Southern Hemisphere jet latitude biases in CMIP5 models linked to shortwave cloud forcing

Ceppi, P., Hwang, Y.-T., Frierson, D. M. W. and Hartmann, D. L. (2012) Southern Hemisphere jet latitude biases in CMIP5 models linked to shortwave cloud forcing. Geophysical Research Letters, 39 (19). ISSN 0094-8276 doi: 10.1029/2012GL053115

Abstract/Summary

Substantial biases in shortwave cloud forcing (SWCF) of up to ±30 W m−2are found in the midlatitudes of the Southern Hemisphere in the historical simulations of 34 CMIP5 coupled general circulation models. The SWCF biases are shown to induce surface temperature anomalies localized in the midlatitudes, and are significantly correlated with the mean latitude of the eddy-driven jet, with a negative SWCF bias corresponding to an equatorward jet latitude bias. Aquaplanet model experiments are performed to demonstrate that the jet latitude biases are primarily induced by the midlatitude SWCF anomalies, such that the jet moves toward (away from) regions of enhanced (reduced) temperature gradients. The results underline the necessity of accurately representing cloud radiative forcings in state-of-the-art coupled models.

Item Type	Article
URI	https://reading-clone.eprints-hosting.org/id/eprint/46109
Item Type	Article
Refereed	Yes
Divisions	No Reading authors. Back catalogue items Science > School of Mathematical, Physical and Computational Sciences > Department of Meteorology
Publisher	American Geophysical Union
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