Statistical mechanics of nonequilibrium steady-states and climate variability: a seminar by Professor Jeff Weiss

On 14 April 2026, the Decade Collaborative Centre for Coastal Resilience, together with the Department of Physics and Astronomy of the University of Bologna and the CMCC Foundation, will co-organise a seminar at the Aula Magna featuring Professor Jeff Weiss (University of Colorado Boulder).

The seminar will present recent research on the statistical mechanics of non-equilibrium systems and their relevance to climate variability, offering insights into how complex physical processes shape large-scale climate dynamics.

The event is part of Professor Weiss’s activities as a CMCC Bassi Fellow, a programme that brings leading international scientists to collaborate with CMCC researchers and contribute to advancing climate science and resilience research.

As part of this fellowship, the seminar represents a unique opportunity for students, researchers, and all those interested in climate science to engage directly with a leading expert in the field.

This initiative contributes to ongoing efforts to strengthen collaboration between theoretical and applied research communities, in line with the DCC-CR mission within the framework of the UN Ocean Decade.

Abstract

Nonequilibrium steady-states have preferred patterns of variability dictated by the presence of nonzero phase-space currents. In the climate system, these currents manifest as climate oscillations such as the El-Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO). Here we discuss new results on nonequilibrium steady-states motivated by this connection.

Speaker Bio

Professor Jeff Weiss is a Professor in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder. He received his PhD in Physics from the University of California Berkeley.

His research focuses on nonlinear dynamics and nonequilibrium statistical mechanics applied to the Earth’s climate system, contributing to the theoretical understanding of complex climate processes.

Participation will be possible both in person and online. The seminar will take place at the Aula Magna DIFA, Via Irnerio 46, Bologna, and will also be accessible remotely via Zoom upon registration.