Publication Abstracts

Rind et al. 1995

Rind, D., R. Healy, C. Parkinson, and D. Martinson, 1995: The role of sea ice in 2×CO2 climate model sensitivity. Part I: The total influence of sea ice thickness and extent. J. Climate, 8, 449-463, doi:10.1175/1520-0442(1995)008<0449:TROSII>2.0.CO;2.

As a first step in investigating the effects of sea ice changes on the climate sensitivity to doubled atmospheric CO2, the authors use a standard simple sea ice model while varying the sea ice distributions and thicknesses in the control run. Thinner ice amplifies the atmospheric temperature sensitivity, in these experiments by about 15% (to a warming of 4.8°C), because it is easier for the thinner ice to be removed as climate warms. Thus its impact on sensitivity is similar to that of greater sea ice extent in the control run, which provides more opportunity for sea ice reduction. An experiment with sea ice not allowed to change between the control and doubled CO2 simulations illustrates that the total effect of sea ice on surface air temperature changes, including cloud cover and water vapor feedbacks which arise in response to sea ice variations, amounts to 37% of the temperature sensitivity to the CO2 doubling, accounting for 1.56°C of the 4.17°C global warming. This is about four times larger than the sea ice impact when no feedbacks are allowed. The different experiments produce a range of results for southern high latitudes, with the hydrologic budget over Antarctica implying sea level increases of varying magnitude or no change. These results highlight the importance of properly constraining the sea ice response to climate perturbations, necessitating the use of more realistic sea ice and ocean models.

Export citation: [ BibTeX ] [ RIS ]

BibTeX Citation

@article{ri02600e,
  author={Rind, D. and Healy, R. and Parkinson, C. and Martinson, D.},
  title={The role of sea ice in 2×CO2 climate model sensitivity. Part I: The total influence of sea ice thickness and extent},
  year={1995},
  journal={Journal of Climate},
  volume={8},
  pages={449--463},
  doi={10.1175/1520-0442(1995)008%3C0449%3ATROSII%3E2.0.CO;2},
}

[ Close ]

RIS Citation

TY  - JOUR
ID  - ri02600e
AU  - Rind, D.
AU  - Healy, R.
AU  - Parkinson, C.
AU  - Martinson, D.
PY  - 1995
TI  - The role of sea ice in 2×CO2 climate model sensitivity. Part I: The total influence of sea ice thickness and extent
JA  - J. Climate
JO  - Journal of Climate
VL  - 8
SP  - 449
EP  - 463
DO  - 10.1175/1520-0442(1995)008%3C0449%3ATROSII%3E2.0.CO;2
ER  -

[ Close ]

• Return to 1995 Publications

• Return to Publications Homepage