Cloud processes associated with past and future climate changes

Abstract

 To investigate the cloud response during cold and warm periods, we have performed simulations of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM-21ky BP) and of double CO₂ concentration using the LMD AGCM model. We observe that the thermal characteristics of these two climates are opposite, but the cloud response is more complex and does not display the same symmetry When doubling the CO₂, the warming of the troposphere and the cooling of the stratosphere are clearly linked with a reduction in low-level clouds and an increase of high-level clouds associated with relative humidity changes. For the LGM, the cloud response is more complex. In the inter tropical region, we show that the Hadley cell is reinforced during LGM (+20%) whereas it is reduced (−10%) for the double CO₂ experiments. The most important feature is that we observe an enlarged Hadley cell for LGM climate which strongly modifies the atmospheric dynamics and water transport. For LGM conditions, the cloud response is then mostly driven by these dynamical changes at low latitudes though at high latitudes the thermal changes explain a large part of the cloud response. Two different versions of the model, using different parametrizations for the precipitation show that cloud feedbacks may act differently for cold and warm climates; and that the cloud response may be more complex that previously expected, but also indicate that the details of these effects are model dependent.