PCMDI > WCRP CMIP3 Model Output > Diagnostic Subprojects

PI:	Rowan Sutton
Institution:	University of Reading
Additional Investigators:	Jonathan Gregory
Abstract:
Climate models are generally consistent in showing greater surface warming over land than over the sea in response to greenhouse gas forcing. However, the ratio of land to sea warming varies by up to a factor of 2 between different models. The aim of this project is to understand the factors that determine the ratio of warming over land to warming over sea, and the dependence of this ratio on latitude, in CMIP integrations. The analysis will be conducted by Jonathan Gregory and Rowan Sutton at the Centre for Global Atmospheric Modelling at the University of Readihg, UK. The initial focus will be on the 1% CO2 integrations and the equilibrium slab experiments. Data required will include gridpoint values of a wide range of (primarily) surface fields: surface temperatures and surface fluxes especially and, where available, surface specific humidity, soil moisture, snow depth etc. Plus the land/sea mask!
Publications:
Sutton, R. T., B.-W. Dong, and J. M. Gregory, 2007: Land/sea warming ratio in response to climate change: IPCC AR4 model results and comparison with observations. Geophys. Res. Lett., 34, L08705, doi:10.1029/2006GL025766. Abstract. Full Article. Edit. Add Publication