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The implication of radiative forcing and feedback for meridional energy transport
Author(s) -
Huang Yi,
Zhang Minghong
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1002/2013gl059079
Subject(s) - equator , cloud forcing , cloud feedback , radiative forcing , zonal and meridional , atmospheric sciences , environmental science , forcing (mathematics) , shortwave , longwave , shortwave radiation , climatology , radiative equilibrium , albedo (alchemy) , northern hemisphere , radiative transfer , latitude , coupled model intercomparison project , climate model , geology , physics , climate sensitivity , aerosol , radiation , climate change , meteorology , art , oceanography , geodesy , quantum mechanics , performance art , art history
The distributions of radiative forcing and feedback in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5 abrupt4xCO2 and Historical experiments are diagnosed, with a focus on their effects on the zonal mean structure of the top‐of‐the‐atmosphere radiation anomalies and implications for the meridional energy transport. It is found that because the greenhouse gas longwave forcing peaks in the low latitudes, it reinforces the equator‐to‐pole net radiation gradient and accounts for the increase in the poleward energy transport in both hemispheres under global warming. The shortwave forcing by aerosol, ozone, etc. peaks in the Northern Hemisphere and instead implies an interhemispheric energy transport. Although the water vapor feedback also reinforces the equator‐to‐pole gradient of the net radiation, the temperature and albedo feedback act against it. The feedback tend to offset the zonal mean radiation anomaly caused by the forcing, although the overall feedback effect on the energy transport is rather uncertain, mainly due to the uncertainty in the cloud feedback.