Impact of the stratosphere on tropospheric climate change

The atmospheric circulation response to CO2 doubling in various versions of an atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) without a well‐resolved stratosphere (“low‐top” model), is compared to the response in a version of the same AGCM with a well‐resolved stratosphere (“high‐top” model). The doub...

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Main Authors: Michael Sigmond, John F. Scinocca, Paul J. Kushner
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2008-06-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2008GL033573
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author Michael Sigmond
John F. Scinocca
Paul J. Kushner
author_facet Michael Sigmond
John F. Scinocca
Paul J. Kushner
author_sort Michael Sigmond
collection DOAJ
description The atmospheric circulation response to CO2 doubling in various versions of an atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) without a well‐resolved stratosphere (“low‐top” model), is compared to the response in a version of the same AGCM with a well‐resolved stratosphere (“high‐top” model). The doubled CO2 response of the “best‐tuned” (i.e. operational) low‐top model version is significantly different from that in the best‐tuned high‐top model version. Additional experiments show that this difference is not caused by the model lid height, but instead can be mainly attributed to differences in the settings of parameterized orographic gravity‐wave drag which control the strength of the zonal wind in the mid‐ to high‐latitude lower stratosphere and the mean sea‐level pressure distribution. These findings suggest a link between the strength of the winds in the mid‐ to high‐latitude lower stratosphere and tropospheric annular mode responses, and have implications for how to proceed with high‐top low‐top model intercomparisons.
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spelling doaj-art-29927e09f6fc46ffb597e23b0c1b97832025-08-20T03:08:01ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072008-06-013512n/an/a10.1029/2008GL033573Impact of the stratosphere on tropospheric climate changeMichael Sigmond0John F. Scinocca1Paul J. Kushner2Department of Physics University of Toronto Toronto, Ontario CanadaCanadian Centre for Climate Modelling and Analysis Meteorological Service of Canada Victoria, British Columbia CanadaDepartment of Physics University of Toronto Toronto, Ontario CanadaThe atmospheric circulation response to CO2 doubling in various versions of an atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) without a well‐resolved stratosphere (“low‐top” model), is compared to the response in a version of the same AGCM with a well‐resolved stratosphere (“high‐top” model). The doubled CO2 response of the “best‐tuned” (i.e. operational) low‐top model version is significantly different from that in the best‐tuned high‐top model version. Additional experiments show that this difference is not caused by the model lid height, but instead can be mainly attributed to differences in the settings of parameterized orographic gravity‐wave drag which control the strength of the zonal wind in the mid‐ to high‐latitude lower stratosphere and the mean sea‐level pressure distribution. These findings suggest a link between the strength of the winds in the mid‐ to high‐latitude lower stratosphere and tropospheric annular mode responses, and have implications for how to proceed with high‐top low‐top model intercomparisons.https://doi.org/10.1029/2008GL033573stratosphere‐troposphere couplingclimate change
spellingShingle Michael Sigmond
John F. Scinocca
Paul J. Kushner
Impact of the stratosphere on tropospheric climate change
Geophysical Research Letters
stratosphere‐troposphere coupling
climate change
title Impact of the stratosphere on tropospheric climate change
title_full Impact of the stratosphere on tropospheric climate change
title_fullStr Impact of the stratosphere on tropospheric climate change
title_full_unstemmed Impact of the stratosphere on tropospheric climate change
title_short Impact of the stratosphere on tropospheric climate change
title_sort impact of the stratosphere on tropospheric climate change
topic stratosphere‐troposphere coupling
climate change
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2008GL033573
work_keys_str_mv AT michaelsigmond impactofthestratosphereontroposphericclimatechange
AT johnfscinocca impactofthestratosphereontroposphericclimatechange
AT pauljkushner impactofthestratosphereontroposphericclimatechange