Climatic variability: Past,present, and future

Paleoclimatic studies help us to gain valuable perspectives and insights into the nature and possible origins of present-day climatic variations that are beyond the reach of conventional historical weather data to provide. In this informal paper, the author lends some personal perspectives on the importance of paleoclimatic studies for the purpose of assessing the future of our climate, and illustrates this by focusing in particular on how tree-ring analyses may elucidate the chronology of changing risks of past and future outbreaks of major droughts in the American West.     

南极地区气候系统变化: 过去、现在和将来

南极科学委员会（SCAR）下属的"南极与全球气候系统（AGCS）计划"专家委员会发布了"南极与南大洋气候系统（SASOCS）"白皮书,重点评估了过去50 a南极地区气候系统的变化并预估了未来100 a情景。白皮书总体认为,过去50 a南极气候系统变化表现出很强的区域特征。南极半岛地区升温明显,半岛及亚南极岛屿上的冰川均处于退缩状态;南半球环状模（SAM）转为正位相,西南极上空的暖湿气团入侵加强,南极冬季对流层有升温趋势,平流层变冷,极涡消退日期推迟;东南极外围的南极底层水变淡,Weddell海区的底层水有变暖趋势。虽有上述区域变化,整个南极地区在过去50 a中近地面气温并无明显升高,降水亦无明显增加。自20世纪80年代以来海冰面积也无明显变化,只在某些扇区变化强烈。模式预估结果为：到21世纪末南极内陆地区将增暖（3.4±1.0）℃, 海冰面积将缩小约30%。现有的冰盖模式尚不足以回答未来气候变暖情景下冰盖融化与海平面变化之间的定量关系,有待更深入研究。     

Q矢量研究进展

考虑水汽相变的凝结潜热作用,引入广义位温,发展了包含广义位温的Q矢量,并在此基础上推导了非地转湿大气Omega方程。（1）包含广义位温的Q矢量是Omega方程的唯一强迫项,由拟涡度伸展矢量、锋生矢量和非绝热加热梯度等三项构成。（2）利用包含广义位温的Q矢量对一次北方夏季暴雨进行诊断分析,发现包含广义位温的Q矢量对降水区的垂直运动结构有良好指示意义,可以综合表征次级环流、锋生和锋消、大尺度和中尺度强迫等多种物理因素,而这些均是影响暴雨发生发展的重要因素,因而包含广义位温的Q矢量及其散度与强降水的发生发展密切相关。（3）利用美国全球预报系统24 h预报场对包含广义位温的Q矢量散度进行计算,结果表明预报的Q矢量散度在时间和空间上与观测6 h降水联系紧密,根据预报的Q矢量散度的异常能够判断降水的可能落区。

     

南极地区气候系统变化:过去、现在和将来

 南极科学委员会（SCAR）下属的"南极与全球气候系统（AGCS）计划"专家委员会发布了"南极与南大洋气候系统（SASOCS）"白皮书,重点评估了过去50 a南极地区气候系统的变化并预估了未来100 a情景。白皮书总体认为,过去50 a南极气候系统变化表现出很强的区域特征。南极半岛地区升温明显,半岛及亚南极岛屿上的冰川均处于退缩状态;南半球环状模（SAM）转为正位相,西南极上空的暖湿气团入侵加强,南极冬季对流层有升温趋势,平流层变冷,极涡消退日期推迟;东南极外围的南极底层水变淡,Weddell海区的底层水有变暖趋势。虽有上述区域变化,整个南极地区在过去50 a中近地面气温并无明显升高,降水亦无明显增加。自20世纪80年代以来海冰面积也无明显变化,只在某些扇区变化强烈。模式预估结果为：到21世纪末南极内陆地区将增暖（3.4±1.0）℃, 海冰面积将缩小约30%。现有的冰盖模式尚不足以回答未来气候变暖情景下冰盖融化与海平面变化之间的定量关系,有待更深入研究。     

Climatic change in southern Africa: Past and present conditions and possible future scenarios

A brief review of climatic changes over the last 800 000 years in southern Africa is presented. The greatest emphasis is placed on those changes occurring during the Holocene and the period of meteorological record. Twentieth-century rainfall variations and their spatial manifestations are examined, and scenarios of possible future conditions are presented.     

Past and future polar amplification of climate change: climate model intercomparisons and ice-core constraints

