Oscillations in a simple climate-vegetation model
We formulate and analyze a simple dynamical systems model for climate-vegetation interaction. The planet we consider consists of a large ocean and a land surface on which vegetation can grow. The temperature affects vegetation growth on land and the amount of sea ice on the ocean. Conversely, vegeta...
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ftcdlib:oai:escholarship.org/ark:/13030/qt7b22z9fd 2023-05-15T18:17:55+02:00 Oscillations in a simple climate-vegetation model Rombouts, J Ghil, M 275 - 288 2015-05-07 application/pdf https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7b22z9fd unknown eScholarship, University of California qt7b22z9fd https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7b22z9fd public Nonlinear Processes in Geophysics, vol 22, iss 3 Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences Earth Sciences article 2015 ftcdlib 2021-04-16T07:10:16Z We formulate and analyze a simple dynamical systems model for climate-vegetation interaction. The planet we consider consists of a large ocean and a land surface on which vegetation can grow. The temperature affects vegetation growth on land and the amount of sea ice on the ocean. Conversely, vegetation and sea ice change the albedo of the planet, which in turn changes its energy balance and hence the temperature evolution. Our highly idealized, conceptual model is governed by two nonlinear, coupled ordinary differential equations, one for global temperature, the other for vegetation cover. The model exhibits either bistability between a vegetated and a desert state or oscillatory behavior. The oscillations arise through a Hopf bifurcation off the vegetated state, when the death rate of vegetation is low enough. These oscillations are anharmonic and exhibit a sawtooth shape that is characteristic of relaxation oscillations, as well as suggestive of the sharp deglaciations of the Quaternary. Our model's behavior can be compared, on the one hand, with the bistability of even simpler, Daisyworld-style climate-vegetation models. On the other hand, it can be integrated into the hierarchy of models trying to simulate and explain oscillatory behavior in the climate system. Rigorous mathematical results are obtained that link the nature of the feedbacks with the nature and the stability of the solutions. The relevance of model results to climate variability on various timescales is discussed. Article in Journal/Newspaper Sea ice University of California: eScholarship |
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Open Polar |
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University of California: eScholarship |
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topic |
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences Earth Sciences |
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Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences Earth Sciences Rombouts, J Ghil, M Oscillations in a simple climate-vegetation model |
topic_facet |
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences Earth Sciences |
description |
We formulate and analyze a simple dynamical systems model for climate-vegetation interaction. The planet we consider consists of a large ocean and a land surface on which vegetation can grow. The temperature affects vegetation growth on land and the amount of sea ice on the ocean. Conversely, vegetation and sea ice change the albedo of the planet, which in turn changes its energy balance and hence the temperature evolution. Our highly idealized, conceptual model is governed by two nonlinear, coupled ordinary differential equations, one for global temperature, the other for vegetation cover. The model exhibits either bistability between a vegetated and a desert state or oscillatory behavior. The oscillations arise through a Hopf bifurcation off the vegetated state, when the death rate of vegetation is low enough. These oscillations are anharmonic and exhibit a sawtooth shape that is characteristic of relaxation oscillations, as well as suggestive of the sharp deglaciations of the Quaternary. Our model's behavior can be compared, on the one hand, with the bistability of even simpler, Daisyworld-style climate-vegetation models. On the other hand, it can be integrated into the hierarchy of models trying to simulate and explain oscillatory behavior in the climate system. Rigorous mathematical results are obtained that link the nature of the feedbacks with the nature and the stability of the solutions. The relevance of model results to climate variability on various timescales is discussed. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Rombouts, J Ghil, M |
author_facet |
Rombouts, J Ghil, M |
author_sort |
Rombouts, J |
title |
Oscillations in a simple climate-vegetation model |
title_short |
Oscillations in a simple climate-vegetation model |
title_full |
Oscillations in a simple climate-vegetation model |
title_fullStr |
Oscillations in a simple climate-vegetation model |
title_full_unstemmed |
Oscillations in a simple climate-vegetation model |
title_sort |
oscillations in a simple climate-vegetation model |
publisher |
eScholarship, University of California |
publishDate |
2015 |
url |
https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7b22z9fd |
op_coverage |
275 - 288 |
genre |
Sea ice |
genre_facet |
Sea ice |
op_source |
Nonlinear Processes in Geophysics, vol 22, iss 3 |
op_relation |
qt7b22z9fd https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7b22z9fd |
op_rights |
public |
_version_ |
1766193393219665920 |