scholarly journals Spatial scale dependency of the modelled climatic response to deforestation

2012 ◽  
Vol 9 (10) ◽  
pp. 14639-14687 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Longobardi ◽  
A. Montenegro ◽  
H. Beltrami ◽  
M. Eby

Abstract. Deforestation is associated with increased atmospheric CO2 and alterations to the surface energy and mass balances that can lead to local and global climate changes. Previous modelling studies show that the global surface air temperature (SAT) response to deforestation depends on latitude, with most simulations showing that high latitude deforestation results in cooling, low latitude deforestation causes warming and that the mid latitude response is mixed. These earlier conclusions are based on simulated large scale land cover change, with complete removal of trees from whole latitude bands. Using a global climate model we determine effects of removing fractions of 5% to 100% of forested areas in the high, mid and low latitudes. All high latitude deforestation scenarios reduce mean global SAT, the opposite occurring for low latitude deforestation, although a decrease in SAT is registered over low latitude deforested areas. Mid latitude SAT response is mixed. For all simulations deforested areas tend to become drier and have lower surface air temperature, although soil temperatures increase over deforested mid and low latitude grid cells. For high latitude deforestation fractions of 45% and above, larger net primary productivity, in conjunction with colder and drier conditions after deforestation, cause an increase in soil carbon large enough to generate a previously not reported net drawdown of CO2 from the atmosphere. Our results support previous indications of the importance of changes in cloud cover in the modelled temperature response to deforestation at low latitudes. They also show the complex interaction between soil carbon dynamics and climate and the role this plays on the climatic response to land cover change.

2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 221-241 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. H. C. Bosmans ◽  
F. J. Hilgen ◽  
E. Tuenter ◽  
L. J. Lourens

Abstract. The influence of obliquity, the tilt of the Earth's rotational axis, on incoming solar radiation at low latitudes is small, yet many tropical and subtropical paleoclimate records reveal a clear obliquity signal. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain this signal, such as the remote influence of high-latitude glacials, the remote effect of insolation changes at mid- to high latitudes independent of glacial cyclicity, shifts in the latitudinal extent of the tropics, and changes in latitudinal insolation gradients. Using a sophisticated coupled ocean–atmosphere global climate model, EC-Earth, without dynamical ice sheets, we performed two experiments of obliquity extremes. Our results show that obliquity-induced changes in tropical climate can occur without high-latitude ice sheet fluctuations. Furthermore, the tropical circulation changes are consistent with obliquity-induced changes in the cross-equatorial insolation gradient, implying that this gradient may be used to explain obliquity signals in low-latitude paleoclimate records instead of the classic 65° N summer insolation curve.


2015 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 1335-1346 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. H. C. Bosmans ◽  
F. J. Hilgen ◽  
E. Tuenter ◽  
L. J. Lourens

Abstract. The influence of obliquity, the tilt of the Earth's rotational axis, on incoming solar radiation at low latitudes is small, yet many tropical and subtropical palaeoclimate records reveal a clear obliquity signal. Several mechanisms have been proposed to explain this signal, such as the remote influence of high-latitude glacials, the remote effect of insolation changes at mid- to high latitudes independent of glacial cyclicity, shifts in the latitudinal extent of the tropics, and changes in latitudinal insolation gradients. Using a sophisticated coupled ocean–atmosphere global climate model, EC-Earth, without dynamical ice sheets, we performed two idealized experiments of obliquity extremes. Our results show that obliquity-induced changes in tropical climate can occur without high-latitude ice sheet fluctuations. Furthermore, the tropical circulation changes are consistent with obliquity-induced changes in the cross-equatorial insolation gradient, suggesting that this gradient may be used to explain obliquity signals in low-latitude palaeoclimate records instead of the classical 65° N summer insolation curve.