Climate model simulations available from the PMIP1, PMIP2 and CMIP (IPCC-AR4) intercomparison projects for past and future climate change simulations are examined in terms of polar temperature changes in comparison to global temperature changes and with respect to pre-industrial reference simulations. For the mid-Holocene (MH, 6,000 years ago), the models are forced by changes in the Earth’s orbital parameters. The MH PMIP1 atmosphere-only simulations conducted with sea surface temperatures fixed to modern conditions show no MH consistent response for the poles, whereas the new PMIP2 coupled atmosphere–ocean climate models systematically simulate a significant MH warming both for Greenland (but smaller than ice-core based estimates) and Antarctica (consistent with the range of ice-core based range). In both PMIP1 and PMIP2, the MH annual mean changes in global temperature are negligible, consistent with the MH orbital forcing. The simulated last glacial maximum (LGM, 21,000 years ago) to pre-industrial change in global mean temperature ranges between 3 and 7°C in PMIP1 and PMIP2 model runs, similar to the range of temperature change expected from a quadrupling of atmospheric CO₂ concentrations in the CMIP simulations. Both LGM and future climate simulations are associated with a polar amplification of climate change. The range of glacial polar amplification in Greenland is strongly dependent on the ice sheet elevation changes prescribed to the climate models. All PMIP2 simulations systematically underestimate the reconstructed glacial–interglacial Greenland temperature change, while some of the simulations do capture the reconstructed glacial–interglacial Antarctic temperature change. Uncertainties in the prescribed central ice cap elevation cannot account for the temperature change underestimation by climate models. The variety of climate model sensitivities enables the exploration of the relative changes in polar temperature with respect to changes in global temperatures. Simulated changes of polar temperatures are strongly related to changes in simulated global temperatures for both future and LGM climates, confirming that ice-core-based reconstructions provide quantitative insights on global climate changes. An erratum to this article can be found at     

Past,present and future climatic forcing due to greenhouse gases

An advanced one-dimensional radiative-convective model (RCM) is used to estimate the past, present and fu-ture climatic forcings induced by greenhouse gases of anthropogenic origin, such as CO2, CH4, N2O and CFCs, in this paper. The results show that the decadal climatic forcing for the last decade is one-order bigger than that prior to the year 1900, and in the case of no control on the emission of the greenhouse gases the climatic forcing for the year 2100 will be almost 4 times as much as now.     

Past,present and future vegetation-cloud feedbacks in the Amazon Basin

To begin exploring the underlying mechanisms that couple vegetation to cloud formation processes, we derive the lifting condensation level (LCL) to estimate cumulus cloud base height. Using a fully coupled land–ocean–atmosphere general circulation model (HadCM3LC), we investigate Amazonian forest feedbacks on cloud formation over three geological periods; modern-day (a.d. 1970–1990), the last glacial maximum (LGM; 21 kya), and under a future climate scenario (IS92a; a.d. 2070–2090). Results indicate that for both past and future climate scenarios, LCL is higher relative to modern-day. Statistical analyses indicate that the 800 m increase in LCL during the LGM is related primarily to the drier atmosphere promoted by lower tropical sea surface temperatures. In contrast, the predicted 1,000 m increase in LCL in the future scenario is the result of a large increase in surface temperature and reduced vegetation cover.     

Past and future changes in climate and hydrological indicators in the US Northeast

To assess the influence of global climate change at the regional scale, we examine past and future changes in key climate, hydrological, and biophysical indicators across the US Northeast (NE). We first consider the extent to which simulations of twentieth century climate from nine atmosphere-ocean general circulation models (AOGCMs) are able to reproduce observed changes in these indicators. We then evaluate projected future trends in primary climate characteristics and indicators of change, including seasonal temperatures, rainfall and drought, snow cover, soil moisture, streamflow, and changes in biometeorological indicators that depend on threshold or accumulated temperatures such as growing season, frost days, and Spring Indices (SI). Changes in indicators for which temperature-related signals have already been observed (seasonal warming patterns, advances in high-spring streamflow, decreases in snow depth, extended growing seasons, earlier bloom dates) are generally reproduced by past model simulations and are projected to continue in the future. Other indicators for which trends have not yet been observed also show projected future changes consistent with a warmer climate (shrinking snow cover, more frequent droughts, and extended low-flow periods in summer). The magnitude of temperature-driven trends in the future are generally projected to be higher under the Special Report on Emission Scenarios (SRES) mid-high (A2) and higher (A1FI) emissions scenarios than under the lower (B1) scenario. These results provide confidence regarding the direction of many regional climate trends, and highlight the fundamental role of future emissions in determining the potential magnitude of changes we can expect over the coming century.

---

Past and future sea-level rise along the coast of North Carolina,USA

We evaluate relative sea level (RSL) trajectories for North Carolina, USA, in the context of tide-gauge measurements and geological sea-level reconstructions spanning the last ~11,000 years. RSL rise was fastest (~7 mm/yr) during the early Holocene and slowed over time with the end of the deglaciation. During the pre-Industrial Common Era (i.e., 0–1800 CE), RSL rise (~0.7 to 1.1 mm/yr) was driven primarily by glacio-isostatic adjustment, though dampened by tectonic uplift along the Cape Fear Arch. Ocean/atmosphere dynamics caused centennial variability of up to ~0.6 mm/yr around the long-term rate. It is extremely likely (probability P=0.95) that 20th century RSL rise at Sand Point, NC, (2.8 ± 0.5 mm/yr) was faster than during any other century in at least 2,900 years. Projections based on a fusion of process models, statistical models, expert elicitation, and expert assessment indicate that RSL at Wilmington, NC, is very likely (P=0.90) to rise by 42–132 cm between 2000 and 2100 under the high-emissions RCP 8.5 pathway. Under all emission pathways, 21st century RSL rise is very likely (P>0.90) to be faster than during the 20th century. Due to RSL rise, under RCP 8.5, the current ‘1-in-100 year’ flood is expected at Wilmington in ~30 of the 50 years between 2050-2100.     

