MASS Seminar - Timothy Merlis (McGill)
Date Time Location
March 6th, 2014 4:00pm-5:00pm 54-915
Title: Constraining transient climate sensitivity

Abstract
The transient evolution of global-mean surface temperature in the coming century will depend on both radiative feedbacks and ocean heat uptake. I will present the results of coupled climate model simulations forced by volcanic eruptions and abrupt changes in carbon dioxide concentration to determine the extent to which observed volcanic eruptions may constrain the "transient climate sensitivity." The ensemble-mean of multiple climate model realizations does indeed have a similar transient climate sensitivity across the different forcing agents. The uncertainties arising from internal climate variability and the possibility of multi-decadal forced responses are described. I will also discuss interactions between components of the climate's energy balance and the challenge that these present for observational estimates of individual radiative feedbacks.

Speaker's website: http://www.meteo.mcgill.ca/~tmerlis/