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Enhancement of non‐CO 2 radiative forcing via intensified carbon cycle feedbacks
Author(s) -
MacDougall Andrew H.,
Knutti Reto
Publication year - 2016
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 - 10.1002/2016gl068964
Subject(s) - radiative forcing , environmental science , greenhouse gas , carbon cycle , atmospheric sciences , forcing (mathematics) , carbon fibers , carbon sink , global warming , atmosphere (unit) , carbon dioxide , greenhouse effect , climatology , climate change , climate model , chemistry , meteorology , materials science , physics , geology , ecosystem , ecology , oceanography , organic chemistry , composite number , composite material , biology
The global carbon cycle is sensitive to changes in global temperature and atmospheric CO 2 concentration, with increased temperature tending to reduce the efficiency of carbon sinks and increased CO 2 enhancing the efficiency of carbon sinks. The emission of non‐CO 2 greenhouse gases warms the Earth but does not induce the CO 2 fertilization effect or increase the partial‐pressure gradient between the atmosphere and the surface ocean. Here we present idealized climate model experiments that explore the indirect interaction between non‐CO 2 forcing and the carbon cycle. The experiments suggest that this interaction enhances the warming effect of the non‐CO 2 forcing by up to 25% after 150 years and that much of the warming caused by these agents lingers for over 100 years after the dissipation of the non‐CO 2 forcing. Overall, our results suggest that the longer emissions of non‐CO 2 forcing agents persists the greater effect these agents will have on global climate.