Conceptual model analysis of the influence of temperature feedbacks on polar amplification

The role of temperature feedbacks in polar amplification of climate change is examined by comparing the response of idealized high‐ and low‐latitude atmospheric columns to greenhouse gas forcing. An analytic expression for the surface polar amplification factor is derived with a one‐layer atmospheri...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Geophysical research letters 2015-11, Vol.42 (21), p.9561-9570
Main Authors: Payne, Ashley E., Jansen, Malte F., Cronin, Timothy W.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Air pollution
Amplification
Atmosphere
Atmospheric models
Atmospherics
Biological competition
Climate
Climate change
Competition
Convergence
Feedback
Frameworks
Greenhouse effect
Greenhouse gases
Heat
Heat flux
Heat transfer
Heating
Lapse rate
lapse rate feedback
Latitude
Loads (forces)
Mathematical analysis
Meteorology
Negative feedback
polar amplification
Positive feedback
Profiles
Radiative transfer
Solar heating
Stabilizing
Temperature
Temperature effects
temperature feedbacks
Temperature profile
Temperature profiles
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Summary:The role of temperature feedbacks in polar amplification of climate change is examined by comparing the response of idealized high‐ and low‐latitude atmospheric columns to greenhouse gas forcing. An analytic expression for the surface polar amplification factor is derived with a one‐layer atmospheric model and compared to a more detailed column model with two radiative transfer schemes. The modeled temperature profiles result from competition between the stabilizing influences of atmospheric heat flux convergence and atmospheric solar heating (dominant at high latitudes), and the destabilizing influence of surface solar heating (dominant at low latitudes). For a stable high‐latitude radiative‐advective atmosphere, the lapse rate increases with greenhouse gas forcing, leading to a positive feedback, and is dependent on the nature of the forcing—pointing to limitations of the traditional forcing‐feedback framework. For a low‐latitude radiative‐convective atmosphere, the lapse rate decreases, leading to a negative feedback. Key Points Temperature feedbacks are investigated in simple column models Opposing lapse rate responses at high and low latitudes are analyzed Regional differences in lapse rate response result in polar amplification
ISSN:0094-8276
1944-8007
DOI:10.1002/2015GL065889