Publication Abstracts

Stephens et al. 2018

Stephens, G.L., M.Z. Hakuba, M. Webb, M. Lebsock, Q. Yue, B.H. Kahn, S. Hristova-Veleva, A. Rapp, C. Stubenrauch, G.S. Elsaesser, and J. Slingo, 2018: Regional intensification of the tropical hydrological cycle during ENSO. Geophys. Res. Lett., 45, no. 9, 4361-4370, doi:10.1029/2018GL077598.

This study provides observational evidence for feedbacks that amplify the short term hydrological response associated with the warm phase of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation. Our analyses make use of a comprehensive set of independent satellite observations collected over decades to show that much larger local changes to cloud (∼50%/K) and precipitation (∼60%/K) occur than would be expected from the guidance of Clausius-Clapyeron (C-C) theory (∼7%/K). This amplification comes from atmospheric feedbacks involving shifts in the patterns of latent and radiative heating that mutually act on the dynamics enhancing changes to the hydrological cycle. We also confirm the existence of an opposing negative flux feedback at the ocean surface, driven largely by solar radiation changes, that opposes the surface warming. Estimates of the strength of this and other feedback factors associated with warming in the Niño3 region are provided from observations. These observations are also used to examine comparative processes and feedbacks in CMIP5 AMIP model experiments.

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BibTeX Citation

@article{st08220u,
  author={Stephens, G. L. and Hakuba, M. Z. and Webb, M. and Lebsock, M. and Yue, Q. and Kahn, B. H. and Hristova-Veleva, S. and Rapp, A. and Stubenrauch, C. and Elsaesser, G. S. and Slingo, J.},
  title={Regional intensification of the tropical hydrological cycle during ENSO},
  year={2018},
  journal={Geophysical Research Letters},
  volume={45},
  number={9},
  pages={4361--4370},
  doi={10.1029/2018GL077598},
}

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RIS Citation

TY  - JOUR
ID  - st08220u
AU  - Stephens, G. L.
AU  - Hakuba, M. Z.
AU  - Webb, M.
AU  - Lebsock, M.
AU  - Yue, Q.
AU  - Kahn, B. H.
AU  - Hristova-Veleva, S.
AU  - Rapp, A.
AU  - Stubenrauch, C.
AU  - Elsaesser, G. S.
AU  - Slingo, J.
PY  - 2018
TI  - Regional intensification of the tropical hydrological cycle during ENSO
JA  - Geophys. Res. Lett.
JO  - Geophysical Research Letters
VL  - 45
IS  - 9
SP  - 4361
EP  - 4370
DO  - 10.1029/2018GL077598
ER  -

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