Local radiative feedbacks over the Arctic based on observed short-term climate variations

• Published in: Geophysical Research Letters
• Other Authors: Zhang, Rudong (author), Wang, Hailong (author), Fu, Qiang (author), Pendergrass, Angeline G. (author), Wang, Minghuai (author), Yang, Yang (author), Ma, Po-Lun (author), Rasch, Philip J. (author)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: 2018
• Subjects: Arctic; albedo
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL077852

We compare various radiative feedbacks over the Arctic (60-90 degrees N) estimated from short-term climate variations occurring in reanalysis, satellite, and global climate model data sets using the combined Kernel-Gregory approach. The lapse rate and surface albedo feedbacks are positive, and their magnitudes are comparable. Relative to the tropics (30 degrees S-30 degrees N), the lapse rate feedback is the largest contributor to Arctic amplification among all feedbacks, followed by surface albedo feedback and Planck feedback deviation from its global mean. Both shortwave and longwave water vapor feedbacks are positive, leading to a significant positive net water vapor feedback over the Arctic. The net cloud feedback has large uncertainties including its sign, which strongly depends on the data used for all-sky and clear-sky radiative fluxes at the top of the atmosphere, the time periods considered, and the methods used to estimate the cloud feedback.