Multiple-century response of a coupled ocean-atmosphere model to an increase of atmospheric carbon dioxide

Journal Article · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1994 · Journal of Climate; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0442(1994)007<0005:MCROAC>2.0.CO;2· OSTI ID:7071487

Manabe, S; Stouffer, R J ^[1]

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1. Princeton Univ., NJ (United States)

To speculate on the future change of climate over several centuries, three 500-year integrations of a coupled ocean-atmosphere model were performed. In addition, to the standard integration in which the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide remains unchanged, two integrations are conducted. In one integration, the CO[sub 2] concentration increases by 1% yr[sup [minus]1] (compounded) until it reaches four times the initial value at the 140th year and remains unchanged thereafter. In another integration, the CO[sub 2] concentration also increases at the rate of 1% yr[sup [minus]1] until it reaches twice the initial value of the 70th year and remains unchanged thereafter. One of the most notable features of the CO[sub 2]-quadrupoling integration is the gradual disappearance of thermohaline circulations in most of the model oceans during the first 250-year period, leaving behind wind-driven cells. For example, thermohaline circulation nearly vanished in the North Atlantic during the first 200 years of the integration. In the Weddell and Ross seas, thermohaline circulation becomes weaker and shallower, thereby reducing the rate of bottom water formation and weakening the northward flow of bottom water in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. The weakening or near disappearance of thermohaline circulation described above is attributable mainly to the capping of the model oceans by relatively fresh water in high latitudes where the excess of precipitation over evaporation increases markedly due to the enhanced poleward moisture transport in the warmer model troposphere.

• OSTI ID: 7071487
• Journal Information: Journal of Climate; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Climate; (United States) Vol. 7:1; ISSN JLCLEL; ISSN 0894-8755
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring &amp; Transport-- (1990-)
ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
GLOBAL ASPECTS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
OCEANIC CIRCULATION
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PALEOCLIMATOLOGY
PALEONTOLOGY