An energy balance model for paleoclimate transitions
<p>A new energy balance model (EBM) is presented and is used to study paleoclimate transitions. While most previous EBMs only dealt with the globally averaged climate, this new EBM has three variants: Arctic, Antarctic and tropical climates. The EBM incorporates the greenhouse warming effec...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Copernicus Publications
2019-03-01
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| Series: | Climate of the Past |
| Online Access: | https://www.clim-past.net/15/493/2019/cp-15-493-2019.pdf |
| Summary: | <p>A new energy balance model (EBM) is presented and is used to study paleoclimate
transitions. While most previous EBMs only dealt with the globally averaged climate, this
new EBM has three variants: Arctic, Antarctic and tropical climates. The EBM incorporates
the greenhouse warming effects of both carbon dioxide and water vapour, and also includes
ice–albedo feedback and evapotranspiration. The main conclusion to be inferred from this
EBM is that the climate system may possess multiple equilibrium states, both warm and
frozen, which coexist mathematically. While the actual climate can exist in only one of
these states at any given time, the EBM suggests that climate can undergo transitions
between the states via mathematical saddle-node bifurcations. This paper proposes that
such bifurcations have actually occurred in Paleoclimate transitions. The EBM is applied
to the study of the <i>Pliocene paradox</i>, the <i>glaciation of Antarctica</i> and
the so-called <i>warm, equable climate problem</i> of both the mid-Cretaceous Period
and the Eocene Epoch. In all cases, the EBM is in qualitative agreement with the
geological record.</p> |
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| ISSN: | 1814-9324 1814-9332 |