Magnitude of ocean temperature feedback effects in a coupled carbon-budget energy-balance model for the period 1800–2100

The ocean-atmosphere CO₂ flux in an existing model is reformulated as a function of both surface temperature (SST) and carbon content. The CO₂ model is run in tandem with an energy balance model whose infrared flux to space is modulated by atmospheric CO₂ concentration. Global (averaged over latitude and longitude) temperature values obtained from the tandem model are very similar to those produced by simple logarithmic scaling of CO₂ concentrations. Simulations indicate the effect of SST feedback is slight, on both a seasonal and long-term basis. It is concluded that there is little advantage to running global CO₂ models, as they are presently configured, in tandem with climate models.Work performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by the Lawrence Livermore Laboratory under contract No. W-7405-ENG-48.