Global circulation response to different climate drivers in the PDRMIP models
Abstract
The large-scale atmospheric circulation is expected to be affected by anthropogenic climate change drivers, such as changes in concentrations of greenhouse gases and aerosols. This study examines these circulation responses using output from models in the Precipitation Driver and Response Model Intercomparison Project (PDRMIP). The perturbation experiments include a doubling of carbon dioxide (2xCO2), a tripling of methane (3xCH4), a five-fold increase in sulphate aerosols (5xSul), a ten-fold increase in black carbon (10xBC) and a 2% increase in the solar constant (2%Sol). Each simulation is forced by an abrupt perturbation with the particular forcing agent, which the climate system then adjusts to. Focusing on the boreal winter season (DJF) and analysing both individual model output and the multi-model means, the response of the large-scale climate and global circulation to each perturbation are analysed using metrics including temperatures, meridional wind, and meridional and eddy streamfunctions. The idealised nature of the experiments aids with understanding the contribution of different drivers to past and future changes in the global circulation.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2017
- Bibcode:
- 2017AGUFM.A51H2175M
- Keywords:
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- 3305 Climate change and variability;
- ATMOSPHERIC PROCESSES;
- 3319 General circulation;
- ATMOSPHERIC PROCESSES;
- 3373 Tropical dynamics;
- ATMOSPHERIC PROCESSES;
- 1620 Climate dynamics;
- GLOBAL CHANGE