2008 ◽  
Vol 21 (22) ◽  
pp. 5807-5819 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hengchun Ye

Abstract Potential benefits or disadvantages of increasing precipitation in high-latitude regions under a warming climate are dependent on how and in what form the precipitation occurs. Precipitation frequency and type are equally as important as quantity and intensity to understanding the seasonality of hydrological cycles and the health of the ecosystem in high-latitude regions. This study uses daily historical synoptic observation records during 1936–90 over the former USSR to reveal associations between the frequency of precipitation types (rainfall, snowfall, mixed solid and liquid, and wet days of all types) and surface air temperatures to determine potential changes in precipitation characteristics under a warming climate. Results from this particular study show that the frequency of precipitation of all types generally increases with air temperature during winter. However, both solid and liquid precipitation days predominantly decrease with air temperature during spring with a reduction in snowfall days being most significant. During autumn, snowfall days decrease while rainfall days increase resulting in overall decreases in wet days as air temperature increases. The data also reveal that, as snowfall days increase in relationship to increasing air temperatures, this increase may level out or even decrease as mean surface air temperature exceeds −8°C in winter. In spring and autumn, increasing rainfall days switch to decreasing when the mean surface air temperature goes above 6°C. The conclusion of this study is that changes in the frequency of precipitation types are highly dependent on the location’s air temperature and that threshold temperatures exist beyond which changes in an opposite direction occur.


2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (24) ◽  
pp. 7251-7267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Gao ◽  
T. Markkanen ◽  
L. Backman ◽  
H. M. Henttonen ◽  
J.-P. Pietikäinen ◽  
...  

Abstract. Land cover changes can impact the climate by influencing the surface energy and water balance. Naturally treeless or sparsely treed peatlands were extensively drained to stimulate forest growth in Finland over the second half of 20th century. The aim of this study is to investigate the biogeophysical effects of peatland forestation on regional climate in Finland. Two sets of 18-year climate simulations were done with the regional climate model REMO by using land cover data based on pre-drainage (1920s) and post-drainage (2000s) Finnish national forest inventories. In the most intensive peatland forestation area, located in the middle west of Finland, the results show a warming in April of up to 0.43 K in monthly-averaged daily mean 2 m air temperature, whereas a slight cooling from May to October of less than 0.1 K in general is found. Consequently, snow clearance days over that area are advanced up to 5 days in the mean of 15 years. No clear signal is found for precipitation. Through analysing the simulated temperature and energy balance terms, as well as snow depth over five selected subregions, a positive feedback induced by peatland forestation is found between decreased surface albedo and increased surface air temperature in the snow-melting period. Our modelled results show good qualitative agreements with the observational data. In general, decreased surface albedo in the snow-melting period and increased evapotranspiration in the growing period are the most important biogeophysical aspects induced by peatland forestation that cause changes in climate. The results from this study can be further integrally analysed with biogeochemical effects of peatland forestation to provide background information for adapting future forest management to mitigate climate warming effects. Moreover, they provide insights about the impacts of projected forestation of tundra at high latitudes due to climate change.


2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 39-52
Author(s):  
C. M. Hall ◽  
G. Hansen ◽  
F. Sigernes ◽  
K. M. Kuyeng Ruiz

Abstract. We present a seasonal climatology of tropopause altitude for 78° N 16° E derived from observations 2007–2010 by the SOUSY VHF radar on Svalbard. The spring minimum occurs one month later than that of surface air temperature and instead coincides with the maximum in ozone column density. This confirms similar studies based on radiosonde measurements in the arctic and demonstrates downward control by the stratosphere. If one is to exploit the potential of tropopause height as a metric for climate change at high latitude and elsewhere, it is imperative to observe and understand the processes which establish the tropopause – an understanding to which this study contributes.


2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 97
Author(s):  
Anwar Santoso ◽  
Dadang Nurmali ◽  
Mira Juangsih ◽  
Iyus Edi Rusnadi ◽  
Sri Ekawati ◽  
...  

