Sensitivity of European Temperature to Albedo Parameterization in the Regional Climate Model COSMO-CLM Linked to Extreme Land Use Changes
Previous studies based on observations and models are uncertain about the biophysical impact of af- and deforestation in the northern hemisphere mid-latitude summers, and show either a cooling or warming. The spatial distribution, magnitude and direction are still uncertain. In this study, the effec...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2018-11-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Environmental Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fenvs.2018.00123/full |
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| author | Merja H. Tölle Marcus Breil Kai Radtke Hans-Jürgen Panitz |
| author_facet | Merja H. Tölle Marcus Breil Kai Radtke Hans-Jürgen Panitz |
| author_sort | Merja H. Tölle |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Previous studies based on observations and models are uncertain about the biophysical impact of af- and deforestation in the northern hemisphere mid-latitude summers, and show either a cooling or warming. The spatial distribution, magnitude and direction are still uncertain. In this study, the effect of three different albedo parameterizations in the regional climate model COSMO-CLM (v5.09) is examined performing idealized experiments at 0.44° horizontal resolution across the EURO-CORDEX domain during 1986–2015. De- and af-forestation simulations are compared to a simulation with no land cover change. Emphasis is put on the impact of changes in radiation and turbulent fluxes. A clear latitudinal pattern is found, which results partly due to the strong land cover conversion from forest- to grassland in the high latitudes and open land to forest conversion in mid-latitudes. Afforestation warms the climate in winter, and strongest in mid-latitudes. Results are indifferent in summer owing to opposing albedo and evapotranspiration effects of comparable size but different sign. Thus, the net effect is small for summer. Depending on the albedo parameterization in the model, the temperature effect can turn from cooling to warming in mid-latitude summers. The summer warming due to deforestation to grassland is up to 3°C higher than due to afforestation. The cooling by grass or warming by forest is in magnitude comparable and small in winter. The strength of the described near-surface temperature changes depends on the magnitude of the individual biophysical changes in the specific background climate conditions of the region. Thus, the albedo parameterization need to account for different vegetation types. Furthermore, we found that, depending on the region, the land cover change effect is more important than the model uncertainty due to albedo parameterization. This is important information for model development. |
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| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-10T07:12:30Z |
| publishDate | 2018-11-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Environmental Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-b2fc29b6f3e4444c8edc4ea827636fd02022-12-22T01:58:02ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Environmental Science2296-665X2018-11-01610.3389/fenvs.2018.00123413110Sensitivity of European Temperature to Albedo Parameterization in the Regional Climate Model COSMO-CLM Linked to Extreme Land Use ChangesMerja H. Tölle0Marcus Breil1Kai Radtke2Hans-Jürgen Panitz3Department of Geography, Climatology, Climate Dynamics and Climate Change, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, GermanyInstitute of Meteorology and Climate Research–Troposphere Research, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, GermanyChair of Environmental Meteorology, Brandenburg University of Technology, Cottbus-Senftenberg, Senftenberg, GermanyInstitute of Meteorology and Climate Research–Troposphere Research, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, GermanyPrevious studies based on observations and models are uncertain about the biophysical impact of af- and deforestation in the northern hemisphere mid-latitude summers, and show either a cooling or warming. The spatial distribution, magnitude and direction are still uncertain. In this study, the effect of three different albedo parameterizations in the regional climate model COSMO-CLM (v5.09) is examined performing idealized experiments at 0.44° horizontal resolution across the EURO-CORDEX domain during 1986–2015. De- and af-forestation simulations are compared to a simulation with no land cover change. Emphasis is put on the impact of changes in radiation and turbulent fluxes. A clear latitudinal pattern is found, which results partly due to the strong land cover conversion from forest- to grassland in the high latitudes and open land to forest conversion in mid-latitudes. Afforestation warms the climate in winter, and strongest in mid-latitudes. Results are indifferent in summer owing to opposing albedo and evapotranspiration effects of comparable size but different sign. Thus, the net effect is small for summer. Depending on the albedo parameterization in the model, the temperature effect can turn from cooling to warming in mid-latitude summers. The summer warming due to deforestation to grassland is up to 3°C higher than due to afforestation. The cooling by grass or warming by forest is in magnitude comparable and small in winter. The strength of the described near-surface temperature changes depends on the magnitude of the individual biophysical changes in the specific background climate conditions of the region. Thus, the albedo parameterization need to account for different vegetation types. Furthermore, we found that, depending on the region, the land cover change effect is more important than the model uncertainty due to albedo parameterization. This is important information for model development.https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fenvs.2018.00123/fullland cover changebiophysical effectalbedo parameterizationevapotranspirationregional climate modelclimate |
| spellingShingle | Merja H. Tölle Marcus Breil Kai Radtke Hans-Jürgen Panitz Sensitivity of European Temperature to Albedo Parameterization in the Regional Climate Model COSMO-CLM Linked to Extreme Land Use Changes Frontiers in Environmental Science land cover change biophysical effect albedo parameterization evapotranspiration regional climate model climate |
| title | Sensitivity of European Temperature to Albedo Parameterization in the Regional Climate Model COSMO-CLM Linked to Extreme Land Use Changes |
| title_full | Sensitivity of European Temperature to Albedo Parameterization in the Regional Climate Model COSMO-CLM Linked to Extreme Land Use Changes |
| title_fullStr | Sensitivity of European Temperature to Albedo Parameterization in the Regional Climate Model COSMO-CLM Linked to Extreme Land Use Changes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sensitivity of European Temperature to Albedo Parameterization in the Regional Climate Model COSMO-CLM Linked to Extreme Land Use Changes |
| title_short | Sensitivity of European Temperature to Albedo Parameterization in the Regional Climate Model COSMO-CLM Linked to Extreme Land Use Changes |
| title_sort | sensitivity of european temperature to albedo parameterization in the regional climate model cosmo clm linked to extreme land use changes |
| topic | land cover change biophysical effect albedo parameterization evapotranspiration regional climate model climate |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fenvs.2018.00123/full |
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