Portrait of Hans Chen

Hans Chen

Assistant Professor

Department of Space, Earth and Environment

Chalmers University of Technology

hans.chen@chalmers.se

About

I lead the Climate Dynamics Group at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden. I’m an atmospheric and climate scientist studying climate variability and change, atmospheric dynamics, the Arctic climate system, terrestrial carbon cycle dynamics, and greenhouse gas emissions. In my research, I combine observations, theory, and numerical modeling to advance our understanding of the Earth system.

My current research focuses on developing methods to estimate CO2 emissions and uptake using primarily satellite observations. Specifically, I use data assimilation and inverse modeling techniques to infer regional-scale CO2 emissions and uptake from both natural and anthropogenic sources and sinks. Such methods are useful to study the natural carbon cycle and independently estimate anthropogenic fossil fuel emissions.

I’m also interested in various aspects of climate change, with a focus on the Arctic climate system and its connections to mid-latitude weather and climate variability and extremes. You can read more about the research topics that I and my group are working on under Research.

In my free time, I like to play basketball, listen to and play music, bike, and contribute to free and open-source software.

Recent publications

Li, T., B. He, D. Chen, H. W. Chen, L. Guo, W, Yuan, K, Fang, F, Shi, L, Liu, H, Zheng, L, Huang, X, Wu, X, Hao, X, Zhao, and W, Jiang, 2024: Increasing sensitivity of tree radial growth to precipitation. Geophysical Research Letters, 51, e2024GL110003, https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL110003.

Xu, H., H. W. Chen, D. Chen, Y. Wang, X. Yue, B. He, L. Guo, W. Yuan, Z. Zhong, L. Huang, F. Zheng, T. Li, and X. He, 2024: Global patterns and drivers of post-fire vegetation productivity recovery. Nature Geoscience, 17, 874–881, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-024-01520-3.

Yan, X., C. Zuo, Z. Li, H. W. Chen, Y. Jiang, Q. Wang, G. Wang, K. Jia, Y. A, Z. Chen, and J. Chen, 2024: Substantial underestimation of fine-mode aerosol loading from wildfires and its radiative effects in current satellite-based retrievals over the United States. Environmental Science & Technology, 58, 15661–15671, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.4c02498.

Yan, X., Z. Zang, Z. Li, H. W. Chen, J. Chen, Y. Jiang, Y. Chen, B. He, C. Zuo, T. Nakajima, and J. Kim, 2024: Deep learning with pretrained framework unleashes the power of satellite-based global fine-mode aerosol retrieval. Environmental Science & Technology, 58, 14260–14270, https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.4c02701.

He, M., J. Cui, Y. Yi, H. W. Chen, Q. Zhang, L. Li, L. Huang, and S. Hong, 2024: Vegetation increases global climate vulnerability risk by shifting climate zones in response to rising atmospheric CO2. Science of The Total Environment, 949, 174810, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.174810.

Liu, Y., Q. Tang, C. Zhang, D. Chen, J. A. Francis, L. R. Leung, and H. W. Chen, 2024: The disproportionate impact of enhanced evaporation from melting arctic sea ice on cold-season land precipitation trends. npj Climate and Atmospheric Science, 7, 126, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-024-00680-8.

Cai, Z., Q. You, H. W. Chen, R. Zhang, Z. Zuo, D. Chen, J. Cohen, and J. A. Screen, 2024: Assessing Arctic wetting: Performances of CMIP6 models and projections of precipitation changes. Atmospheric Research, 297, 107124, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.atmosres.2023.107124.

Zhong, Z., B. He, H. W. Chen, D. Chen, T. Zhou, W. Dong, C. Xiao, L. Guo, R. Ding, L. Zhang, X. Song, L. Huang, W. Yuan, X. Hao, and X. Zhao, 2023: Reversed asymmetric warming of sub-diurnal temperature over land during recent decades. Nature Communications, 14, 7189, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-43007-6.

Wang, S., B. He, H. W. Chen, D. Chen, Y. Chen, W. Yuan, F. Shi, J. Duan, W. Wu, T. Chen, L. Guo, Z. Zhong, W. Duan, Z. Li, W. Jiang, L. Huang, X. Hao, R. Tang, H. Liu, Y. Zhang, and X. Xie, 2023: Fire carbon emissions over Equatorial Asia reduced by shortened dry seasons. npj Climate and Atmospheric Science, 6, 129, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41612-023-00455-7.