Polar Cooling Effect Due to Increase of Phytoplankton and Dimethyl-Sulfide Emission

The effects of increased dimethyl-sulfide (DMS) emissions due to increased marine phytoplankton activity are examined using an atmosphere-ocean coupled climate model. As the DMS emission flux from the ocean increases globally, large-scale cooling occurs due to the DMS-cloud condensation nuclei (CCN)...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Atmosphere
Main Authors: Ah-Hyun Kim, Seong Soo Yum, Hannah Lee, Dong Yeong Chang, Sungbo Shim
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2018
Subjects:
arctic cooling effect
dimethyl-sulfide
aerosol indirect effect
sea-ice increase
climate change
Meteorology. Climatology
QC851-999
Arctic
albedo
Climate change
Phytoplankton
Sea ice
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos9100384
https://doaj.org/article/003b945038f3496883441ae4594e686d
Description
Summary:The effects of increased dimethyl-sulfide (DMS) emissions due to increased marine phytoplankton activity are examined using an atmosphere-ocean coupled climate model. As the DMS emission flux from the ocean increases globally, large-scale cooling occurs due to the DMS-cloud condensation nuclei (CCN)-cloud albedo interactions. This cooling increases as DMS emissions are further increased, with the most pronounced effect occurring over the Arctic, which is likely associated with a change in sea-ice fraction as sea ice mediates the air-sea exchange of the radiation, moisture and heat flux. These results differ from recent studies that only considered the bio-physical feedback that led to amplified Arctic warming under greenhouse warming conditions. Therefore, climate negative feedback from DMS-CCN-cloud albedo interactions that involve marine phytoplankton and its impact on polar climate should be properly reflected in future climate models to better estimate climate change, especially over the polar regions.

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