末次冰期冰盛期

末次冰期冰盛期(LGM)是十分关键的气候时期,这是距我们最近的极寒冷时期,那时北美北部为一巨大冰盖,包括3部分:一个在北美北部的东南,是北美冰盖的主体,称为劳仑泰冰盖;一个在北美北部的西南方太平洋沿岸,范围较小,称为考尔的勒冰盖;另一个在北美东北部靠近北冰洋,称为因纽特冰盖,范围最小。LGM时全球陆地约有24%被冰覆盖,     

Glacial cycles and ice-sheet modelling

An attempt is made to simulate the Pleistocene glacial cycles with a numerical model of the Northern Hemisphere ice sheets. This model treats the vertically-integrated ice flow along a meridian, including computation of bedrock adjustment and temperature distribution in the ice. Basal melt water is traced and controls ice-mass discharge. The model produces asymmetric glacial cycles, even when it is not forced. Model parameters can be chosen such that cycles with a duration of about 100 000 yr occur. Due to the production of basal melt water and bedrock sinking, deglaciations are very rapid. The occurrence of glacial cycles in the model is a stable feature, but thephase of the cycles is very sensitive to the model parameters. The main conclusion is that ice-sheet dynamics may provide an explanation for the Pleistocene glacial cycles. However, the ‘predictability’ of the ice-volume record appears to be small.     

Past and future plant diversity of a coastal wetland driven by soil subsidence and climate change

On the island of Ameland (The Netherlands), natural gas has been extracted from a dune and salt marsh natural area since 1986. This has caused a soil subsidence of c. 1–25?cm, which can be used as a model to infer effects of future sea level rise. The aims of our study were (a) to relate the changes in the vegetation, and more specifically, in plant diversity, during the extraction period to soil subsidence and weather fluctuations, and (b) to use these relations to predict future changes due to the combination of ongoing soil subsidence and climate change. We characterised climate change as increases in mean sea level, storm frequency and net precipitation. Simultaneous observations were made of vegetation composition, elevation, soil chemistry, net precipitation, groundwater level, and flooding frequency over the period 1986–2001. By using multiple regression the changes in the vegetation could be decomposed into (1) an oscillatory component due to fluctuations in net precipitation, (2) an oscillatory component due to incidental flooding, (3) a monotonous component due to soil subsidence, and (4) a monotonous component not related to any measured variable but probably due to eutrophication. The changes were generally small during the observation period, but the regression model predicts large changes by the year 2100 that are almost exclusively due to sea level rise. However, although sea level rise is expected to cause a loss of species, this does not necessarily lead to a loss of conservancy value.     

Last Glacial Maximum Sea Surface Temperatures: A Model-Data Comparison

In this study,the authors investigated changes in Last Glacial Maximum(LGM)sea surface temperature(SST)simulated by the Paleoclimate Modelling Intercomparison Project(PMIP)multimodels and reconstructed by the Multiproxy Approach for the Reconstruction of the Glacial Ocean Surface(MARGO)project,focusing on model-data comparison.The results showed that the PMIP models produced greater ocean cooling in the North Pacific and Tropical Ocean than the MARGO,particularly in the northwestern Pacific,where the modeldata mismatch was larger.All the models failed to capture the anomalous east-west SST gradient in the North Atlantic.In addition,large discrepancies among the models were observed in the mid-latitude ocean,particularly with models in the second phase of the PMIP.Although these models showed better agreement with the MARGO,the latest models in the third phase of the PMIP did not show substantial progresses in simulating LGM ocean surface conditions.That is,improvements in the modeling community are still needed to describe SST for a better understanding of climate during the LGM.     

爆发性气旋的前世今生

温带气旋是中纬度地区每日天气舞台上最重要的“演员”.在秋冬季节的中高纬度海洋上有一类快速发展的温带气旋——“爆发性气旋”,尚未受到公众的广泛关注.文章围绕这一主题,首先回顾了温带气旋研究的历史,介绍了“爆发性气旋”这一术语产生的渊源,并对多位学者给出的爆发性气旋定义进行了系统梳理,重点介绍了一个考虑风速影响的、修正的爆...     

祁连山冰川消融与高空气温变化的关系

利用1986年6-9月冰川实地考察资料及酒泉站的高空探测资料，分析了1986年6-9月祁连山冰川消融随高空气温的变化特征和高空气温与河西地区托来河流量之间的关系。得出两者之间存在较好的相关关系。     

Amazonian climate: results and future research

Summary Some of the results from the climate component of the Large Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere Experiment in Amazonia (LBA), which are presented in this Special Issue are summarised. Recent advances in Amazonian climate modelling are also discussed. There is a range of papers which fall into three groups: surface fluxes and boundary layer growth; convection, clouds and rainfall; and climate modelling. The new insight given by this work is discussed and an argument is made for future research to employ a wider approach to Amazonian climate modelling.