Time varying arctic climate change amplification

• Main Authors: Chylek, P., Dubey, M. K., Lesins, G., Wang, M.
• Other Authors: United States. Department of Energy.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Los Alamos National Laboratory 2009
• Subjects: Amplification; Greenland; Seas; 58; Albedo; Ambient Temperature; Melting; Climates; Time Dependence; Ice; Arctic Regions; Climate Models; Surface Air; Arctic; albedo; Climate change; Ice Sheet; Sea ice
• Online Access: https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc926903/

During the past 130 years the global mean surface air temperature has risen by about 0.75 K. Due to feedbacks -- including the snow/ice albedo feedback -- the warming in the Arctic is expected to proceed at a faster rate than the global average. Climate model simulations suggest that this Arctic amplification produces warming that is two to three times larger than the global mean. Understanding the Arctic amplification is essential for projections of future Arctic climate including sea ice extent and melting of the Greenland ice sheet. We use the temperature records from the Arctic stations to show that (a) the Arctic amplification is larger at latitudes above 700 N compared to those within 64-70oN belt, and that, surprisingly; (b) the ratio of the Arctic to global rate of temperature change is not constant but varies on the decadal timescale. This time dependence will affect future projections of climate changes in the Arctic.