Interpretation of cloud-climate feedback as produced by 14 atmospheric general circulation models

R. D. Cess; G. L. Potter; J. P. Blanchet; G. J. Boer; S. J. Ghan; J. T. Kiehl; H. Le Treut; Z. X. Li; X. Z. Liang; J. F.B. Mitchell; J. J. Morcrette; D. A. Randall; M. R. Riches; E. Roeckner; U. Schlese; A. Slingo; K. E. Taylor; W. M. Washington; R. T. Wetherald; I. Yagai

doi:10.1126/science.245.4917.513

Interpretation of cloud-climate feedback as produced by 14 atmospheric general circulation models

R. D. Cess
, G. L. Potter
, J. P. Blanchet
, G. J. Boer
, S. J. Ghan
, J. T. Kiehl
, H. Le Treut
, Z. X. Li
, X. Z. Liang
, J. F.B. Mitchell
, J. J. Morcrette
, D. A. Randall
, M. R. Riches
, E. Roeckner
, U. Schlese
, A. Slingo
, K. E. Taylor
, W. M. Washington
, R. T. Wetherald
, I. Yagai

Stony Brook University
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory
Meteorological Research Branch
National Center for Atmospheric Research
Université Pierre et Marie Curie
Institute of Atmospheric Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences
Now at Met Office Hadley Centre
European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts
Cooperative Institute for Research in the Atmosphere
U.S. Department of Energy
Universität Hamburg
Princeton University
JMA Meteorological Research Institute

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Understanding the cause of differences among general circulation model projections of carbon dioxide-induced climatic change is a necessary step toward improving the models. An intercomparison of 14 atmospheric general circulation models, for which sea surface temperature perturbations were used as a surrogate climate change, showed that there was a roughly threefold variation in global climate sensitivity. Most of this variation is attributable to differences in the models' depictions of cloud-climate feedback, a result that emphasizes the need for improvements in the treatment of clouds in these models if they are ultimately to be used as climatic predictors.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	513-516
Number of pages	4
Journal	Science
Volume	245
Issue number	4917
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.245.4917.513
Publication status	Published - 1 Jan 1989

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SDG 13 Climate Action

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10.1126/science.245.4917.513

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Cess, R. D., Potter, G. L., Blanchet, J. P., Boer, G. J., Ghan, S. J., Kiehl, J. T., Le Treut, H., Li, Z. X., Liang, X. Z., Mitchell, J. F. B., Morcrette, J. J., Randall, D. A., Riches, M. R., Roeckner, E., Schlese, U., Slingo, A., Taylor, K. E., Washington, W. M., Wetherald, R. T., & Yagai, I. (1989). Interpretation of cloud-climate feedback as produced by 14 atmospheric general circulation models. Science, 245(4917), 513-516. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.245.4917.513

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title = "Interpretation of cloud-climate feedback as produced by 14 atmospheric general circulation models",

abstract = "Understanding the cause of differences among general circulation model projections of carbon dioxide-induced climatic change is a necessary step toward improving the models. An intercomparison of 14 atmospheric general circulation models, for which sea surface temperature perturbations were used as a surrogate climate change, showed that there was a roughly threefold variation in global climate sensitivity. Most of this variation is attributable to differences in the models' depictions of cloud-climate feedback, a result that emphasizes the need for improvements in the treatment of clouds in these models if they are ultimately to be used as climatic predictors.",

author = "Cess, \{R. D.\} and Potter, \{G. L.\} and Blanchet, \{J. P.\} and Boer, \{G. J.\} and Ghan, \{S. J.\} and Kiehl, \{J. T.\} and \{Le Treut\}, H. and Li, \{Z. X.\} and Liang, \{X. Z.\} and Mitchell, \{J. F.B.\} and Morcrette, \{J. J.\} and Randall, \{D. A.\} and Riches, \{M. R.\} and E. Roeckner and U. Schlese and A. Slingo and Taylor, \{K. E.\} and Washington, \{W. M.\} and Wetherald, \{R. T.\} and I. Yagai",

year = "1989",

month = jan,

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doi = "10.1126/science.245.4917.513",

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Cess, RD, Potter, GL, Blanchet, JP, Boer, GJ, Ghan, SJ, Kiehl, JT, Le Treut, H, Li, ZX, Liang, XZ, Mitchell, JFB, Morcrette, JJ, Randall, DA, Riches, MR, Roeckner, E, Schlese, U, Slingo, A, Taylor, KE, Washington, WM, Wetherald, RT & Yagai, I 1989, 'Interpretation of cloud-climate feedback as produced by 14 atmospheric general circulation models', Science, vol. 245, no. 4917, pp. 513-516. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.245.4917.513

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T1 - Interpretation of cloud-climate feedback as produced by 14 atmospheric general circulation models

AU - Cess, R. D.

AU - Potter, G. L.

AU - Blanchet, J. P.

AU - Boer, G. J.

AU - Ghan, S. J.

AU - Kiehl, J. T.

AU - Le Treut, H.

AU - Li, Z. X.

AU - Liang, X. Z.

AU - Mitchell, J. F.B.

AU - Morcrette, J. J.

AU - Randall, D. A.

AU - Riches, M. R.

AU - Roeckner, E.

AU - Schlese, U.

AU - Slingo, A.

AU - Taylor, K. E.

AU - Washington, W. M.

AU - Wetherald, R. T.

AU - Yagai, I.

PY - 1989/1/1

Y1 - 1989/1/1

N2 - Understanding the cause of differences among general circulation model projections of carbon dioxide-induced climatic change is a necessary step toward improving the models. An intercomparison of 14 atmospheric general circulation models, for which sea surface temperature perturbations were used as a surrogate climate change, showed that there was a roughly threefold variation in global climate sensitivity. Most of this variation is attributable to differences in the models' depictions of cloud-climate feedback, a result that emphasizes the need for improvements in the treatment of clouds in these models if they are ultimately to be used as climatic predictors.

AB - Understanding the cause of differences among general circulation model projections of carbon dioxide-induced climatic change is a necessary step toward improving the models. An intercomparison of 14 atmospheric general circulation models, for which sea surface temperature perturbations were used as a surrogate climate change, showed that there was a roughly threefold variation in global climate sensitivity. Most of this variation is attributable to differences in the models' depictions of cloud-climate feedback, a result that emphasizes the need for improvements in the treatment of clouds in these models if they are ultimately to be used as climatic predictors.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/0024472358

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DO - 10.1126/science.245.4917.513

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VL - 245

SP - 513

EP - 516

JO - Science

JF - Science

IS - 4917

ER -

Interpretation of cloud-climate feedback as produced by 14 atmospheric general circulation models

Abstract

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