Model study of the greenhouse effects due to increasing atmospheric CH/sub 4/, N/sub 2/O, CF/sub 2/Cl/sub 2/, and CFCl/sub 3/

Journal Article · Fri Dec 20 00:00:00 EST 1985 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6833846

Wang, W C; Molnar, G

The authors use the two-dimensional (altitude-latitude) radiative-dynamical model of Wang et al. (1984) to investigate the effects on vertical and meridional temperatures of increases of atmospheric methane, nitrous oxide, and chlorofluorocarbons. The model couples are the meridional and vertical temperature structure through energy balance between radiative flux and vertical and meridional heat transports. They show that the thermal radiation flux perturbations, i.e., the driving force for the subsequent climate change, caused by increases of these trace gases and carbon dioxide, are different in nature. The two-dimensional model simulates much more realistic temperature and humidity distributions than does a one-dimensional model. For a doubling of the atmospheric CO/sub 2/ concentration of 330 parts per million by volume, the two-dimensional model computes a global surface warming of 3.7 K with larger high-latitude amplification, which is in good agreement with results obtained from general circulation models. For the study of the surface warming due to increases of trace gases, it is found that the one-dimensional model using a 6.5 K km/sup -1/ critical lapse rate for convective adjustment appears to calculate a much larger surface warming than the two-dimensional model. On the other hand, the one-dimensional model using the moist adiabatic critical lapse rate, although it can not simulate adequately the present tropospheric temperature structure, calculates surface warming effects in close agreement with those of two-dimensional model results. Although the calculations depend largely on the adopted scenarios for future increases, the results from the two-dimensional model nevertheless reveal that, on the time scale of decades, the trace gases could potentially augment the surface warming due to carbon dioxide increase by more than 60%.

• Research Organization: Atmospheric and Environmental Research, Inc., Cambridge, MA
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-81ER60023
• OSTI ID: 6833846
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Vol. 90:D7
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
CLIMATES
VARIATIONS
FREONS
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
METHANE
NITROUS OXIDE
AIR POLLUTION
AMBIENT TEMPERATURE
ENERGY BALANCE
GREENHOUSE EFFECT
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
ALKANES
CHALCOGENIDES
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
HYDROCARBONS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
500200* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)