The Early Jurassic climate: General circulation model simulations and the paleoclimate record
This thesis presents the results of several general circulation model simulations of the Early Jurassic climate. The general circulation model employed was developed at the Goddard Institute for Space Studies while most paleoclimate data were provided by the Paleographic Atlas Project of the University of Chicago. The first chapter presents an Early Jurassic base simulation, which uses detailed reconstructions of paleogeography, vegetation, and sea surface temperature as boundary condition data sets. The resulting climatology reveals an Earth 5.2[degrees]C warmer, globally, than at present and a latitudinal temperature gradient dominated by high-latitude warming (+20[degrees]C) and little tropical change (+1[degrees]C). Comparisons show a good correlation between simulated results and paleoclimate data. Sensitivity experiments are used to investigate any model-data mismatches. Chapters two and three discuss two important aspects of Early Jurassic climate, continental aridity and global warming. Chapter two focuses on the hydrological capabilities of the general circulation model. The general circulation model's hydrologic diagnostics are evaluated, using the distribution of modern deserts and Early Jurassic paleoclimate data as validating constraints. A new method, based on general circulation model diagnostics and empirical formulae, is proposed for evaluating moisture balance. Chapter three investigates the cause of past global warming, concentrating on the role of increased ocean heat transport. Early Jurassic simulations show that increased ocean heat transports may have been a major factor in past climates. Increased ocean heat transports create latitudinal temperature gradients that closely approximate paleoclimate data and solve the problem of tropical overheating that results from elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide. Increased carbon dioxide cannot duplicate the Jurassic climate without also including increased ocean heat transports.
- Research Organization:
- Columbia Univ., New York, NY (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 6652717
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: Thesis (Ph.D.)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE
JURASSIC PERIOD
GENERAL CIRCULATION MODELS
PALEOCLIMATOLOGY
ARID LANDS
GREENHOUSE EFFECT
HEAT TRANSFER
CLIMATIC CHANGE
ENERGY TRANSFER
GEOLOGIC AGES
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MESOZOIC ERA
PALEONTOLOGY
540110*
990200 - Mathematics & Computers