Distinct Patterns of Climate Response to Anthropogenic Aerosol Versus Greenhouse Gas Forcing

Abstract:

Patterns of climate response to anthropogenic aerosols and well-mixed greenhouse gas (GHG) changes are investigated using eight models from Phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project. In the 20^th century, the principal climate response patterns show both similarities and differences between aerosol and GHG runs. This paper focuses on distinct patterns of climate response to aerosol and GHG changes, while a recent companion study discussed the similarities.

The GHG induced radiative forcing gives rise to amplified warming in the tropical upper troposphere and intensified mid-latitude jets in both hemispheres. However, for the anthropogenic aerosols, they are concentrated in the Northern Hemisphere and the temperature change shows a deep cooling structure in the troposphere around 40°N. Consistent with thermal wind balance, the cooling anchors a westerly acceleration to its south in aerosol runs. The response to aerosol induced inter-hemispheric asymmetry is also interpreted in terms of an anomalous Hadley circulation across the equator. Careful comparison indicates that the aerosol forcing dominates the Northern Hemisphere response in atmospheric circulation and precipitation, including a southward shift of the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone, the drying trend over the East Asia monsoon region, the southward shift of the East Asia westerly jet and the North Pacific cooling. The GHG forcing dominates the tropical Pacific rainfall increase mediated by the sea surface temperature pattern. Several climate response pattern indices are evaluated for the relative importance of aerosol and GHG forcing. The aerosol induced inter-hemisphere thermal contrast plays a key role in inducing climate response patterns that are quite different from the results in GHG runs.