Thermodynamic and Dynamic Mechanisms for Large-Scale Changes in the Hydrological Cycle in Response to Global Warming*
Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory · Columbia University · +1 more institution
Abstract
Abstract The mechanisms of changes in the large-scale hydrological cycle projected by 15 models participating in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 3 and used for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Fourth Assessment Report are analyzed by computing differences between 2046 and 2065 and 1961 and 2000. The contributions to changes in precipitation minus evaporation, P − E, caused thermodynamically by changes in specific humidity, dynamically by changes in circulation, and by changes in moisture transports by transient eddies are evaluated. The thermodynamic and dynamic contributions are further separated into advective and divergent components. The nonthermodynamic contributions are…
Citation impact
- FWCI
- 22.49
- Percentile
- 100%
- References
- 28
Authors
3Topics & keywords
- Hadley cell
- Intertropical Convergence Zone
- Climatology
- Precipitation
- Advection
- Environmental science
- Subtropics
- Atmospheric sciences
- Climate action