Intensified water cycle slows down global warming
Researchers found that salinity changes as a result of water cycle
changes lead to less surface warming

Date:
September 23, 2021
Source:
University of Miami Rosenstiel School of Marine & Atmospheric
Science
Summary:
A new study shows that the intensification of global hydrological
cycle drives more ocean heat uptake into the deep ocean and
moderates the pace of global warming.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
A new study led by scientists at the University of Miami (UM)
Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, in collaboration
with scientists at Princeton University, shows that the intensification
of global hydrological cycle drives more ocean heat uptake into the deep
ocean and moderates the pace of global warming.


==========================================================================
As a result of a warming climate, the global water cycle becomes more intensified and as a result wet regions are getting wetter and dry regions
are getting drier. The researchers found that this intensification is also reflected in ocean salinity. The increase in ocean surface salinity in
salty regions, such as the subtropical oceans, leads to denser seawater
and more heat uptake in to the deep ocean. The increase in the rate of
ocean heat uptake would reduce the rate of surface warming.

"We discovered a new mechanism that influences the rate of global
warming through a suite of climate model experiments," said Maofeng Liu,
a postdoctoral researcher at the UM Rosenstiel School, Department of Atmospheric Sciences.

"The good match between climate model simulations and observations in the
past few decades suggest that the salinity changes due to human-induced
warming are likely working to enhance the ocean heat uptake." To conduct
the study, the researchers used a global climate model to conduct two sets
of experiments. In the first set of experiments conducted as a baseline,
they increased the atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration one percent
per year until it doubled. In the second set of experiments, they repeated
the first experiment but do not allow the surface salinity to respond
to the CO2-induced global hydrological cycle changes. The different
outcome from the two sets of experiments highlights the impact of the
water cycle changes in the ocean heat uptake and transient climate change.

Global warming from emission of greenhouse gas into the atmosphere is increasing sea levels and resulting in more frequent and intense storms, drought, and wildfires.

"Predicting the rate of global warming is still a challenge," said
Liu. "This study found a new impact to the rate of global warming." ========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by University_of_Miami_Rosenstiel_School_of_Marine_&
Atmospheric_Science. Original written by Diana Udel. Note: Content may
be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Maofeng Liu, Gabriel Vecchi, Brian Soden, Wenchang Yang, Bosong
Zhang.

Enhanced hydrological cycle increases ocean heat uptake and
moderates transient climate change. Nature Climate Change, 2021;
DOI: 10.1038/ s41558-021-01152-0 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/09/210923115637.htm

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