Mechanism of Fast Atmospheric Energetic Equilibration Following Radiative Forcing by CO 2
Abstract
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 responsesmore »
- Authors:
-
[1];
[2]
- 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
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- Princeton Univ., NJ (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER); National Science Foundation (NSF)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1408246
- Alternate Identifier(s):
- OSTI ID: 1408247; OSTI ID: 1511565
- Grant/Contract Number:
- SC0006841; AGS-1417659
- Resource Type:
- Published Article
- Journal Name:
- Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Name: Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems Journal Volume: 9 Journal Issue: 7; Journal ID: ISSN 1942-2466
- Publisher:
- American Geophysical Union (AGU)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 58 GEOSCIENCES; 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; CO2 forcing; hydrological cycle; atmospheric circulation; fast atmospheric adjustment
Citation Formats
Dinh, T., and Fueglistaler, S. Mechanism of Fast Atmospheric Energetic Equilibration Following Radiative Forcing by CO 2. United States: N. p., 2017.
Web. doi:10.1002/2017MS001116.
Dinh, T., & Fueglistaler, S. Mechanism of Fast Atmospheric Energetic Equilibration Following Radiative Forcing by CO 2. United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/2017MS001116
Dinh, T., and Fueglistaler, S. Fri .
"Mechanism of Fast Atmospheric Energetic Equilibration Following Radiative Forcing by CO 2". United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/2017MS001116.
@article{osti_1408246,
title = {Mechanism of Fast Atmospheric Energetic Equilibration Following Radiative Forcing by CO 2},
author = {Dinh, T. and Fueglistaler, S.},
abstractNote = {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 .},
doi = {10.1002/2017MS001116},
journal = {Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems},
number = 7,
volume = 9,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Nov 10 00:00:00 EST 2017},
month = {Fri Nov 10 00:00:00 EST 2017}
}
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