The influence of geomagnetic storms on the ionosphere in the equatorial and low latitudes can be either rising or falling value of the value foF2 with the different response delay time. The difference in response is one of them allegedly influenced by the modification of Equatorial Electrojet (EEJ) generated by the penetration of high latitude electric field towards the low latitude electric field and the equator. Therefore, this paper analyzes the influence of the high latitude penetration of electric current to the low latitude electric current towards the ionosphere response to Indonesia's current geomagnetic storms using the data foF2 BPAA Sumedang (SMD; 6,910 S; 106,830E geographic coordinates or 16,550 S; 179,950 E magnetic coordinates) and data from the Biak geomagnetic field station (BIK; 1,080 S; 136,050 E geographic coordinates or  9,730 S; 207,390 E magnetic coordinates) in 2000-2001. The result showed that the injection of the electric field of the high latitudes to lower latitudes causing foF2 BPAA Sumedang to be disturbed. Onset of the foF2 disturbance in BPAA Sumedang started coincide with EEJ(HBIK-HDRW) and reached its minimum point with a time delay between 0 to 4 hours before and after Dst index reached the minimum point. For a delay time of 0 to 4 hours after the Dst index reached the minimum point, the results were in accordance with the research results from the prior research. However, for the time difference of between 0 to 4 hours before the Dst index reached the minimum point, the results differ from their results. AbstrakPengaruh badai geomagnet terhadap ionosfer di ekuator dan lintang rendah berupa naiknya nilai foF2 atau turunnya nilai foF2 dengan waktu tunda respon berbeda-beda. Perbedaan respon tersebut salah satunya diduga dipengaruhi oleh modifikasi Equatorial electrojet (EEJ) yang dihasilkan oleh penetrasi medan listrik lintang tinggi sampai daerah lintang rendah dan ekuator. Oleh karena itu, dalam makalah ini dilakukan analisis pengaruh penetrasi arus listrik lintang tinggi ke lintang rendah terhadap ionosfer saat badai geomagnet menggunakan data foF2 dari Balai Pengamatan Antariksa dan Atmosfer (BPAA) Sumedang (SMD; 6,910 LS; 106,830 BT koordinat geografis atau 16,550 LS; 179,950 BT koordinat magnet) dan data medan geomagnet dari stasiun Biak (BIK; 1,080 LS; 136,050 BT koordinat geografis atau 9,730 LS; 207,390 BT koordinat magnet) tahun 2000-2001. Hasilnya diperoleh bahwa penetrasi medan listrik dari lintang tinggi ke lintang lebih rendah Indonesia menyebabkan foF2 BPAA Sumedang terganggu. Onset gangguan foF2 BPAA Sumedang mulai terjadi bertepatan dengan EEJ(HBIK-HDRW) mencapai titik minimumnya dengan jeda waktu antara 0 sampai 4 jam sebelum dan sesudah indeks Dst mencapai minimum. Untuk beda waktu 0 sampai 4 jam sesudah indeks Dst mencapai minimum, hasilnya bersesuaian dengan hasil penelitian peneliti sebelumnya. Namun, untuk beda waktu 0 sampai 4 jam sebelum indeks Dst mencapai minimum, hasilnya merupakan temuan berbeda dari hasil mereka.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-47

Abstract Key processes associated with the leading intraseasonal variability mode of wintertime surface air temperature (SAT) over Eurasia and the Arctic region are investigated in this study. Characterized by a dipole distribution in SAT anomalies centered over north Eurasia and the Arctic, respectively, and coherent temperature anomalies vertically extending from the surface to 300hPa, this leading intraseasonal SAT mode and associated circulation have pronounced influences on global surface temperature anomalies including the East Asian winter monsoon region. By taking advantage of realistic simulations of the intraseasonal SAT mode in a global climate model, it is illustrated that temperature anomalies in the troposphere associated with the leading SAT mode are mainly due to dynamic processes, especially via the horizontal advection of winter mean temperature by intraseasonal circulation. While the cloud-radiative feedback is not critical in sustaining the temperature variability in the troposphere, it is found to play a crucial role in coupling temperature anomalies at the surface and in the free-atmosphere through anomalous surface downward longwave radiation. The variability in clouds associated with the intraseasonal SAT mode is closely linked to moisture anomalies generated by similar advective processes as for temperature anomalies. Model experiments suggest that this leading intraseasonal SAT mode can be sustained by internal atmospheric processes in the troposphere over the mid-to-high latitudes by excluding forcings from Arctic sea ice variability, tropical convective variability, and the stratospheric processes.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 1504 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jingyi Huang ◽  
Alfred E. Hartemink ◽  
Yakun Zhang

