Trends in surface equivalent potential temperature: A more comprehensive metric for global warming and weather extremes
[1];
[2];
[3]
- Frontier Science Center for Deep Ocean Multispheres and Earth System and Physical Oceanography Laboratory, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266005, China, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (QNLM), Qingdao 266005, China, Atmospheric Sciences and Global Change Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99354
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
- Atmospheric Sciences and Global Change Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA 99354
Significance The Earth has warmed by 1.2 0.1 °C since the preindustrial era. The most common metric to measure the ongoing global warming is surface air temperature since it has long and reliable observational records. However, surface air temperature alone does not fully describe the nature of global warming and its impact on climate and weather extremes. Here we show that surface equivalent potential temperature, which combines the surface air temperature and humidity, is a more comprehensive metric not only for the global warming but also for its impact on climate and weather extremes including tropical deep convection and extreme heat waves. We recommend that it should be used more widely in future climate change studies.
- Research Organization:
- Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- Chinese Natural Science Foundation; National Science Foundation (NSF); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER)
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC05-76RL01830; SC0019373; SC0022064
- OSTI ID:
- 1842871
- Report Number(s):
- PNNL-SA-145106; e2117832119
- Journal Information:
- Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, Journal Name: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 119; ISSN 0027-8424
- Publisher:
- Proceedings of the National Academy of SciencesCopyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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