Analysis of the atmospheric circulation simulated by GCMs over Greenland

• Main Authors: Belleflamme, Alexandre, Fettweis, Xavier, Erpicum, Michel
• Format: Conference Object
• Language: English
• Published: 2010
• Subjects: General Circulation models; Greenland; Atmospheric circulation; Atmospheric circulation type classification; COST733 action; Modèles de circulation générale; Groenland; Circulation atmosphérique; Classification de types de circulations atmosphériques; Action COST733; Physical; chemical; mathematical & earth Sciences; Earth sciences & physical geography; Physique; chimie; mathématiques & sciences de la terre; Sciences de la terre & géographie physique; Ice Sheet
• Online Access: https://orbi.uliege.be/handle/2268/75356; https://orbi.uliege.be/bitstream/2268/75356/1/a_belleflamme_meteoclim_2010.pdf

The variability of the geopotential height at 500 hPa simulated by General Circulation Models (GCMs) over Greenland is evaluated using an atmospheric circulation type classification. The GCM outputs for the current climate (20C3M) are first compared to reanalysis data over 1961-1990. The comparison shows that most of them simulate well the main circulation types but fail to reproduce their frequencies because of underestimations of circulation variability and biases in the mean geopotential height. GCM-based future projections do not individualise new circulation types but show a general increase of the geopotential height. Based on this approach, the correlation between surface temperature and atmospheric circulation offers a new way for estimating the Greenland ice sheet melt.