Soil organic carbon is a sink for mitigating increased atmospheric carbon. The international initiative “4 per 1000” aims at implementing practical actions on increasing soil carbon storage in soils under agriculture. This requires a fundamental understanding of the soil carbon changes across the globe. Several studies have suggested that the global soil organic carbon stocks (SOCS) have decreased due to global warming and land cover change, while others reported SOCS may increase under climate change and improved soil management. To better understand how a changing climate, land cover, and agricultural activities influence SOCS across large extents and long periods, the spatial and temporal variations of SOCS were estimated using a modified space-for-time substitution method over a 150-year period in the state of Wisconsin, USA. We used legacy soil datasets and environmental factors collected and estimated at different times across the state (169,639 km2) coupled with a machine-learning algorithm. The legacy soil datasets were collected from 1980 to 2002 from 550 soil profiles and harmonized to 0.30 m depth. The environmental factors consisted of 100-m soil property maps, 1-km annual temperature and precipitation maps, 250-m remote-sensing (i.e., Landsat)-derived yearly land cover maps and a 30-m digital elevation model. The model performance was moderate but can provide insights on understanding the impacts of different factors on SOCS changes across a large spatial and temporal extent. SOCS at the 0–0.30 m decreased at a rate of 0.1 ton ha−1 year−1 between 1850 and 1938 and increased at 0.2 ton ha−1 year−1 between 1980 and 2002. The spatial variation in SOCS at 0–0.30 m was mainly affected by land cover and soil types with the largest SOCS found in forest and wetland and Spodosols. The loss between 1850 and 1980 was most likely due to land cover change while the increase between 1980 and 2002 was due to best soil management practices (e.g., decreased erosion, reduced tillage, crop rotation and use of legume and cover crops).


2019 ◽  
Vol 32 (24) ◽  
pp. 8537-8561 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jiao Chen ◽  
Aiguo Dai ◽  
Yaocun Zhang

Abstract Increases in atmospheric greenhouse gases will not only raise Earth’s temperature but may also change its variability and seasonal cycle. Here CMIP5 model data are analyzed to quantify these changes in surface air temperature (Tas) and investigate the underlying processes. The models capture well the mean Tas seasonal cycle and variability and their changes in reanalysis, which shows decreasing Tas seasonal amplitudes and variability over the Arctic and Southern Ocean from 1979 to 2017. Daily Tas variability and seasonal amplitude are projected to decrease in the twenty-first century at high latitudes (except for boreal summer when Tas variability increases) but increase at low latitudes. The day of the maximum or minimum Tas shows large delays over high-latitude oceans, while it changes little at low latitudes. These Tas changes at high latitudes are linked to the polar amplification of warming and sea ice loss, which cause larger warming in winter than summer due to extra heating from the ocean during the cold season. Reduced sea ice cover also decreases its ability to cause Tas variations, contributing to the decreased Tas variability at high latitudes. Over low–midlatitude oceans, larger increases in surface evaporation in winter than summer (due to strong winter winds, strengthened winter winds in the Southern Hemisphere, and increased winter surface humidity gradients over the Northern Hemisphere low latitudes), coupled with strong ocean mixing in winter, lead to smaller surface warming in winter than summer and thus increased seasonal amplitudes there. These changes result in narrower (wider) Tas distributions over the high (low) latitudes, which may have important implications for other related fields.


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