Projects per year
Abstract / Description of output
Using the Community Earth System Model Large Ensemble experiments, we investigate future heatwaves under the Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5 scenario, separating the relative roles of greenhouse gas increases and aerosol reductions. We show that there will be more severe heatwaves (in terms of intensity, duration and frequency) due to mean warming, with minor contributions from future temperature variability changes. While these changes come primarily from greenhouse gas (GHG) increases, aerosol reductions contribute significantly over the Northern Hemisphere. Furthermore, per degree of global warming, aerosol reductions induce a significantly stronger response in heatwave metrics relative to GHG increases. The stronger response to aerosols is associated with aerosol‐cloud interactions which are still poorly understood and constrained in current climate models. This suggests that there may exist large uncertainties in future heatwave projections, highlighting the critical significance of reducing uncertainties in aerosol‐cloud interactions for reliable projection of climate extremes and effective risk management.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 4913-4923 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | Geophysical Research Letters |
Volume | 46 |
Issue number | 9 |
Early online date | 30 Apr 2019 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 16 May 2019 |
Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)
- HEAT WAVES
- ANTHROPOGENIC AEROSOLS
- PRECIPITATION EXTREMES
- CLOUD INTERACTIONS
- CLIMATE EXTREMES
- SPATIAL-PATTERNS
- TEMPERATURE
- MODEL
- UNCERTAINTY
- RESPONSES
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Dive into the research topics of 'Strong influence of aerosol reductions on future heatwaves'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.Projects
- 1 Finished
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Quantifying and Reducing Uncertainty in the Processes Controlling Tropospheric Ozone and OH
1/01/16 → 31/12/18
Project: Research
Profiles
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David Stevenson
- School of Geosciences - Personal Chair in Atmospheric Chemistry Modelling
Person: Academic: Research Active