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An improved ENSO simulation by representing chlorophyll-induced climate feedback in the NCAR Community Earth System Model.

ABSTRACT: The El Niño-Southern oscillation (ENSO) simulated in the Community Earth System Model of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR CESM) is much stronger than in reality. Here, satellite data are used to derive a statistical relationship between interannual variations in oceanic chlorophyll (CHL) and sea surface temperature (SST), which is then incorporated into the CESM to represent oceanic chlorophyll -induced climate feedback in the tropical Pacific. Numerical runs with and without the feedback (referred to as feedback and non-feedback runs) are performed and compared with each other. The ENSO amplitude simulated in the feedback run is more accurate than that in the non-feedback run; quantitatively, the Niño3 SST index is reduced by 35% when the feedback is included. The underlying processes are analyzed and the results show that interannual CHL anomalies exert a systematic modulating effect on the solar radiation penetrating into the subsurface layers, which induces differential heating in the upper ocean that affects vertical mixing and thus SST. The statistical modeling approach proposed in this work offers an effective and economical way for improving climate simulations.

SUBMITTER: Kang X

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5719437 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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An improved ENSO simulation by representing chlorophyll-induced climate feedback in the NCAR Community Earth System Model.

Kang Xianbiao X Zhang Rong-Hua RH Gao Chuan C Zhu Jieshun J

Scientific reports 20171207 1

The El Niño-Southern oscillation (ENSO) simulated in the Community Earth System Model of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR CESM) is much stronger than in reality. Here, satellite data are used to derive a statistical relationship between interannual variations in oceanic chlorophyll (CHL) and sea surface temperature (SST), which is then incorporated into the CESM to represent oceanic chlorophyll -induced climate feedback in the tropical Pacific. Numerical runs with and without t ...[more]

PMID: 29215021

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Project description:Abstract We describe the approach taken to develop the United Kingdom's first community Earth system model, UKESM1. This is a joint effort involving the Met Office and the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), representing the U.K. academic community. We document our model development procedure and the subsequent U.K. submission to CMIP6, based on a traceable hierarchy of coupled physical and Earth system models. UKESM1 builds on the well?established, world?leading HadGEM models of the physical climate system and incorporates cutting?edge new representations of aerosols, atmospheric chemistry, terrestrial carbon, and nitrogen cycles and an advanced model of ocean biogeochemistry. A high?level metric of overall performance shows that both models, HadGEM3?GC3.1 and UKESM1, perform better than most other CMIP6 models so far submitted for a broad range of variables. We point to much more extensive evaluation performed in other papers in this special issue. The merits of not using any forced climate change simulations within our model development process are discussed. First results from HadGEM3?GC3.1 and UKESM1 include the emergent climate sensitivity (5.5 and 5.4?K, respectively) which is high relative to the current range of CMIP5 models. The role of cloud microphysics and cloud?aerosol interactions in driving the climate sensitivity, and the systematic approach taken to understand this role, is highlighted in other papers in this special issue. We place our findings within the broader modeling landscape indicating how our understanding of key processes driving higher sensitivity in the two U.K. models seems to align with results from a number of other CMIP6 models. Key Points The United Kingdom has developed its first community Earth system model and delivered a traceable hierarchy of models to CMIP6 We applied a process?based evaluation strategy in model development but chose not to use historic trends or measures of climate response The U.K. models exhibit higher climate sensitivity than seen in CMIP5 arising in part from more positive cloud feedbacks

Dataset Information

An improved ENSO simulation by representing chlorophyll-induced climate feedback in the NCAR Community Earth System Model.

Publications

An improved ENSO simulation by representing chlorophyll-induced climate feedback in the NCAR Community Earth System Model.

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