Local radiative feedbacks over the Arctic based on observed short-term climate variations

Journal Article · Sat Jun 16 04:00:00 EDT 2018 · Geophysical Research Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL077852· OSTI ID:1578082

Zhang, Rudong ^[1]; Wang, Hailong ^[2]; Fu, Qiang ^[3]; Pendergrass, Angeline G. ^[4]; Wang, Minghuai ^[5]; Yang, Yang ^[2]; Ma, Po Lun ^[2]; Rasch, Philip J. ^[2]

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1. UNIVERSITY PROGRAMS
2. BATTELLE (PACIFIC NW LAB)
3. University of Washington
4. National Center for Atmospheric Research
5. Nanjing University

We compare various radiative feedbacks in response to short-term climate variations estimated from reanalysis, satellite, and global climate model datasets using the combined Kernel-Gregory approach over the Arctic (60-90°N). Except for the shortwave cloud feedback, all feedbacks are positive over the Arctic. Lapse rate feedback is comparable with surface albedo feedback. Relative to the tropics (30°S-30°N), the temperature feedback (lapse rate feedback plus Planck feedback deviation from its global mean) is the largest contributor to Arctic amplification among all feedbacks, followed by surface albedo feedback. The choice of meteorological fields has a small impact on the cloud feedback estimate, but different top-of-the-atmosphere clear-sky fluxes datasets can result in a wide spread of estimated cloud feedbacks. The net cloud feedback over the Arctic is positive due to a larger positive in longwave than the negative shortwave feedback, but has the largest uncertainty. Relative to the tropics, the longwave cloud feedback largely contributes to the Arctic amplification.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 1578082
• Report Number(s): PNNL-SA-132384
• Journal Information: Geophysical Research Letters, Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters Journal Issue: 11 Vol. 45
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English