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Updated: Feb 3, 2026
09:04
Microbiologically Induced Calcite Precipitation Mediated by Sporosarcina pasteurii
Published on: April 16, 2016
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Mean precipitation change from a deepening troposphere
Nadir Jeevanjee1,2,3, David M Romps4,5
1Department of Geosciences, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ 08544; nadirj@princeton.edu.
Summary
Global climate models predict a 2-3% increase in global precipitation. A new theory explains this by linking precipitation to tropospheric depth, using radiative constraints and cooling profile invariance.
Area of Science:
- Climate Science
- Atmospheric Physics
Background:
- Global climate models (GCMs) predict a ~2-3% increase in global mean precipitation.
- The underlying physical mechanisms driving this prediction are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a simple theory explaining the predicted increase in global mean precipitation.
- To elucidate the primary controls on precipitation in a warming climate.
Main Methods:
- Developed a theory combining the radiative constraint on precipitation with the invariance of radiative cooling profiles in temperature coordinates.
- Tested the theory using idealized radiative-convective equilibrium simulations.
- Validated the theory's applicability to global climate models.
Main Results:
- The theory indicates that mean precipitation is primarily controlled by the depth of the troposphere, when measured in temperature coordinates.
- This provides a theoretical explanation for the robust 2-3% precipitation increase predicted by GCMs.
Conclusions:
- The depth of the troposphere, in temperature coordinates, is a key factor governing global precipitation changes.
- The developed theory offers a simplified yet powerful framework for understanding precipitation responses to climate change.
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