Effects of doubled CO2 on tropical sea surface temperatures (SSTs) for onset of deep convection and maximum SST: Simulations based inferences

A primary concern of CO2‐induced warming is the associated rise of tropical (10S‐10N) sea‐surface temperatures (SSTs). GISS Model‐E was used to produce two sets of simulations‐one with the present‐day and one with doubled CO2 in the atmosphere. The intrinsic usefulness of model guidance in the tropi...

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Main Authors: Y. C. Sud, G. K. Walker, Y. P. Zhou, Gavin A. Schmidt, K.‐M. Lau, Robert F. Cahalan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2008-06-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2008GL033872
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author Y. C. Sud
G. K. Walker
Y. P. Zhou
Gavin A. Schmidt
K.‐M. Lau
Robert F. Cahalan
author_facet Y. C. Sud
G. K. Walker
Y. P. Zhou
Gavin A. Schmidt
K.‐M. Lau
Robert F. Cahalan
author_sort Y. C. Sud
collection DOAJ
description A primary concern of CO2‐induced warming is the associated rise of tropical (10S‐10N) sea‐surface temperatures (SSTs). GISS Model‐E was used to produce two sets of simulations‐one with the present‐day and one with doubled CO2 in the atmosphere. The intrinsic usefulness of model guidance in the tropics was confirmed when the model simulated realistic convective coupling between SSTs and atmospheric soundings and that the simulated‐data correlations between SSTs and 300 hPa moist‐static energies were similar to the observed. Model predicted SST limits for (i) the onset of deep convection and (ii) maximum SST, increased in the doubled CO2 environment. Changes in cloud heights, cloud frequencies, and cloud mass‐fractions showed that convective‐cloud changes increased the SSTs, while warmer mixed‐layer of the doubled CO2 contained ∼10% more water vapor; clearly that would be conducive to more intense storms and hurricanes.
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spelling doaj-art-6ed0d0981ff04f589b7372d7aab7f0fa2025-08-20T03:08:01ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072008-06-013512n/an/a10.1029/2008GL033872Effects of doubled CO2 on tropical sea surface temperatures (SSTs) for onset of deep convection and maximum SST: Simulations based inferencesY. C. Sud0G. K. Walker1Y. P. Zhou2Gavin A. Schmidt3K.‐M. Lau4Robert F. Cahalan5Laboratory for Atmospheres NASA GSFC Greenbelt Maryland USAScience Applications International Corp. Beltsville Maryland USAGoddard Earth Science and Technology University of Maryland Baltimore County Baltimore Maryland USAGoddard Institute of Space Studies New York New York USALaboratory for Atmospheres NASA GSFC Greenbelt Maryland USALaboratory for Atmospheres NASA GSFC Greenbelt Maryland USAA primary concern of CO2‐induced warming is the associated rise of tropical (10S‐10N) sea‐surface temperatures (SSTs). GISS Model‐E was used to produce two sets of simulations‐one with the present‐day and one with doubled CO2 in the atmosphere. The intrinsic usefulness of model guidance in the tropics was confirmed when the model simulated realistic convective coupling between SSTs and atmospheric soundings and that the simulated‐data correlations between SSTs and 300 hPa moist‐static energies were similar to the observed. Model predicted SST limits for (i) the onset of deep convection and (ii) maximum SST, increased in the doubled CO2 environment. Changes in cloud heights, cloud frequencies, and cloud mass‐fractions showed that convective‐cloud changes increased the SSTs, while warmer mixed‐layer of the doubled CO2 contained ∼10% more water vapor; clearly that would be conducive to more intense storms and hurricanes.https://doi.org/10.1029/2008GL033872tropical warminghighest SSTmoist convection
spellingShingle Y. C. Sud
G. K. Walker
Y. P. Zhou
Gavin A. Schmidt
K.‐M. Lau
Robert F. Cahalan
Effects of doubled CO2 on tropical sea surface temperatures (SSTs) for onset of deep convection and maximum SST: Simulations based inferences
Geophysical Research Letters
tropical warming
highest SST
moist convection
title Effects of doubled CO2 on tropical sea surface temperatures (SSTs) for onset of deep convection and maximum SST: Simulations based inferences
title_full Effects of doubled CO2 on tropical sea surface temperatures (SSTs) for onset of deep convection and maximum SST: Simulations based inferences
title_fullStr Effects of doubled CO2 on tropical sea surface temperatures (SSTs) for onset of deep convection and maximum SST: Simulations based inferences
title_full_unstemmed Effects of doubled CO2 on tropical sea surface temperatures (SSTs) for onset of deep convection and maximum SST: Simulations based inferences
title_short Effects of doubled CO2 on tropical sea surface temperatures (SSTs) for onset of deep convection and maximum SST: Simulations based inferences
title_sort effects of doubled co2 on tropical sea surface temperatures ssts for onset of deep convection and maximum sst simulations based inferences
topic tropical warming
highest SST
moist convection
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2008GL033872
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