Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-2017-105
https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-2017-105
30 Aug 2017
 | 30 Aug 2017
Status: this preprint was under review for the journal CP but the revision was not accepted.

Sensitivity of atmospheric forcing on Northern Hemisphere ice sheets during the last glacial-interglacial cycle using output from PMIP3

Lu Niu, Gerrit Lohmann, Sebastian Hinck, and Evan J. Gowan

Abstract. We use the three-dimensional Parallel Ice Sheet Model (PISM) to simulate Northern Hemisphere ice sheets evolution through the last glacial-interglacial cycle. The simulation is driven by the NGRIP δ18O index combined with climate forcing at two time slices, the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) and present day (PD). In order to investigate the sensitivity of the ice sheets to the atmospheric forcing, atmospheric output from nine climate models from the Paleoclimate Modeling Intercomparison Project Phase III (PMIP3) are used to force the ice sheet model with the same set-up. The results show large diversity in simulated ice sheets between different models. By comparing the atmospheric forcing, we found that summer surface air temperature pattern resembles the ice sheet extent pattern at the LGM, which shows great sensitivity to summer surface air temperature. This implies that careful constrains on climate output is essential for simulating reliable glacial-interglacial Northern Hemisphere ice sheets. The ablation process is of vital importance for high-latitude Northern Hemisphere ice sheets. Besides, the absent nonlinear interactions between ice sheet and atmosphere and ocean, which have different signals regionally, also contribute to the mismatches between simulated ice sheets and geological evidences. Hence, we highlight the needs for coupling an ice sheet model to GCM to take into account these missing processes.

Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this preprint. The responsibility to include appropriate place names lies with the authors.
Lu Niu, Gerrit Lohmann, Sebastian Hinck, and Evan J. Gowan
 
Status: closed
Status: closed
AC: Author comment | RC: Referee comment | SC: Short comment | EC: Editor comment
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Status: closed
Status: closed
AC: Author comment | RC: Referee comment | SC: Short comment | EC: Editor comment
Printer-friendly Version - Printer-friendly version Supplement - Supplement
Lu Niu, Gerrit Lohmann, Sebastian Hinck, and Evan J. Gowan
Lu Niu, Gerrit Lohmann, Sebastian Hinck, and Evan J. Gowan

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Latest update: 03 Oct 2024
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Short summary
The sensitivity of Northern Hemisphere ice sheets to atmospheric forcing during the last glacial-interglacial cycle is investigated by using output from PMIP3 models. The results show large diversity in simulated ice sheets between different models. We found that summer surface air temperature pattern resembles the ice sheet extent pattern at the LGM. This study implies careful constrains on climate output is essential for simulating reliable glacial-interglacial Northern Hemisphere ice sheets.