Polar stratospheric clouds: A high latitude warming mechanism in an ancient greenhouse world

Details Polar stratospheric clouds: A high latitude warming mechanism in an ancient greenhouse world Polar stratospheric clouds: A high latitude warming mechanism in an ancient greenhouse world

Sep 1998

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1998georl..25.3517s&link_type=abstract

Geophysical Research Letters, Volume 25, Issue 18, p. 3517-3520

Physics

43

Meteorology And Atmospheric Dynamics: Paleoclimatology, Atmospheric Composition And Structure: Cloud Physics And Chemistry, Meteorology And Atmospheric Dynamics: Stratosphere/Troposphere Interactions, Global Change: Climate Dynamics

Scientific paper

The presence of water vapor clouds in the stratosphere produces warming in excess of tropospheric greenhouse warming, via radiative warming in the lower stratosphere. The stratospheric clouds form only in regions of very low temperature and so the warming produced by the clouds in concentrated in polar winter regions. Results from a paleoclimate modeling study that includes idealized, prescribed polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) show that the clouds cause up to 20°C of warming at high latitude surfaces of the winter hemisphere, with greatest impact in oceanic regions where sea ice is reduced. The modeled temperature response suggests that PSCs may have been a significant climate forcing factor for past time intervals associated with high concentrations of atmospheric methane. The clouds and associated warming may help to explain long-standing discrepancies between model-produced paleotemperatures and geologic proxy temperature interpretations at high latitudes, a persistent problem in studies of ancient greenhouse climates.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Polar stratospheric clouds: A high latitude warming mechanism in an ancient greenhouse world does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Polar stratospheric clouds: A high latitude warming mechanism in an ancient greenhouse world, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Polar stratospheric clouds: A high latitude warming mechanism in an ancient greenhouse world will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-816624