The Planet Simulator: Green planet and desert world

• Published in: Meteorologische Zeitschrift
• Main Authors: Klaus Fraedrich, Heiko Jansen, Edilbert Kirk, Frank Lunkeit
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Borntraeger 2005
• Subjects: Meteorology. Climatology; QC851-999; Sea ice
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1127/0941-2948/2005/0044; https://doaj.org/article/e4c43e6e0c154cdebe14c283b7afa418

An application of the Planet Simulator is presented to estimate the maximum effect of vegetation on the Earth's climate. Four sets of sensitivity experiments are performed: (1) All vegetation related land surface parameters are changed simultaneously. (2) Only one effect of vegetation on climate is considered: albedo, surface roughness and soil hydrology. To identify the nature of vegetation-climate interaction, linear superposition and non-linear interaction of these three effects are compared. (3) The first experimental set-up is repeated but with mixed-layer ocean and thermodynamic sea-ice. (4) The effect of enhanced greenhouse gas concentrations on extreme vegetation climates is analysed repeating the preceding experimental setup with twice the CO2 concentration (compared to set-3).