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Paleoclimate pattern effects help constrain climate sensitivity and 21st-century warming.
Vincent T Cooper1, Kyle C Armour1,2, Gregory J Hakim1
1Department of Atmospheric and Climate Science, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195.
Summary
Paleoclimates like the Pliocene inform Earth's climate sensitivity to greenhouse gases. Accounting for past "pattern effects" refines modern climate sensitivity estimates to 2.8°C, reducing future warming uncertainty.
Area of Science:
- Paleoclimatology
- Climate modeling
- Earth system science
Background:
- Paleoclimates offer insights into Earth's climate sensitivity to greenhouse-gas emissions.
- The Pliocene epoch (5.3-2.6 Ma) serves as a key analog for modern warming due to similar CO2 levels.
- Previous estimates of Pliocene warmth and Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) cooling suggest higher climate sensitivity than currently accepted.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate how paleoclimate temperature patterns influence climate sensitivity estimates.
- To account for "pattern effects" arising from differences between past and present climate states when inferring climate sensitivity.
- To refine estimates of modern Earth's climate sensitivity by incorporating paleoclimate data and modeling.
Main Methods:
- Combined data-assimilation reconstructions with atmospheric general circulation models.
- Analyzed Pliocene and LGM climate reconstructions, considering factors like ice sheets, topography, and vegetation.
- Quantified the impact of paleoclimate "pattern effects" on climate feedbacks and sensitivity.
Main Results:
- Earth's climate demonstrated higher sensitivity to Pliocene forcing compared to modern CO2 forcing.
- Pliocene ice sheets, topography, and vegetation altered ocean warming patterns and amplified cloud feedbacks.
- LGM feedbacks were similarly amplified by North American ice sheets.
Conclusions:
- Accounting for paleoclimate "pattern effects" is crucial for accurate climate sensitivity assessments.
- The refined best estimate for modern climate sensitivity is 2.8°C (66% CI: 2.4–3.4°C).
- This study substantially reduces uncertainty in projections of 21st-century global warming.
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