August 16, 2018
Feature

Pinpointing the Players in a Rapidly Warming Arctic

Researchers zero in on the radiative feedback processes that continue to drive warming in the Arctic.

arctic

Recent research sheds light on the contributions of different feedbacks, such as surface reflectivity and water vapor, to Arctic warming and amplification.

The Science

When there is a shift in the Earth's energy balance, the air temperature changes. This prompts further atmospheric processes that either amplify or dampen the climate response—referred to as positive and negative feedbacks, respectively. Some feedbacks have been reported to contribute to a rapidly warming Arctic, but their relative importance remains uncertain.

Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Pacific Northwest National Laboratory led a systematic analysis of Arctic feedbacks based on observed short-term climate variations. Their analysis showed the relative contributions of different feedbacks to Arctic warming and amplification—a phenomenon in which the Arctic has warmed more than twice as fast as the global average temperature.

The Impact

This study is the first to systematically quantify and compare individual radiative feedbacks over the Arctic based on various reanalysis and satellite data sets. Researchers identified the top contributors to Arctic amplification, as well as sources of uncertainty in feedback estimates.

 

Reference: R. Zhang, H. Wang, Q. Fu, A.G. Pendergrass, M. Wang, Y. Yang, P.-L. Ma, P.J. Rasch, "Local Radiative Feedbacks Over the Arctic Based on Observed Short-Term Climate Variations." Geophysical Research Letters 45, 5761-5770 (2018). [https://doi.org/10.1029/2018GL077852]

Key Capabilities

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About PNNL

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory draws on its distinguishing strengths in chemistry, Earth sciences, biology and data science to advance scientific knowledge and address challenges in sustainable energy and national security. Founded in 1965, PNNL is operated by Battelle for the Department of Energy’s Office of Science, which is the single largest supporter of basic research in the physical sciences in the United States. DOE’s Office of Science is working to address some of the most pressing challenges of our time. For more information, visit https://energy.gov/science. For more information on PNNL, visit PNNL's News Center. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.

Published: August 16, 2018

Research Team

Rudong Zhang, PNNL/Nanjing University (China)/Jiangsu Provincial Collaborative Innovation Center of Climate Change (China)
Hailong Wang, Yang Yang, Po-Lun Ma, and Philip J. Rasch, PNNL; Qiang Fu, University of Washington
Angeline G. Pendergrass, National Center for Atmospheric Research
Minghuai Wang, Nanjing University/Jiangsu Provincial Collaborative Innovation Center of Climate Change

Research topics