Mechanism of Fast Atmospheric Energetic Equilibration Following Radiative Forcing by CO 2

Dinh, T.; Fueglistaler, S.

doi:10.1002/2017MS001116

Title: Mechanism of Fast Atmospheric Energetic Equilibration Following Radiative Forcing by CO ₂

Journal Article · Fri Nov 10 00:00:00 EST 2017 · Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/2017MS001116· OSTI ID:1408246

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Department of Physics University of Auckland Auckland New Zealand, Program in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Princeton University Princeton NJ USA
Program in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Princeton University Princeton NJ USA, Department of Geosciences Princeton University Princeton NJ USA

Abstract In energetic equilibrium, the atmosphere's net radiative divergence ( ) is balanced by sensible ( ) and latent ( ) heat fluxes, i.e., . Radiative forcing from increasing CO ₂ reduces , and the surface warming following an increase in CO ₂ is largely due to the reduction in atmospheric energy demand in and , with only a smaller surface radiative budget perturbation. With an idealized General Circulation Model, we show that the fast atmospheric adjustment at fixed surface temperature produces the required decrease in the sum of and through changes in the near‐surface temperature and specific humidity. In layers near the surface, the reduced radiative cooling forces a temperature increase that leads to a negative Planck radiative feedback and, because of the reduced surface‐atmosphere temperature difference, also to a reduction in sensible heat flux. In the free troposphere, the reduced radiative cooling leads to a weakening of the tropospheric circulation. Consequently, there is a decrease in the water flux exported from the layers near the surface, and as such in precipitation. By mass conservation, the near‐surface specific humidity increases and surface evaporation decreases until it balances the reduced export flux. Other processes can amplify or dampen the responses in and and change the partitioning between these two fluxes, but by themselves do not ensure .

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Research Organization:: Princeton Univ., NJ (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER); National Science Foundation (NSF)

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0006841; AGS-1417659

OSTI ID:: 1408246

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1408247; OSTI ID: 1511565

Journal Information:: Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems, Journal Name: Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems Vol. 9 Journal Issue: 7; ISSN 1942-2466

Publisher:: American Geophysical Union (AGU)Copyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 9 works

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Title: Mechanism of Fast Atmospheric Energetic Equilibration Following Radiative Forcing by CO ₂