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Title: The amplifying influence of increased ocean stratification on a future year without a summer

Journal Article · · Nature Communications
ORCiD logo [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [2]
  1. National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, CO (United States). Climate and Global Dynamics Div.
  2. National Centers for Environmental Information, Boulder, CO (United States). Center for Weather and Climate (CWC)
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In 1816, the coldest summer of the past two centuries was observed over northeastern North America and western Europe. This so-called Year Without a Summer (YWAS) has been widely attributed to the 1815 eruption of Indonesia’s Mt. Tambora and was concurrent with agricultural failures and famines worldwide. To understand the potential impacts of a similar future eruption, a thorough physical understanding of the YWAS is crucial. Climate model simulations of both the 1815 Tambora eruption and a hypothetical analogous future eruption are examined, the latter occurring in 2085 assuming a business-as-usual climate scenario. Here, we show that the 1815 eruption drove strong responses in both the ocean and cryosphere that were fundamental to driving the YWAS. Through modulation of ocean stratification and near-surface winds, global warming contributes to an amplified surface climate response. Limitations in using major volcanic eruptions as a constraint on cloud feedbacks are also found.

Research Organization:
National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), Boulder, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
Grant/Contract Number:
SC0012711
OSTI ID:
1523480
Journal Information:
Nature Communications, Vol. 8, Issue 1; ISSN 2041-1723
Publisher:
Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 20 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

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Cited By (7)

Impacts of Climate Change on Volcanic Stratospheric Injections: Comparison of 1‐D and 3‐D Plume Model Projections journal September 2019
Impacts of Climate Change on Volcanic Stratospheric Injections: Comparison of 1-D and 3-D Plume Model Projections text January 2019
Volcanic Eruption Signatures in the Isotope‐Enabled Last Millennium Ensemble journal August 2019
Disentangling the causes of the 1816 European year without a summer text January 2019
Disentangling the causes of the 1816 European year without a summer journal September 2019
Volcanically Triggered Ocean Warming Near the Antarctic Peninsula journal July 2019
The Influence of Volcanic Aerosol Meridional Structure on Monsoon Responses over the Last Millennium journal November 2019

Figures / Tables (11)

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