HR: 14:25h
AN: A32C-03 [PDF]
TI: Response of the coupled climate system to aerosols simulated with a MODIS aerosol
assimilation
AU: * Collins, W D
EM: wcollins@ucar.edu
AF: National Center for Atmospheric Research, P.O. Box 3000, Boulder, CO. 80307-3000 United States
AU: Fillmore, D W
EM: fillmore@ucar.edu
AF: National Center for Atmospheric Research, P.O. Box 3000, Boulder, CO. 80307-3000 United States
AU: Conley, A J
EM: aconley@ucar.edu
AF: National Center for Atmospheric Research, P.O. Box 3000, Boulder, CO. 80307-3000 United States
AB:
Recent observational and modeling studies have shown that absorptive
aerosols can have significant effects on regional climate and the
hydrological cycle. The effects of aerosols on the global climate
system are simulated using the new NCAR Community Climate System Model
(CCSM3) forced with aerosols from a novel aerosol assimilation. The
aerosol assimilation produces global distributions of sea-salt,
sulfate, carbonaceous aerosols, and soil dust constrained by satellite
observations. The satellite observations are aerosol retrievals from
the MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) instrument
on the NASA Aqua and Terra satellites. The analysis spans a
three-year period from March 2000 to February 2003. The effects of
aerosols are demonstrated by comparing CCSM integrations with no
aerosols, no absorbing aerosols, and all aerosols. The differences in
global mean surface temperature are consistent with the climate
sensitivity of the CCSM to changes in well-mixed greenhouse gases.
The results show statistically significant changes in surface
temperature, surface energy fluxes, boundary layer structure,
and precipitation. The fraction of these signals related to the
presence of absorbing aerosols is quantified using the simulations
with no aerosol absorption.
DE: 0305 Aerosols and particles (0345, 4801)
DE: 0345 Pollution--urban and regional (0305)
DE: 3337 Numerical modeling and data assimilation
DE: 3359 Radiative processes
SC: Atmospheric Sciences [A]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting