Publication Abstracts
Han et al. 2021
Han, Z., Q. Zhang, Q. Li, R. Feng, A.M. Haywood, J.C. Tindall, S.J. Hunter, B.L. Otto-Bliesner, E.C. Brady, N. Rosenbloom, Z. Zhang, X. Li, C. Guo, K.H. Nisancioglu, C. Stepanek, G. Lohmann, , , N. Tan, G. Ramstein, M.L.J. Baatsen, A.S.V.D. Heydt, D. Chandan, W.R. Peltier, C.J.R. Williams, D.J. Lunt, J. Cheng, Q. Wen, and N.J. Burls, 2021: Evaluating the large-scale hydrological cycle response within the PlioMIP2 ensemble. Clim. Past, 17, no. g, 2537-2558, doi:10.5194/cp-17-2537-2021,2021.
The mid-Pliocene (∼3 million years ago) is one of the most recent warm periods with high CO2 concentrations in the atmosphere and resulting high temperatures, and it is often cited as an analog for near-term future climate change. Here, we apply a moisture budget analysis to investigate the response of the large-scale hydrological cycle at low latitudes within a 13-model ensemble from the Pliocene Model Intercomparison Project Phase 2 (PlioMIP2). The results show that increased atmospheric moisture content within the mid-Pliocene ensemble (due to the thermodynamic effect) results in wetter conditions over the deep tropics, i.e., the Pacific intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) and the Maritime Continent, and drier conditions over the subtropics. Note that the dynamic effect plays a more important role than the thermodynamic effect in regional precipitation minus evaporation (PmE) changes (i.e., northward ITCZ shift and wetter northern Indian Ocean). The thermodynamic effect is to some extent offset by a dynamic effect involving a northward shift of the Hadley circulation that dries the deep tropics and moistens the subtropics in the Northern Hemisphere (i.e., the subtropical Pacific). From the perspective of Earth's energy budget, the enhanced southward cross-equatorial atmospheric transport (0.22 PW), induced by the hemispheric asymmetries of the atmospheric energy, favors an approximately 1° northward shift of the ITCZ. The shift of the ITCZ reorganizes atmospheric circulation, favoring a northward shift of the Hadley circulation. In addition, the Walker circulation consistently shifts westward within PlioMIP2 models, leading to wetter conditions over the northern Indian Ocean. The PlioMIP2 ensemble highlights that an imbalance of interhemispheric atmospheric energy during the mid-Pliocene could have led to changes in the dynamic effect, offsetting the thermodynamic effect and hence altering mid-Pliocene hydroclimate cycling.
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BibTeX Citation
@article{ha04020w,
author={Han, Z. and Zhang, Q. and Li, Q. and Feng, R. and Haywood, A. M. and Tindall, J. C. and Hunter, S. J. and Otto-Bliesner, B. L. and Brady, E. C. and Rosenbloom, N. and Zhang, Z. and Li, X. and Guo, C. and Nisancioglu, K. H. and Stepanek, C. and Lohmann, G. and Sohl, L. E. and Chandler, M. A. and Tan, N. and Ramstein, G. and Baatsen, M. L. J. and Heydt, A. S. V. D. and Chandan, D. and Peltier, W. R. and Williams, C. J. R. and Lunt, D. J. and Cheng, J. and Wen, Q. and Burls, N. J.},
title={Evaluating the large-scale hydrological cycle response within the PlioMIP2 ensemble},
year={2021},
journal={Climate of the Past},
volume={17},
number={g},
pages={2537--2558},
doi={10.5194/cp-17-2537-2021,2021},
}
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RIS Citation
TY - JOUR ID - ha04020w AU - Han, Z. AU - Zhang, Q. AU - Li, Q. AU - Feng, R. AU - Haywood, A. M. AU - Tindall, J. C. AU - Hunter, S. J. AU - Otto-Bliesner, B. L. AU - Brady, E. C. AU - Rosenbloom, N. AU - Zhang, Z. AU - Li, X. AU - Guo, C. AU - Nisancioglu, K. H. AU - Stepanek, C. AU - Lohmann, G. AU - Sohl, L. E. AU - Chandler, M. A. AU - Tan, N. AU - Ramstein, G. AU - Baatsen, M. L. J. AU - Heydt, A. S. V. D. AU - Chandan, D. AU - Peltier, W. R. AU - Williams, C. J. R. AU - Lunt, D. J. AU - Cheng, J. AU - Wen, Q. AU - Burls, N. J. PY - 2021 TI - Evaluating the large-scale hydrological cycle response within the PlioMIP2 ensemble JA - Clim. Past JO - Climate of the Past VL - 17 IS - g SP - 2537 EP - 2558 DO - 10.5194/cp-17-2537-2021,2021 ER -
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