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POLAR SNOW COVER CHANGES AND GLOBAL WARMING
Author(s) -
YE HENGCHUN,
MATHER JOHN R.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
international journal of climatology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.58
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-0088
pISSN - 0899-8418
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0088(199702)17:2<155::aid-joc111>3.0.co;2-6
Subject(s) - snow , climatology , precipitation , latitude , northern hemisphere , environmental science , polar , general circulation model , atmospheric sciences , atmospheric circulation , snow line , high latitude , snow cover , climate change , geology , meteorology , geography , oceanography , physics , geodesy , astronomy
Abstract Many general circulation models suggest that current precipitation amounts in polar latitudes will increase under double CO 2 scenarios. Even though temperatures in such high‐latitude regions should also increase under a doubling of CO 2 , as long as those temperatures remain below freezing, the increased precipitation should accumulate as snow. A study of both current and double CO 2 temperature and precipitation data for all land areas poleward of 60° latitude using three different general circulation models suggests possible changes in snow accumulation due to increasing CO 2 . Increased snow accumulation will occur in the Antarctic whereas a small decrease in snow depth is to be expected in the Northern Hemisphere. Total snow accumulation for all land areas poleward of latitude 60° is found to increase under a double CO 2 scenario. © 1997 by the Royal Meteorological Society.