Analysis of snow feedbacks in 14 general circulation models

doi:doi:10.1029/94JD01633

Abstract

Cited By (25)

Abstract

JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH, VOL. 99, NO. D10, PP. 20,757-20,771, 1994
doi:10.1029/94JD01633

Analysis of snow feedbacks in 14 general circulation models

D. A. Randall

Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins

R. D. Cess

Institute for Terrestrial and Planetary Atmospheres, State University of New York at Stony Brook

J. P. Blanchet

Atmospheric Environment Service, Canadian Climate Center, Downs view, Ontario, Canada

S. Chalita

Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique, Paris

R. Colman

Bureau of Meteorology Research Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

D. A. Dazlich

Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins

A. D. Del Genio

Goddard Institute for Space Studies, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, New York

E. Keup

Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

A. Lacis

Goddard Institute for Space Studies, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, New York

H. Le Treut

Laboratoire de Météorologie Dynamique, Paris

X.-Z. Liang

Atmospheric Sciences Research Center, State University of New York at Albany

B. J. McAvaney

Bureau of Meteorology Research Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

J. F. Mahfouf

Meteo-France, Centre National de Recherches Meteorologiques, Toulouse, France

V. P. Meleshko

Voeikov Main Geophysical Observatory, St. Petersburg, Russia

J.-J. Morcrette

European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, Reading, England

P. M. Norris

Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego

G. L. Potter

Program for Climate Model Diagnosis and Intercomparison, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California

L. Rikus

Bureau of Meteorology Research Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

E. Roeckner

Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

J. F. Royer

Meteo-France, Centre National de Recherches Meteorologiques, Toulouse, France

U. Schlese

Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany

D. A. Sheinin

Voeikov Main Geophysical Observatory, St. Petersburg, Russia

A. P. Sokolov

Voeikov Main Geophysical Observatory, St. Petersburg, Russia

K. E. Taylor

Program for Climate Model Diagnosis and Intercomparison, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, California

R. T. Wetherald

Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, NOAA, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey

I. Yagai

Meteorological Research Institute, Tsukuba, Ibarakari-ken, Japan

M.-H. Zhang

Institute for Terrestrial and Planetary Atmospheres, State University of New York at Stony Brook

Snow feedbacks produced by 14 atmospheric general circulation models have been analyzed through idealized numerical experiments. Included in the analysis is an investigation of the surface energy budgets of the models. Negative or weak positive snow feedbacks occurred in some of the models, while others produced strong positive snow feedbacks. These feedbacks are due not only to melting snow, but also to increases in boundary temperature, changes in air temperature, changes in water vapor, and changes in cloudiness. As a result, the net response of each model is quite complex. We analyze in detail the responses of one model with a strong positive snow feedback and another with a weak negative snow feedback. Some of the models include a temperature dependence of the snow albedo, and this has significantly affected the results.

Received 6 October 1993; accepted 17 June 1994; .

Citation: Randall, D. A., et al. (1994), Analysis of snow feedbacks in 14 general circulation models, J. Geophys. Res., 99(D10), 20,757–20,771, doi:10.1029/94JD01633.

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