Multi‐Model Assessment of the Role of Anthropogenic Aerosols in Summertime Climate Change in Europe

Abstract Global and regional climate models (respectively GCMs and RCMs) are delivering conflicting messages about summertime climate change in Europe, revealing notably a weaker warming in RCMs. A dedicated multimodel ensemble of nine GCM‐RCM pairs is analyzed to assess the role of anthropogenic ae...

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Main Authors: P. Nabat, S. Somot, J. Boé, L. Corre, E. Katragkou, S. Li, M. Mallet, E. vanMeijgaard, V. Pavlidis, J.‐P. Pietikäinen, S. Sørland, F. Solmon
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-03-01
Series:Geophysical Research Letters
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL112474
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author P. Nabat
S. Somot
J. Boé
L. Corre
E. Katragkou
S. Li
M. Mallet
E. vanMeijgaard
V. Pavlidis
J.‐P. Pietikäinen
S. Sørland
F. Solmon
author_facet P. Nabat
S. Somot
J. Boé
L. Corre
E. Katragkou
S. Li
M. Mallet
E. vanMeijgaard
V. Pavlidis
J.‐P. Pietikäinen
S. Sørland
F. Solmon
author_sort P. Nabat
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Global and regional climate models (respectively GCMs and RCMs) are delivering conflicting messages about summertime climate change in Europe, revealing notably a weaker warming in RCMs. A dedicated multimodel ensemble of nine GCM‐RCM pairs is analyzed to assess the role of anthropogenic aerosols in these inconsistencies. The expected decrease of anthropogenic aerosol concentrations is found both to modify the future evolution of shortwave radiation and to generate an extra warming. For every tenth in aerosol optical depth drop in Central Europe, shortwave radiation is increased at the surface by 6.3 Wm−2 and decreased at the top of the atmosphere by 5.6 Wm−2, while near‐surface temperature is increased by 0.3°C. The consideration of time‐varying anthropogenic aerosols in RCMs thus contributes to improving GCM/RCM consistency in Europe for these three variables, but not for water cycle. The results obtained underline the necessity to better consider aerosols in upcoming regional climate simulations.
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spelling doaj-art-bb2a25a981714eceb21c8e08c1b9e9b72025-08-20T03:10:57ZengWileyGeophysical Research Letters0094-82761944-80072025-03-01526n/an/a10.1029/2024GL112474Multi‐Model Assessment of the Role of Anthropogenic Aerosols in Summertime Climate Change in EuropeP. Nabat0S. Somot1J. Boé2L. Corre3E. Katragkou4S. Li5M. Mallet6E. vanMeijgaard7V. Pavlidis8J.‐P. Pietikäinen9S. Sørland10F. Solmon11CNRM Université de Toulouse Météo‐France CNRS Toulouse FranceCNRM Université de Toulouse Météo‐France CNRS Toulouse FranceCECI Université de Toulouse CERFACS/CNRS Toulouse FranceMétéo‐France Toulouse FranceDepartment of Meteorology and Climatology School of Geology Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Thessaloniki GreeceInstitute for Atmospheric and Climate Science Zurich SwitzerlandCNRM Université de Toulouse Météo‐France CNRS Toulouse FranceRoyal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) De Bilt The NetherlandsDepartment of Meteorology and Climatology School of Geology Aristotle University of Thessaloniki Thessaloniki GreeceClimate Service Center Germany (GERICS) Helmholtz‐Zentrum Hereon Hamburg GermanyInstitute for Atmospheric and Climate Science Zurich SwitzerlandLaboratoire D’Aérologie CNRS Toulouse FranceAbstract Global and regional climate models (respectively GCMs and RCMs) are delivering conflicting messages about summertime climate change in Europe, revealing notably a weaker warming in RCMs. A dedicated multimodel ensemble of nine GCM‐RCM pairs is analyzed to assess the role of anthropogenic aerosols in these inconsistencies. The expected decrease of anthropogenic aerosol concentrations is found both to modify the future evolution of shortwave radiation and to generate an extra warming. For every tenth in aerosol optical depth drop in Central Europe, shortwave radiation is increased at the surface by 6.3 Wm−2 and decreased at the top of the atmosphere by 5.6 Wm−2, while near‐surface temperature is increased by 0.3°C. The consideration of time‐varying anthropogenic aerosols in RCMs thus contributes to improving GCM/RCM consistency in Europe for these three variables, but not for water cycle. The results obtained underline the necessity to better consider aerosols in upcoming regional climate simulations.https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL112474aerosolsregional climate modelclimate changefuture climate in Europe
spellingShingle P. Nabat
S. Somot
J. Boé
L. Corre
E. Katragkou
S. Li
M. Mallet
E. vanMeijgaard
V. Pavlidis
J.‐P. Pietikäinen
S. Sørland
F. Solmon
Multi‐Model Assessment of the Role of Anthropogenic Aerosols in Summertime Climate Change in Europe
Geophysical Research Letters
aerosols
regional climate model
climate change
future climate in Europe
title Multi‐Model Assessment of the Role of Anthropogenic Aerosols in Summertime Climate Change in Europe
title_full Multi‐Model Assessment of the Role of Anthropogenic Aerosols in Summertime Climate Change in Europe
title_fullStr Multi‐Model Assessment of the Role of Anthropogenic Aerosols in Summertime Climate Change in Europe
title_full_unstemmed Multi‐Model Assessment of the Role of Anthropogenic Aerosols in Summertime Climate Change in Europe
title_short Multi‐Model Assessment of the Role of Anthropogenic Aerosols in Summertime Climate Change in Europe
title_sort multi model assessment of the role of anthropogenic aerosols in summertime climate change in europe
topic aerosols
regional climate model
climate change
future climate in Europe
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL112474
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