CO/sub 2/-induced change in a coupled ocean-atmosphere model and its paleoclimatic implications

Journal Article · Wed Nov 20 04:00:00 EST 1985 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6900060

Manabe, S; Bryan, K Jr

The effect of large changes of atmospheric CO/sub 2/ was studied, using the coupled ocean-atmosphere model of Bryan et al. (1982), for derivation of six climatic equilibria (cases with 1/2 to 8 times the present CO/sub 2/ concentration). An increase of atmospheric CO/sub 2/ to the level of 8 times the normal concentration is accompanied by a decrease in the meridional gradient of surface air temperature (SAT) (the CO/sub 2/-induced increase of SAT is particularly large at high latitudes), with no changes in the intensity or the latitudinal placement of the atmospheric jet. The meridional density gradient of the ocean surface water changes little because of an increased in thermal expansion coefficient of seawater with increased temperature; thus, the intensity of thermohaline circulation does not diminish as expected. On the other hand, reduction of atmospheric CO/sub 2/ causes a dramatic change in the thermohaline circulation at half the normal CO/sub 2/ concentration, the sea water is held at the freezing point from pole down to 45 deg latitude because of the formation of sea ice.

• OSTI ID: 6900060
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States) Vol. 90; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
AIR
AIR-WATER INTERACTIONS
AMBIENT TEMPERATURE
ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
FLUIDS
GASES
GENERAL CIRCULATION MODELS
GREENHOUSE EFFECT
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PALEOCLIMATOLOGY
PALEONTOLOGY
SEAS
SURFACE AIR
SURFACE WATERS