of the Maud Rise Polynya, with a potentially significant impact on regional water masses and biogeochemistry, underscores the importance of observing and understanding this region. Establishing knowledge of the present biological and biogeochemical processes and coupling with physics prior to major changes in this region is essential.

This special issue emerged from an October 2020 workshop organized by the Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS) Weddell Sea and Dronning Maud Land Regional Working Group that brought together numerous scientists across multiple disciplines. However, the issue is open to anyone and we welcome additional contributions.

The Weddell Sea and the ocean off Dronning Maud Land, constituting the Weddell Gyre, are representative of the high-latitude Southern Ocean due to its pronounced seasonality, circumpolar currents, deep-water formation and seasonal sea-ice cover. The Weddell Gyre connects water masses from the Antarctic Circumpolar Current with those shaped by the large ice shelves and sea-ice formation in the southern perimeter of the Weddell Gyre. Biological and biogeochemical processes are strongly influenced by these conditions and contribute to a unique Weddell Sea ecosystem.

A portion of the western Weddell Sea is already experiencing consequences of climate change, including the acceleration of mass loss from ice shelves, enhanced ocean warming and freshening, rising air temperatures, and changes in wind patterns. This likely has an emerging influence on the local biological and biogeochemical processes. The eastern part of the Weddell Gyre, off Dronning Maud Land, however, appears relatively stable but is expected to experience warming, sea-ice retreat and ice-shelf loss in the course of this century. The re-emergence of the Maud Rise Polynya, with a potentially significant impact on regional water masses and biogeochemistry, underscores the importance of observing and understanding this region. Establishing knowledge of the present biological and biogeochemical processes and coupling with physics prior to major changes in this region is essential.

This special issue emerged from an October 2020 workshop organized by the Southern Ocean Observing System (SOOS) Weddell Sea and Dronning Maud Land Regional Working Group that brought together numerous scientists across multiple disciplines. However, the issue is open to anyone and we welcome additional contributions.

This special issue arose from the “6th Workshop on Parameterization of lakes in Numerical Weather Prediction and Climate Modelling”. The workshop was held on 22–24 October 2019 at Météo-France (Toulouse, France): http://www.meteo.fr/cic/meetings/2019/LAKE2019/ .

The special issue “Modelling inland waters in a changing climate” is inviting contributions related to the following aspects of research on inland waters.

• Modelling – lake–atmosphere interactions and coupling (parameterization of lakes in numerical models of the atmosphere, the impact of lakes on atmospheric processes, greenhouse gases transfers); processes in freshwater bodies (including studies related to biochemistry and water quality issues, in frozen and not frozen conditions).
• Parameters – external parameters (raw data sets and generation of external-parameter fields required to use lake parameterization schemes in atmospheric models, e.g. fields of lake depth and lake fraction).
• Data assimilation – snow and ice on lakes, reservoirs and other water bodies (data assimilation of observations and parameterization of snow and ice layers over water surfaces in numerical weather prediction and climate models, interaction air–snow–ice–water); assimilation of observational data on lake surface state (space-borne and in situ observations of lake surface state, assimilation of observational data into atmospheric models using lake parameterization schemes).
• Model validation and intercomparison – validation of numerical weather prediction and climate models that incorporate lake parameterization and lake data assimilation schemes; single-column studies; intercomparison of lake models, e.g. within the framework of the Lake Model Intercomparison Project.
• Remote sensing – remote sensing can offer valuable data for studying lake changes and their interaction with their environment and the impact and feedback of climate change; altimeters provide dense time series of water surface elevation measurements, and multispectral optical, thermal and radar sensors can be used to measure lake area, water quality, temperature and ice cover; time series of satellite products are available for studies on lake changes from local to global scale, e.g. within the framework of the ESA CCI LAKES.
• ISIMIP initiative – the aim of the Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project (ISIMIP) is to better understand climate impacts across sectors using a multi-impact model framework; the second phase of this international effort (ISIMIP2b) is designed to provide robust information about the impacts of 1.5°C and 2°C global warming, as highlighted by the IPCC’s special report on this topic; scientists contributing simulations and analyses to ISIMIP will find a forum to share their results in this special issue.

The glacial–interglacial cyclicity of the climate system varied in the past, most notably during the transition from a 40 ka to a 100 ka world in the mid-Pleistocene. Gases trapped in Antarctic ice are the most direct access available to investigate the composition of the paleo-atmosphere of that age and processes related to climate variability. The International Partnerships in Ice Core Sciences (IPICS) Oldest Ice endeavour aims at obtaining an undisturbed ice-core record older than 1 Ma. In addition to ice cores, time slices of paleo-records, available, for example, in Antarctic blue-ice fields, provide further valuable information, which complements continuous time series based on ice cores. This special issue will assemble contributions dedicated to the preparatory phase of this global effort to obtain ice samples and time series older than 700 000 years. This includes a consideration of glaciogical and geophysical settings which allow the presence of old ice, results from pre-site surveys and modelling studies, aspects of ice-core and other sampling techniques and analyses, and requirements for drilling and core handling.