Elevation‐dependent cooling caused by volcanic eruptions during the last millennium. (19th November 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Ning, Liang; Liu, Jian; Bradley, Raymond S.; Yan, Mi; Chen, Kefan; Sun, Weiyi; Jin, Chunhan
• Is Part Of: International journal of climatology. Volume 40:Number 6(2020)
• Page Start: 3142
• Page End: 3149
• Publication Date: 2019-11-19
• Subjects: elevation‐dependent cooling -- volcanic eruptions -- last millennium; Climatology -- Periodicals; Climat -- Périodiques; Climatologie -- Périodiques; 551.605
• DOI: 10.1002/joc.6387
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0899-8418

Abstract

Abstract: Amplified warming over high‐elevation regions has been observed in recent decades, affecting mountain hydrological systems, ecosystems, and socioeconomic development. However, whether natural forcing in the past caused similar elevation‐dependent temperature changes is unclear. Because limited observational data constrain our understanding of such elevation‐dependent temperature changes and the corresponding mechanisms, here we use multi‐model long‐term simulations to show that elevation‐dependent cooling (EDC) occurred after major volcanic eruptions during the last millennium. We propose two physical mechanisms responsible for the EDC: a reduction in latent heat release related to the tropical deep convection, serving as the large‐scale background climate change; feedbacks involving snow albedo and surface received short‐wave radiation, serving as the local processes. These findings improve our understanding of the physical mechanisms behind elevation‐dependent temperature changes, and provide insights for future climate projections considering both natural forcing and greenhouse gas increases. Abstract : The elevation‐dependent annual surface air temperature changes (black lines, unit: °C) and the linear regression (blue lines, unit: °C) over the Tibetan Plateau during severe volcanic eruption events (5 years after the eruption minus 5 years before the eruption) from the ensemble average of the eight models. The dots indicate changes that are significant at the p = .05 level based on Student's t test.